This paper reviews digital beam-forming as an alternative technology for the development of passive millimetre wave (PMMW) imagers. Considering recent technology developments and end-user requirements, digital beam-forming is an attractive prospect for a new architecture of PMMW security imager. The radiometric sensitivity in PMMW electronic beam-forming is investigated using beam-former simulations and comparisons made with a mechanical scanning PMMW imager. The objectives, design considerations and progress to date on a demonstrator programme for a PMMW digital beam-forming imager directed at the commercial security screening market are discussed. The benefits of digital beam-forming for security scanners are reviewed together with the calibration technique and the programme future.

Date Published: 7 November 2007
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 6739, Electro-Optical Remote Sensing, Detection, and Photonic Technologies and Their Applications, 67390S (7 November 2007);

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6739:
Electro-Optical Remote Sensing, Detection, and Photonic Technologies and Their Applications
Gary W. Kamerman; Keith A. Krapels; John C. Carrano; Arturas Zukauskas; Ove K. Steinvall; Keith L. Lewis; Keith A. Krapels, Editor(s)