High Fidelity Electromagnetic Design, Prediction and Optimization of Airborne Radomes

Performing accurate simulations of large- and multi-scale electromagnetics problems, including problems of importance for NAVAIR such as complex radome-antenna and antenna-platform interactions, has far-reaching implications in a variety of engineering and scientific disciplines. Such simulation problems involve complex materials, multiple feeds and loads, and geometries that may exceed 1000 wavelengths in one or more dimensions while critical geometry features are less than 1/100th of a wavelength (i.e., the multi-scale geometry problem).   Radomes with integrated metamaterials or frequency selective surfaces (FSS) are particularly challenging due to the presence of multiple material layers, many of which are often very thin, FSS terminations, and other practical geometry features such as lightning strips.  Additionally, the underlying antenna may be quite complicated itself (e.g., mechanically or electrically steered array, reflector) with a complex feed network and sub-apertures to support monopulse processing.  Standard antenna-radome prediction workflows typically involve FSS reflection/transmission table generation in an periodic solver such as PMM, antenna prediction, and some manner of antenna-radome coupling via a physical optics or other asymptotic approach.    IERUS Technologies proposes a radical departure from the standard workflow for antenna-radome system analysis and optimization: geometry-perfect spline-based simulation.  To achieve this, IERUS will combine the unique capabilities of our CEM software V-Lox with spline technology built into CAD software to provide a fully integrated CAD-simulation modeling capability.  This approach will eliminate typical multi-scale meshing issues, provide for intrinsic high order meshing and solution accuracy, and provide a platform upon which to build a next-generation user experience for CEM modeling and design.