System and method for efficient, high-resolution microwave imaging using complementary transmit and receive beam patterns

A microwave imaging system, comprising:

• a microwave source for providing microwave illumination;
• a reflector antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being capable of being programmed with a respective phase delay to reflect the microwave illumination towards a target in a transmit beam, said antenna elements being further capable of receiving reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target in a receive beam, said reflector antenna array including:
• a first array of antenna elements arranged to reflect said transmit beam in a transmit beam pattern, and
• a second array of antenna elements arranged to receive said receive beam in a receive beam pattern complementary to said transmit beam pattern;
• and
• a processor operable to measure an intensity of the reflected microwave illumination in said receive beam to form the microwave image of the target at an intersection of said transmit beam and said receive beam.

A method for capturing a microwave image of a target, comprising:

• providing a scanning panel including a plurality of antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being programmable with a respective phase delay;
• directing a transmit beam of microwave illumination in a transmit beam pattern towards the target from a first array of said plurality of antenna element based on the phase delay of each of the antenna elements therein;
• receiving a receive beam of reflected microwave illumination reflected from the target in a receive beam pattern at a second array of said plurality of antenna elements, said receive beam pattern being complementary to said transmit beam pattern;
• and
• capturing the microwave image of the target at an intersection of said transmit beam and said receive beam.