Phase gradient metasurface structure for visible-infrared-laser compatible stealth camouflage.

Area of Science:

• Metamaterials and Nanophotonics
• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Increasing demand for multispectral stealth due to advanced detection technologies.
• Challenges in achieving compatible camouflage across visible, infrared, and laser wavebands.
• Need for materials offering low emissivity and low reflectivity for effective stealth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a phase-modulation-based metal-dielectric metasurface for multispectral camouflage.
• To achieve compatible stealth performance across visible (380-780 nm), infrared (3-14 μm), and laser (8-14 μm) wavebands.
• To address spectral coupling and regulation conflicts in multispectral stealth.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of a phase-modulation-based metal-dielectric metasurface.
• Characterization of thermal stealth performance by measuring average emissivity in infrared atmospheric windows (ε3-5μm = 0.09, ε8-14μm = 0.15).
• Evaluation of laser stealth by measuring reflectivity across a wide angular range (R < 0.2 in 0-45° for 8-14 μm).
• Engineering visible camouflage by depositing zinc sulfide (ZnS) films of varying thicknesses to emulate background coloration.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated superior thermal stealth with remarkably low average emissivity in infrared bands.
• Achieved effective laser stealth with low reflectivity over a wide angular range.
• Enabled high-fidelity visible camouflage by precisely engineering the visible reflectance spectrum.
• Successfully addressed spectral coupling and regulation conflicts in multispectral stealth.

Conclusions:

• The developed metasurface offers a viable strategy for wide-angle, broadband compatible camouflage.
• The phase-modulation-based design provides a promising solution for advanced multispectral stealth applications.
• This research contributes significantly to the field of military defense technology through enhanced camouflage capabilities.