Research into the Failure Mechanism and Reliability of an Active Frequency-Selective Surface in Complex Environments

This paper presents research into the failure modes and mechanisms of active electromagnetic functional structures. An active electromagnetic functional structure is usually achieved by loading active devices on a frequency-selective surface and designing an active frequency-selective surface (AFSS) structure with adjustable transmission and cutoff characteristics through feeding. This has shown significant advantages in electromagnetic countermeasures for fighter jets and has become one of the key technologies for the future development of such equipment in the context of integration and intelligence. The active electromagnetic functional structure is different from the traditional composite material structure because it includes active functional devices to realize the electromagnetic function but also includes a structural component to bear the complex environment. The failure modes are also more complex, including both structural failure and functional degradation or even failure caused by device failure, and the coupling relationship between different failure modes is complex. However, the failure modes of active electromagnetic functional structures in complex environments have received little research attention, and the corresponding fault modes and mechanisms are poorly understood, thereby limiting their practical applications. Thus, in the current study, environmental stress analysis is performed to verify the main failure modes and mechanisms of active electromagnetic functional structures through fault excitation tests. Importantly, the obtained results clarify the stress sensitivity of the structure and provide effective support for its engineering applications.