Design and fabrication of frequency selective surface-based heating elements for radome applications using particle...

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Materials Science
• Applied Physics
• Thermal Engineering

Background:

• Radomes require effective de-icing to maintain electromagnetic performance.
• Traditional de-icing methods often compromise the radome's RF characteristics.
• A need exists for integrated solutions balancing thermal and electromagnetic requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel frequency selective surface (FSS) with embedded heating elements for radome applications.
• To independently control thermal and electromagnetic characteristics.
• To overcome the trade-off between de-icing and RF performance.

Main Methods:

• A bottom-up fabrication approach using particle alignment technology.
• Precise control of heating wire dimensions (minimum 1 µm line width, < Rz 0.3 µm roughness).
• Characterization of transmission, thermal, and mechanical properties.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated excellent transmission at 32 GHz (-0.298 dB TE, -0.283 dB TM) with broad bandwidth.
• Achieved >50 °C temperature increase within 3 minutes at 12 VDC.
• Confirmed mechanical reliability through 5000 bending cycles.

Conclusions:

• The novel FSS design effectively integrates de-icing and electromagnetic functions.
• Independent control of thermal and RF properties is achieved.
• Presents a promising solution for advanced radome applications.