Broadband radar absorbing characteristic based on periodic hollow truncated cone structure

doi:10.1016/j.physb.2020.412368

Physica B: Condensed Matter

Volume 595, 15 October 2020, 412368

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2020.412368 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Novel composites with periodic hollow truncated cone structure were prepared by the 3D printing technique and the impregnation method.
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The simulated and experimental results indicate that the bandwidth of composites less than -10 dB reaches to 16.31 GHz, and the value of minimum reflection loss is -19.53 dB at 2.27 GHz under the optimal condition of geometrical parameters and sheet resistance.
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The greatly enhanced broadband microwave absorption property of designed periodic hollow truncated cone composites results from the synergistic effect by combing effects of structural and material characteristics.

Abstract

In this research, novel radar absorbing structure with periodic hollow truncated cone was prepared by 3D printing technique and impregnation method. The effects of geometric parameters and sheet resistance on the radar absorption performance of the prepared composites were revealed. The computational and experimental results show that the bandwidth of composites can reach up to 16.31 GHz with a reflection loss below −10 dB in the frequency of 1–18 GHz. The appreciable agreement between simulation and experiments testifies the validity of the elaborate composites. The significantly enhanced broadband radar absorption property of designed periodic hollow truncated cone composites is ascribed to the synergistic effect of structural and material characteristics. Most incident radar wave is induced into the periodic hollow truncated cone composites and most incident wave energy is dissipated by interfacial polarization and many-times electromagnetic wave reflection. It is believed that the proposed periodic hollow truncated cone composites have great potentials in antiradar detection technology and shielding electromagnetic interferences.

Introduction

Radar absorbing material (RAM) can effectively assimilate the transmitted waves and reflected waves, rendering it widely utilized in various applications, such as stealth technology, electromagnetic interference shielding, compatibility, and wireless communication. Various absorbents have been developed, for instance, carbon fibers [1,2], conducting polymers [3,4], ferrites [5,6], graphite [7,8], graphene and its derivatives [[9], [10], [11]], magnetic metal micropowders [12,13], etc. However, with the development of high-frequency communication and radar detection technologies, the serving conditions of RAMs are becoming more and more demanding, and thus the existing RAMs are gradually unable to satisfy the requirements in broadband and strong absorption, which have become a bottleneck restricting the application of RAMs [14,15]. In order to break through the bottleneck of the performance of traditional RAMs, new RAMs and their absorbing mechanism should be further explored [[16], [17], [18], [19]].

Up to now, many researches have focused on the design of broadband radar adsorbing structures (RASs) that bear the electromagnetic wave absorbing ability and structural loading capacity, such as honeycomb structure [[20], [21], [22]], pyramidal structure [23,24], multilayer structure [[25], [26], [27], [28], [29]], and so on. The broadband absorption of these typical RASs is achieved by tuning material distribution and composition, structure design, and geometry parameters. However, since the surface transparent layer has large dielectric permittivity, it is difficult for these structures to realize the appropriate impedance matching with the ambient medium. Besides, many extraordinary electromagnetic wave propagating routes favoring the remarkable adsorption cannot be achieved [[30], [31], [32], [33]]. Since the artificial electromagnetic structural material has more flexible electromagnetic regulation capability, there is more room for improvement in the broadband electromagnetic wave absorbing performance [34,35].

Because of the deviant electromagnetic behaviors, the artificial electromagnetic structural materials can overcome the limitations of electromagnetic characteristics from material attributes of nature [36,37]. Excellent matching between the permeability and permittivity of the artificial electromagnetic structural absorbers have been achieved through adjusting the microstructure. The greatly broadened bandwidth and improved adsorption are realized because of the mesoscopic scale effects, especially in the low radar frequencies regime. The main approaches of expanding the absorbing bandwidth are as follows: (1) Design material structural units with multi-scale effect or absorbing structure. (2) Design the absorber structure to incorporate high loss materials or devices with traditional absorbing materials. (3) Introduce regulatable elements into the artificial electromagnetic structural unit to achieve intelligent stealth. For all these approaches, the design and preparation methods of absorbing composites with higher radar absorbing efficiency and wider absorbing bandwidth, especially with favorable low frequency absorbing properties, are still demanded to be improved. In the meantime, it is still challenging to effectively reduce structural complexity and enhance understanding of the absorbing mechanism.

Herein, a periodic hollow truncated cone structure (PHTCS) for effective broadband radar absorption composites was proposed. The effects of geometry parameters and sheet resistance on the reflection loss of PHTCS were simulated via the finite integration technique. The designed PHTCS exhibited a broadband adsorption in the frequency of 1–18 GHz. Furthermore, the radar absorbing mechanism of the PHTCS was discussed in the section of results and discussion.

Section snippets

Model design and simulation

The PHTCS with periodical structural units arraying on the surface of a metallic plane is illustrated in Fig. 1(a). Fig. 1(b) presents the parameters of the structural unit. The simulations were carried out with the finite integration technique (CST Microware Studio). In this simulation, the frequency range was set from 1 to 18 GHz. The electromagnetic wave incident port was in the +Z direction, and it was incident vertically as plane waves. The magnetic field direction H was perpendicular to

Microwave absorbing performances

The radar absorbing capability could be evaluated by the reflection loss. Fig. 3 shows the simulated reflection loss spectra of the PHTCS versus the frequency with respect to different geometry parameters, including the bottom surface radius a, the upper surface radius b, the wall thickness w, the bottom thickness h₁, spacing l, and the total thickness h. From Fig. 3(a) and (b), it can be observed that the reflection loss increases first and then decreases when the values of a and b increase.

Conclusions

In summary, the designed and prepared PHTCS composites display an appreciable absorption in broadband, attributed to the structural and material synergistic effects. PHTCS with effective impedance can be regulated through changing geometry parameters based on equivalent circuit theory. The bandwidth of PHTCS composites less than −10 dB reaches 16.31 GHz. The value of minimum reflection loss is −19.53 dB at 2.27 GHz under the condition of 250 Ω/sq, and a, b, w, h₁, l, and h is 5.0, 3.0, 1.0,

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Haoming Huang: Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing - original draft. Wen Wang: Resources, Formal analysis. Manyu Hua: Investigation, Project administration, Supervision. Jiacai Kuang: Resources, Writing - original draft. Zhanhu Guo: Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing. Wei Xie: Funding acquisition, Conceptualization, Supervision, Methodology, Investigation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing.

Declaration of competing interest

There is no conflict of Interests for this submission. All authors agreed on this submission. The paper is not considered by any other journal at this moment.

Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 51201022, 61871060), the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 2018JJ2426) and the Educational Commission of Hunan Province of China (Grant 14C0044).

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View full text

Broadband radar absorbing characteristic based on periodic hollow truncated cone structure

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Model design and simulation

Microwave absorbing performances

Conclusions

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Declaration of competing interest

Acknowledgements

Ceram. Int.

Carbon

Electrochim. Acta

Z.Guo. Polymer.

Ceram. Int.

J. Phys. Chem. Solid.

Carbon

Carbon

Carbon

J. Alloys Compd.

J. Alloys Compd.

J. Magn. Magn Mater.

Compos. B Eng.

Synthetic Met

Appl. Surf. Sci.

Infrared Phys. Technol.

J. Magn. Magn Mater.

Compos. B Eng.

Mater. Des.

Compos. B Eng.