Scattering and Absorption by Thin Metal Wires in Rectangular Waveguide - Chiral Cranks versus Non-Chiral Staples
Abstract
We investigate the physical validity of the claims about chiral microwave absorbers which have appeared in the engineering literature of the last decade. These assert that the performance of synthetic microwave absorbing materials (RAM) may be significantly enhanced by the addition of chiral inclusions, such as wire helices. We compare the performance of chiral, non-chiral and racemic absorbers by embedding unit cells-which are designed to be get metrically closely related-in an absorbing dielectric. We have found no physical mechanism to support the assertions that chirality is the key to improved microwave absorbers. Instead, in synthetic composites which employ thin metal wires in a lossy dielectric or magnetic host, it is the half-wave resonance of the inclusions-not their geometric shape-which plays the crucial role in absorption.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 29, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADP011667
Entities
People
- D. B. Davidson
- J. H. Cloete
- M. Bingle
Organizations
- Stellenbosch University