Radar Sensors

We offer short range microwave sensors (radar sensors) manufactured by RFbeam, located in Switzerland.
These products are used as movement or presence sensors in buildings and industrial applications. Moreover these sensors are used in traffic supervision and traffic analysing, as well as in sports time measurement equipment. In the past, radar systems could only be set up by the use of expensive, big and heavy components like waveguides. Today, using planar technology, the sensor modules are small, cost effective and robust. Our radar sensors are used for short range radar applications covering ranges from a few cm to some kilometers. With radar sensors the speed, direction of movement and the position (presence) of objects can be determined.

Technical description

The radar modules are emitting electromagnetic radiation in the range of 24.125 GHz which is called the K-band. This K-band is allowed to use nearly worldwide without any charge (exception England), but the manufacturer of the modules have to approve the modules.

Quite generally radar radiation is reflected by solid objects and the reflected radiation is used for detecting objects. The amount of reflected radiation, which is detected by the radar module, is not only depending on the distance of the object, but also on its size and material. A metal surface is a very good radar target (high radar cross-section), and even a human being is reflecting quite well because of high e_r-value of water contained in the body. A person can be detected at a distance of 12 meters even with our smallest standard modules.

Many plastic materials are more or less transparent for microwave radiation. Therefore the sensor module can easily be hidden behind a plastic panel which is a huge advantage for the outer design of the final product compared to pyroelectric detectors, which need a Fresnel lense for proper operation.