STAR-RIS-based Pulse-Doppler Radars

TL;DR

This paper proposes a pulse-Doppler radar system using a STAR-RIS to enhance target detection and velocity estimation, introducing novel scanning policies and a GIC-based detection method for improved performance in cluttered environments.

Contribution

It introduces a STAR-RIS-based pulse-Doppler radar with new scanning strategies and a GIC-based detection rule, advancing target detection and velocity estimation techniques.

Findings

Enhanced detection in cluttered environments

Tradeoff analysis between scanning policies

Improved velocity estimation accuracy

Abstract

In this study, we consider a pulse-Doppler radar relying on a simultaneously transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) for scanning a given volume; the radar receiver is collocated with the STAR-RIS and aims to detect moving targets and estimate their radial velocity in the presence of clutter. To separate the echoes received from the transmissive and reflective half-spaces, the STAR-RIS superimposes a different slow-time modulation on the pulses redirected in each half-space, while the radar detector employs a decision rule based on a generalized information criterion (GIC). Two scanning policies are introduced, namely, simultaneous and sequential scanning, with different tradeoffs in terms of radial velocity estimation accuracy and complexity of the radar detector.