Additive Manufacture of Electromagnetic Skins

The development, demonstration, and characterization of robust, lightweight radio frequency (RF) devices will be conducted. These devices, optimized for integration into electromagnetic (EM) skins with a thickness of approximately 5 mm or less, will serve to provide integrated RF functionality for airborne platforms and smart munitions radomes within a 2 to 18 GHz frequency range.Ā Using RF modeling and finite element analysis tools, a progression of EM skins will be established. These skins aim to enhance EM radiation transmission, mitigate internal reflections within specific frequency bands, and act as scatterers or absorbers of out-of-band frequencies, thereby reducing the radiation cross-section (RCS).Ā In-depth analysis will be implemented, focusing on the mechanical, thermal, and environmental aspects of integrating EM skin onto selected Army platforms. Prototypes of candidate devices will be fabricated through additive manufacturing. The evaluation of these devices will be performed using S-parameter measurements, providing analysis of polarized transmission and reflection properties over a range of angles.Ā