Patent ID: 8860608

Claim:
A photonic-assisted digital radar system ( 1 ) comprising: an active electronically-scanned antenna ( 2 ); a transmitting section ( 3 ) connected to the antenna ( 2 ) and configured to generate and transmit RF signals (SF 1 ) via the antenna ( 2 ); and a receiving section ( 4 ) connected to the antenna ( 2 ) and configured to receive and process electric analog signals (SE 2 ) associated to received RF signals (SF 2 ); the transmitting section ( 3 ) comprising: a waveform generator ( 5 ) configured to generate an electric modulating signal in the form of a pulsed waveform (SWG); and a modulator ( 6 ) configured to receive an electric transmission carrier (STALO) and the electric modulating signal (SWG) and to modulate the transmission carrier (STALO) by means of the modulating signal (SWG), thereby generating a radiofrequency signal (SF 1 ) to be transmitted via the antenna ( 2 ); characterized in that the receiving section ( 4 ) comprises: photonic-assisted analog-to-digital converting means ( 8 ) configured to convert electric analog signals (SE 2 ) into corresponding electric digital signals (SED); and digital signal processing means ( 9 ) configured to receive and process the electric digital signals (SED); wherein the photonic-assisted analog-to-digital converting means ( 8 ) comprises: a mode-locked laser device ( 11 ) configured to generate an optical clock signal (SS); and electronic analog-to-digital converting means ( 13 ); the electronic analog-to-digital converter means ( 13 ), the waveform generator ( 5 ), the modulator ( 6 ) and the digital signal processing means ( 9 ) being configured to operate based on respective electric clock signals (CK 3 ),(CK 1 ),(CK 2 ),(CK 4 ) generated based on the optical clock signal (SS).