Absorbing materials

Updated July 16, 2011

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We have a three-part tutorial on radar cross-section reduction:

Part one reviews the fundamentals of electro-magnetic waves.

Part two is on radar cross-section physics.

Part three discusses radar absorbers and absorption mechanisms.

Absorbing materials serve many functions in microwave engineering. Low density foams impregnated with lossy material are used to make the familiar radar-absorbing "pyramids" in anechoic chambers. Sometimes when you have a nasty moding problem, the best solution is to coat the lid with absorbing material. A lot of highly expensive defense equipment is coated with radar-absorbing coatings. But we've had inquiries from people that want to make their Corvette stealthier to avoid police radar...

Before we go any further, the microwave industry often uses the adjective "absorptive" to describe absorbing materials. A lot of engineers mispronounce and misspell the word, like absorbive or absorbative. Get it straight, or get another job!