Patent ID: 7940376

Claim:
A real time SAR processing system for processing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) return signals, comprising: (a.) a light source for generating a coherent electromagnetic wave; (b.) a light modulation means for modulating an incident wave according to radar return signals and outputting a modulated wave; (c.) a light detection means for detecting a processed wave and generating a corresponding electrical processed image signal (d.) an optical processor for processing the modulated wave for radar image reconstruction wherein said optical processor comprises a spherical lens capable of imaging a processed wave to a detector plane of the light detection means, and a cylindrical lens capable of focalizing the azimuth phase history; wherein the light modulation means comprise a plurality of addressable pixels arranged in a two-dimensional rectangular array which are controlled based on the radar return signals; and wherein the light modulation means is capable of performing simultaneous amplitude and phase modulation of the incident wave according to a two-dimensional radar signal pattern, wherein one dimension corresponds to SAR range data, and wherein the other dimension corresponds to SAR azimuth signal history; and wherein the light modulation means and/or the light detection means are tilted with respect to an optical axis.