Noninvasive inset-integrated meta-atom for achieving single-layer metasurface simultaneously with coded microwave reflectivity and digitalized infrared emissivity

Abstract

Abstract With the rapid improvement of equipment integration technology, multi-spectrum detectors are integrated into compact volumes and widely used for object detection. Confront with this challenge, it is essential to propose a strategy to design a single-layer metasurface with multi-spectrum responses in microwave and infrared ranges. In this work, we proposed a method of designing meta-atoms, which is capable of achieving functional electromagnetic response at microwave and infrared individually. As a demonstration, a metasurface with four different occupation ratios and coding permutation features is designed, fabricated, and tested. In the microwave band, the pixel meta-atom is designed to realize highly efficient cross-polarization conversion between 5.0 and 10.0 GHz, which shows the metasurface can behave as ultra-low Radar Cross Section (RCS) reflectors in the working band; In the infrared band, different occupation ratio of meta-atoms are designed to realize the infrared emissivity from 0.60 to 0.80 in 3–14 μm, which can be used to exhibit digital infrared camouflage pattern. This work promotes the ability to use single-layer design to achieve digital infrared camouflage and microwave RCS reduction simultaneously. The one-layer design is simple in geometry, simplified in process, low cost in economy, and large scale in fabrication, which can promote practical use in compatible microwave stealth and infrared camouflage.