Tailored Electromagnetic Materials for Topside Structures
Abstract
This proposal addresses the development of a framework to guide the analysis, design, and manufacture of the materials required to support electromagnetic functions in the topside environment of naval platforms. The three thrust areas being addressed are: (a) establishment of an enduring competency in the evaluation and design of tailored electromagnetic materials, (b) design and verification of a protocol for the implementation of selectively translucentelectromagnetic structures, that is, composite structures that perform both radar absorption and communication transmission functions, (c) evaluation of the SWAP trade-offs enabled by recently developed permeable antennas to support low-profile mast-integrated communication functions. In previous ONR funded work it has been shown that the unique stochastic-clutter environment of the sea surface admits of non-traditional signature reduction approaches. Whenadded to the extensive literature on low observable design and manufacturing techniques available since the 1990~s, these (plus selected approaches from the metamaterial literature) present ONR with a wide palette of composite material options for both survivability and communications applications in future multi-function communication mast systems. The proposed work will use materials theory and engineering experience to bound this options~ spaceto (a) ensure that neither technology push nor requirements pull drive the materials selection process towards impractical solutions, and (b) to propose Pareto efficient solutions that can be implemented within the next five years. In Year 1, an Electromagnetics Material Design Handbook will be developed that collects in one place the essential electromagnetics engineeringbackground, theory of physically-realizable artificial materials, and the basic tools for electromagnetic structure analysis, design, and test. In Year 2, these tools will be applied to the design of antenna concepts for future communication masts that are fully integrated into the Radar Absorbing Structures (RAS). By Year 3, the design options for integrating low profile ultrawideband permeable antennas into future mast systems will be established.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 24, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912319
Entities
People
- Rodolfo Enrique
Organizations
- Arizona State University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy