Reconfigurable Coding Metamaterial for Enhancing RCS Reduction

Reconfigurable coding metamaterial is created by combining coding metamaterials with traditional microwave absorbers. Using 3-D printing, two elements with a specific phase difference are assembled into a jigsaw-like metamaterial. The 3-D-printed element shells and insertable bottom plate make traditional microwave absorbers reconfigurable, while incorporating elements with certain phase differences imbues them with the scattering characteristics of coding metamaterials. This combination of coding characteristics and reconfigurability allows for flexible regulation of absorption and scattering in different frequency ranges. By adjusting the ratio of the two elements, scattering and absorption in different frequency bands can be optimized for radar cross Section (RCS) reduction. When the ratio of element 1 to the total number of elements is 0.625, the reconfigurable coding metamaterial demonstrates RCS reduction below −10 dB throughout the 5.3–18-GHz frequency range. Our work provides a promising and extensible direction for developing the radar stealth technology.