# US 2014/0152486 A1 · Near field subwavelength focusing synthetic aperture radar with chemical detection mode

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- Number: US 2014/0152486 A1
- Document ID: US20140152486A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/705,343
- Filed: 2012-12-05
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-05
- Assignees: AMI Research & Development, LLC
- Inventors: John T. Apostolos; Judy Feng; William Mouyos
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152486A1

## CPC

- G01S 13/885: {for ground probing (prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12)}
- G01S 13/887: {for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons}
- G01S 13/90: using synthetic aperture techniques {, e.g. synthetic aperture radar [SAR] techniques}
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

Detection of objects such as a buried explosive device while operating from a moving platform using a radio frequency emission system having two modes. An electromagnetic wave emission and detection system operates in a first mode to locate objects of interest and in a second mode to determine if an object contains explosive materials. In the first mode, the emission and detection system preferably operates as a subwavelength focusing, wideband, superlens using a near field super gain synthetic aperture continuous wave (CW) swept radar. In the second mode the system preferably enabled after detection of an object in the first mode, uses chemical detection methods such as Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for detecting a buried explosive object comprising:
disposing one or more radiating element(s) on a moving vehicle;
driving at least one of the radiating element(s) with first signal type comprising a wideband swept continuous wave signal;
detecting a response;
determining a presence of a buried object from the response; and
subsequent to determining said presence of a buried object,
driving the radiating element(s) or other radiating elements with a second signal type to detecting chemical composition of the object.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting chemical composition of the object further comprises:
creating a time varying electromagnetic field exciting continuous transitions between two energy states in a nucleus of the object;
receiving resulting coherent radio frequency emissions from the object; and
processing the coherent emissions to determine if the object is an explosive object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of driving the radiating elements with the first signal type and detecting a response further comprises:
operating as a wide band continuous wave (CW) swept radar.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of driving the radiating elements with the first signal type and detecting a response further comprises:
operating as a near field, super gain, synthetic aperture CW radar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:
detecting a portion of transmitter power, to provide a reference signal, and where the step of processing the coherent emissions further uses the reference signal to determine characteristics of the object.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a split element antenna.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of driving at least one of the radiating elements and detecting a response comprises a monopulse radar.