Long wave infrared metamaterials and nano-materials design, simulation, and laboratory test for target camouflage in the defence application

Abstract

The thermal analysis (TA) of the wave propagation in the long-wave (LWIR) infrared bands, performed on metamaterials and nano-materials, is suitable for manufacturing a new type of infrared (IR) thermal vision camouflage, useful for defence, military and security application and to evaluate the capability of new kind of materials to block night vision (NV) thermal sighting capabilities as new countermeasure technology. This is mainly generated by the very detailed signature characterization database, available in most automatic vision systems that are able to detect targets by the IR spectral signature provided by the IR sensor. These metamaterials, called photonics band gap devices (PBG) or more in general photonic crystal (PhC), works on IR photons providing absorbing, transmission and reflecting bands. All the optical properties are function of the specific nano design tuned in the thermal wavelength.