An investigation of bistatic calibration techniques

Several popular bistatic calibration techniques are investigated and comparisons made between the relative merits of the various techniques. The analysis addresses sensitivity to object alignment error, sensitivity to polarization impurity, and ease of implementation. Both theoretical concepts and practical considerations are discussed based on measurements accomplished at the European Microwave Signature Laboratory of the European Commission Joint Research Center, Ispra, Italy. This facility has the capability to produce far-field fully polarimetric precision bistatic measurements in a 30-cm-diameter quiet zone, suitable for comparing different calibration methods. Index Terms--Bistatic, calibration, measurement, radar.