Broadband Radar Absorbing Structures with a Practical Approach from Design to Fabrication

Abstract

In this study, a novel broadband radar absorbing volume structure (RAVS) is proposed and demonstrated with a practical point of view from design to fabrication. The proposed RAVS uses a design concept of repeatedly stacked carbon nanotube (CNT) composites and foam cores of the same thickness to improve the applicability to real structures while maintaining absorption performance. The repeatedly stacked CNT composites, which act as electrically lossy materials, result in the multiple scattering of incident electromagnetic waves trapped inside the structure. The trapped incident waves then lose their energy by multiple scattering. Based on this design concept, the RAVS designed through field analysis and parametric study achieved a −10 dB absorption performance from 4 GHz to 16 GHz. With reference to the design values, RAVS was fabricated for verification, and the absorption performance was measured using a free space measurement system. The measurement result showed excellent absorption performance that satisfied −10 dB from 5.8 GHz or less to 14 GHz.

Keywords

• low observable aircraft
• multi-functional composites
• radar absorbing structure
• smart structures