Range detection assessment of photonic radar under adverse weather perceptions

The photonic radar is attaining its popularity significantly for the last few years due to its potential to offer wide bandwidth to achieve an extended target-range with high range- and image-resolution [8-10]. On the other hand, the state-of-the-art microwave radar is incapable to meet these essential requirements of the self-driving vehicles due to its limited bandwidth. Moreover, to work at higher microwave-frequencies to attain high bandwidth, the microwave radar's performance is affected by atmospheric fluctuations that result in short target-range. So, it becomes imperative to demonstrate and investigate a photonic radar that has the potential to achieve a prolonged target-range in harsh environment perceptions. Subsequently, the authors develop a model of linear frequency-modulated photonic radar to capture the reflected echoes with high power sufficient for target-detection with high accuracy using two simulation software, i.e. Matlab^TM and Optisys^TM. Further, the demonstrated photonic radar is developed and carried out under the influence of weak-to-strong atmospheric regimes. Our work determines how the weak-to-strong states of atmospheric fluctuations affect the demonstrated photonic radar and which detection strategy, either coherent or non-coherent, should be adopted to attain a prolonged target-range in the presence of harsh weather conditions. The results show better signal-to-noise ratio with high power of reflected echoes to achieve an extended target-range and are aligned in the acceptable ranges.