Radar-Infrared Multi-Scale Bi-Stealth via Optically Transparent Chaotic Coding Metasurface - Nano-Micro Letters
The rapid development of multispectral detection technology urgently requires the simultaneous suppression of microwave and infrared (IR) signatures. However, conventional strategies suffer from limited functional integration, complex structures, and poor scalability in achieving synergistic control of radar cross section (RCS) and IR radiation characteristics. Herein, we propose a chaotic paradigm combined with a multi-scale strategy to address radar-IR-optical multispectral stealth by using a single-layer coding indium tin oxide (ITO) platform. This architecture covers millimeter-scale representative elements, centimeter-scale phase-coded subarrays, and decimeter-scale meta-arrays, with a direct correlation established between chaotic initial conditions and microwave/IR responses theoretically. Specifically, chaotic coding, a deterministic pseudo-random coding method, is adopted to construct a meta-array inspired by sensitivity of chaotic systems to initial conditions. Tuning chaotic initial parameters enables controllable spatial IR emissivity modulation while preserving broadband intrinsic microwave diffusion due to the multi-wavevector mechanism. For verification, a proof-of-concept metadevice is fabricated, and experimental results manifested a broadband RCS reduction over 10 dB within X/Ku bands (8 ~ 18 GHz) for incident angles up to 45°, with a low IR emissivity below 0.3 and a high optical transmittance of 71.2%. Featuring ultrathin profile (3.35 mm, ~ 0.09 λL), light weight, optical transparency, and facile fabrication, our strategy offers a promising avenue for multi-scale multispectral stealth applications.
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