SWITCHABLE POLYMER MICROWAVE ABSORBER

IT IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A CONDUCTIVE POLYMER LAMINATE THAT CAN BESWITCHED BETWEEN MICROWAVE TRANSMITTING AND ABSORBING STATES, AND TUNED TO INTERMEDIATE STATES, BY THE APPLICATION OF A SMALL DC ELECTRICAL CURRENT. THE LAMINATE WOULD HAVE A LIGHTWEIGHT POLYMER CONSTRUCTION AND COULD BE USED TO COVER ANY SURFACE AS A COUNTERMEASURE AGAINSTRADAR DETECTION. PHASE I RESEARCH WILL BE DIRECTED AT SURVEYING SEVERAL CANDIDATE CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO ABSORB X-BAND RADIATION WHEN DOPED AND TRANSMIT IT WHEN UNDOPED. PROMISING MATERIALS WILL BE ASSEMBLED INTO STANDALONE MODULATORS HAVING A BATTERY-LIKE CONSTRUCTION ALLOWING THE CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS TO BE REVERSIBLY CYCLED BETWEEN TRANSMITTING AND ABSORBING STATES BY ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION/REDUCTION. THE FEASIBILITY OF THE APPROACH WILL BE DEMONSTRATED USING IN SITU MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPIC MEASUREMENTS DURING OPERATION OF THE MODULATOR. THE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO SPECIFY MATERIALS FOR OPTIMIZATION AND SCALE--UP IN PHASE II.