Gradient-Descent Based Optimization of Multi-Tone Sinusoidal Frequency Modulated Waveforms

Abstract: This paper describes a gradient-descent based optimization algorithm for synthesizing Multi-Tone Sinusoidal Frequency Modulated (MTSFM) waveforms with low Auto-Correlation Function (ACF) sidelobes in a specified region of time delays while preserving the ACF mainlobe width. The algorithm optimizes the Generalized Integrated Sidelobe Level (GISL) which controls the mainlobe and sidelobe structure of the waveform's ACF. This optimization is performed subject to nonlinear constraints on the waveform's RMS bandwidth which directly controls the ACF mainlobe width. Since almost all of the operations of the algorithm utilize the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), it is substantially more computationally efficient than previous methods that synthesized MTSFM waveforms with low ACF sidelobes. The computational efficiency of this new algorithm facilitates the design of larger dimensional and correspondingly larger time-bandwidth product MTSFM waveform designs. The algorithm is demonstrated through several illustrative MTSFM design examples.