Transparent ultrawideband absorber based on simple patterned resistive metasurface with three resonant modes

Abstract

A transparent low-profile polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber with ultrawideband microwave absorption is presented. A fractional bandwidth of 125.2% (4.3-18.7 GHz, absorptance > 90%) is achieved using a simple patterned resistive metasurface. The thickness of the absorber is only ∼0.086 times the upper-cutoff wavelength. The experimental results agree with full-wave simulation results. A Cu-metal-mesh ground plane enhances the shielding efficiency and visible transparency. Radar cross-sections (RCS) are reduced across all reflection angles, over frequencies spanning the C, X, and K_u bands. With its visible-wavelength transparency, low profile, polarization insensitivity, excellent absorption, and wideband RCS reduction, the proposed absorber has wide applicability.