A radar-infrared compatible broadband absorbing surface: Design and analysis*

A radar-infrared compatible stealth surface is designed and analyzed. Without modifying the radar absorbing material (RAM), the design can theoretically achieve radar-infrared compatibility and broadband radar absorption through surface patterns and structures. A transmission-line-based model (TLM) is developed to analyze the radar absorbing performance of the surface. Optimization of the structure geometries is conducted aiming to maximize the -10 dB absorption bandwidth in 2-18 GHz. Surface with optimized structure geometries exhibits a superior absorption bandwidth, more than twice the bandwidth of the original 1.5 mm RAM slab, while maintaining a relatively low infrared emissivity.