Integrated Multilayer Sandwich-Type Tunable Absorbing Composites for Wideband Radar Cross Section Control

Weibin Sun; Yingjian Sun; Yixing Huang; Shuailong Gao; Qun Li; Meijun Qu; Xujin Yuan; Hongcheng Yin; Ying Li

doi:10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940

Integrated Multilayer Sandwich-Type Tunable Absorbing Composites for Wideband Radar Cross Section Control

Weibin Sun
, Yingjian Sun^*
, Yixing Huang
, Shuailong Gao
, Qun Li
, Meijun Qu
, Xujin Yuan
, Hongcheng Yin
, Ying Li

^*Corresponding author for this work

Beijing Institute of Technology
National Key Laboratory of Scattering and Radiation
Shandong University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This letter presents a tunable absorbing composite that integrates a varistor-diode-based ultrathin impedance layer into a lightweight sandwich structure for broadband and continuously programmable radar cross section (RCS) control. A theoretical equivalence model is established and reveals that the tunable layer emulates multiple resistance states. Based on thismechanism, the metasurface achieves amplitude-coded RCS control through the spatial arrangement of the 40Ω, 60Ω, and80Ωresistive states, in contrast to conventional phase-coded approaches. Experiments verify flexible up to 10 dB RCS reduction over 6 GHz to 13 GHz, demonstrating a scalable route toward adaptive electromagnetic protection materials.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1557-1561
Number of pages	5
Journal	IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
Volume	25
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940
Publication status	Published - Apr 2026
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Protective composites
regional amplitude coding
tunable absorbing composite
tunable radar cross section (RCS) reduction

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10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940

Cite this

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title = "Integrated Multilayer Sandwich-Type Tunable Absorbing Composites for Wideband Radar Cross Section Control",

abstract = "This letter presents a tunable absorbing composite that integrates a varistor-diode-based ultrathin impedance layer into a lightweight sandwich structure for broadband and continuously programmable radar cross section (RCS) control. A theoretical equivalence model is established and reveals that the tunable layer emulates multiple resistance states. Based on thismechanism, the metasurface achieves amplitude-coded RCS control through the spatial arrangement of the 40Ω, 60Ω, and80Ωresistive states, in contrast to conventional phase-coded approaches. Experiments verify flexible up to 10 dB RCS reduction over 6 GHz to 13 GHz, demonstrating a scalable route toward adaptive electromagnetic protection materials.",

keywords = "Protective composites, regional amplitude coding, tunable absorbing composite, tunable radar cross section (RCS) reduction",

author = "Weibin Sun and Yingjian Sun and Yixing Huang and Shuailong Gao and Qun Li and Meijun Qu and Xujin Yuan and Hongcheng Yin and Ying Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 IEEE.",

year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "1557--1561",

journal = "IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters",

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number = "4",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Integrated Multilayer Sandwich-Type Tunable Absorbing Composites for Wideband Radar Cross Section Control

AU - Sun, Weibin

AU - Sun, Yingjian

AU - Huang, Yixing

AU - Gao, Shuailong

AU - Li, Qun

AU - Qu, Meijun

AU - Yuan, Xujin

AU - Yin, Hongcheng

AU - Li, Ying

PY - 2026/4

Y1 - 2026/4

N2 - This letter presents a tunable absorbing composite that integrates a varistor-diode-based ultrathin impedance layer into a lightweight sandwich structure for broadband and continuously programmable radar cross section (RCS) control. A theoretical equivalence model is established and reveals that the tunable layer emulates multiple resistance states. Based on thismechanism, the metasurface achieves amplitude-coded RCS control through the spatial arrangement of the 40Ω, 60Ω, and80Ωresistive states, in contrast to conventional phase-coded approaches. Experiments verify flexible up to 10 dB RCS reduction over 6 GHz to 13 GHz, demonstrating a scalable route toward adaptive electromagnetic protection materials.

AB - This letter presents a tunable absorbing composite that integrates a varistor-diode-based ultrathin impedance layer into a lightweight sandwich structure for broadband and continuously programmable radar cross section (RCS) control. A theoretical equivalence model is established and reveals that the tunable layer emulates multiple resistance states. Based on thismechanism, the metasurface achieves amplitude-coded RCS control through the spatial arrangement of the 40Ω, 60Ω, and80Ωresistive states, in contrast to conventional phase-coded approaches. Experiments verify flexible up to 10 dB RCS reduction over 6 GHz to 13 GHz, demonstrating a scalable route toward adaptive electromagnetic protection materials.

KW - Protective composites

KW - regional amplitude coding

KW - tunable absorbing composite

KW - tunable radar cross section (RCS) reduction

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029241811

U2 - 10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940

DO - 10.1109/LAWP.2026.3658940

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105029241811

SN - 1536-1225

VL - 25

SP - 1557

EP - 1561

JO - IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters

JF - IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters

IS - 4

ER -

Integrated Multilayer Sandwich-Type Tunable Absorbing Composites for Wideband Radar Cross Section Control

Abstract

Keywords

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