Mohanty Subrat, Alegaonkar Prashant S, Baskey Himangshu B
Department of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab 151401, India.
Stealth and Camouflage Division, Defence Material Store R and D Establishment, DRDO, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208013, India.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2023 Aug 2;15(30):37107-37115. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c07669. Epub 2023 Jul 21.
Integrated frequency selective surface (IFSS) absorbers with larger bandwidth, effective reflection loss, polarization-insensitive characteristics, angular stability with compact/thin design, and ease of fabrication have captivated significant importance in stealth technology. Herein, we report on an IFSS absorber that has been designed, simulated, and implemented for manufacturing to achieve effective stealth properties. Initially, frequency selective surface (FSS) layers have been designed that comprise a closed centroid honeycomb structure surrounded with four annular hexagonal rings, splitted, alternatively, and enveloped with four L-shaped elements. The simulated pattern has been optimized on glass fabric for reflection loss (, dB) at a thickness of ∼0.1 mm by choosing sheet resistance of pattern 110 Ω/□. A FSS layer combined with interlayer lossy dielectric laminates (1.8 mm) and a carbon-fabric-reinforced-plastic ground has been simulated as an IFSS absorber. The performance of , in normal and angular configuration (0-60°), under transvers an electric/magnetic mode of polarization, including analysis of the displacement current, volume power loss distribution, and complex admittance has been carried on IFSS. Subsequently, the proposed absorber has been fabricated using customized carbon-based resistive ink imprinted on glass fabric by mask lithography compounded with laminates (a carbon black powder/epoxy composite) and ground. Their manufacturing details, including free space and anechoic chamber measurements, have been presented. The simulated and experimental performances of the absorber are found to be in good agreement, possessing minimal 10 dB reflection loss (90% absorption) with a sample thickness of 1.9 mm (0.05λ, where λ corresponds to a lower operating frequency), covering 76% fractional bandwidth in X and Ku bands. The proposed design architecture of the IFSS is ideally suitable for aerospace stealth platforms.
