Design of Microwave Absorber

for Radar Site of Indonesian Air Force

at 9.375 GHz
Harry C. Wijaya K. 1,3, Levy Olivia Nur1, Khaerul Anwar2.
1
School of Electrical Engineering
2
Scenter for Advance Wireless Technology (AdwiTech)
Telkom University, Jalan Telekomunikasi Dayeuh Kolot, Bandung 40257, Indonesia
3
Indonesian Air Force

Abstract— This paper designs microwave absorber based on absorber at 9.375 GHz with accuracy more less 5 MHz, so
metamaterial at working frequency of 9.375 GHz for ground Radar the quality can be optimize to almost 100%. Selective
site becoming stealth from airborne radar. We consider Frequency surface method was also used in many research by many
Selective Surface (FSS) to design and optimize the size and form
researchers [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] that applied to different patch
of patch since it is flexible and adjustable for a certain frequency.
The characteristic of microwave absorption for the given size is
technique.
delivered using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) software.
We found that unit cell size at 25mm provide reflection coefficient Based on the problem’s background written above and
S1.1 of -33.159 dB at 9.375 GHz. The size obtained from referencing to the previous research[4]. This research is
optimization to provide the maximum S1.1. designing thorugh modification of a metamaterial which can
absorb airborne radar signal frequency at 9.375 GHz with
Keywords—metamaterial, signal absorber, Square patch. limitation result to 99.95% (moreless 5 Mhz from 9.375
GHz). The design using selective surface method
combine/synthesis with other research by exploring
I. INTRODUCTION (HEADING 1) modification through different kind of patch technique, such
In the previous research (2012)[4] prototype was made as form, slot, SRR, and ERR to gain an optimum result.
in a platform for combat vehicle which could absorb
frequency 2.75 GHz using selective surface method. The
II. DESIGN PROCEDURE
actual ground radar signal should be absorb at frequency 3
GHz. Another research in 2015[7,8] about making a square
To design a square microwave absorber than size
and hexagonal patch using the same method which is
calculation of every part from the patch is needed, using
selective surface. This research result nearly the same as
step as follows:
research in 2012[4] that absorb frequency 2.78 GHz. A
similar research 2015[6] that also using the same method
and frequency had been conducted, but was patch in First we search patch wide (W), by dividing speed of light
octagonal form. In 2017[14] a similar research with research (c) parameter with the value of and relative permittivity
in 2015[5], but using a different patch design which using a ( ) using:
multiple slot in order to gain more bandwidth within the
same output to absorb 2.75 GHZ. There are other researches (1)
[1,3,10] that absorb at different frequency from the research
above. Those researches are absorbing at terahertz
frequency using metamaterial with Split ring resonator Second we search for an effective relative permittivity,
(SRR) and electric ring resonator (ERR) patch technique. using , W, and substrat thickness (h) as shown in (2).
There are two research[3,9] that used radar cross section
(RCS) to found how much signal was absorbed. Another . (2)
method was used in a research[3] by counting iteration to
measure dielectric on a rough surface which used to
absorbed signal. In supporting researched[4,5,6,7] had been Third we search effective length ( ) with parameters
done another researched[8] that has a function as a test Capacitance (C), , and using:
supporting equipment.
(3)
From state of the art above, none of the researches were
done to absorbed airborne radar signal of aircraft at
frequency 9.375 GHz. Another lackness is that the result not Fourth we search length between a patch and substrat (∆L)
optimum yet, where the actual signal ground radar to be using:
absorb at 3 GHz, but the absorbed frequency is at 2.75 GHz
and 2,78 GHz eventhough percentage of the absorption
value was at 91.67 %. Research is needed to cover both . (4)
lackness above, which consist an airborne radar signal

XXX-X-XXXX-XXXX-X/XX/$XX.00 ©2019 IEEE

Last, is searching the true length (L) with formula below: III. MODIFICATION OF PATCH
Patch modified by exploring size and shape of the basic
L= - 2∆L (5) square patch to optimize signal absorber quality.

From the formula above this paper using = 4,6 with

standard height at 1,6. The targeted resonance frequency is
9.375 GHz. Design based on calculation for unit cell of a
square patch microwave absorber.shown in table 1.
Table 1. Square Patch Unit Cell Dimension
A. Patch modification by exploring .
The first modification is to achieve an S1.1 with a curve
pointing towards 9.375 GHz before optimize with another
modification. The dimension explored with result in table 2.
Table 2. Unit Cell Dimension Modification

Paramater Value Paramater Value

W 9.737 W 20.611
L 9.737 L 20.611
H 1.6 H 1.6
Wgs 11.737 Wgs 25

The dimension than applied with CST software shown with a The dimension than applied with CST software shown
result as fig.1. with a result as fig.3.

h
W

Wgs

Fig. 1 Square Patch Absorber Unit Cell

The design above than simulated to find out how much –dB
that absorb in S1.1 parameter. Result of simulation is shown
in fig.2.
Fig.3 S1.1 Return Loss Result
After Size Modification
The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz is increasing significant
about -14 dB l from the first design.

B. Patch modification by substracting basic pacth.

The Second modification is to optimize S1.1 at 9.375
GHz by substracting patch slot and patch size (table 3)
exploration to gain optimum result.

Table 3. Square Patch Unit Cell Dimension

Paramater Value
W 22.85
L 22.85
Wgs 25
Fig.2 S1.1 Return Loss Result W1 16
L1 16
The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz is only -0.13279967 dB
which is still far from expected result. Modification from
The dimension than applied with CST software shown with a
this basic square patch by exploration of slot using software
result as fig.4.
is done in next chapter.
 L1 Wgs

W
W1

Wgs
W1/
W2/L2 W/L
L1
L

Fig. 4 Patch modification by substract

The design above than simulated to find out how much –dB
that absorb in S1.1 parameter. Result of simulation is shown
in fig.5.
Fig. 6 Patch modification by adding patch slot

The design above than simulated to find out how much –dB
that absorb in S1.1 parameter. Result of simulation is shown
fig.7.

Fig.5 S1.1 Return Loss Result

After Patch Substract Modification

The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz increase aagain for Fig.7 S1.1 Return Loss Result
about -9 dB . from -14 dB to -23 dB the first design. After Patch Slot Added

The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz decrease for about -12

dB and another deep S.1.1 appear in different frequency.
C. Patch modification by adding pacth slot
The next modification is to optimize S1.1 at 9.375 GHz
by adding patch slot and patch size (table 4) exploration to D. Patch modification by adding pacth slot
gain optimum result. The next modification is substracting the second square
pacth slot with size in table 5.
Table 5. Square Patch Unit Cell Dimension
Table 4. Square Patch Unit Cell Dimension
Paramater Value
Paramater Value
W 22.85
W 22.85
L 22.85
L 22.85
Wgs 25
Wgs 25
W1 16
W1 16
L1 16
L1 16
W2 13.5
W2 13.5
L2 13.5
L2 13.5
W3 13
L3 13
The dimension than applied with CST software shown with a
result as fig.6.
The dimension than applied with CST software shown with a The dimension than applied with CST software shown with a
result as fig.8. result as fig.10.

W2/L2 W3/L3

W4/L4

Fig. 8 Patch modification by adding patch slot Fig. 10 Patch modification by adding patch slot

The design above than simulated to find out how much –dB The design above than simulated to find out how much –dB
that absorb in S1.1 parameter. Result of simulation is shown that absorb in S1.1 parameter. Result of simulation is shown
in fig.9. in fig.11.

Fig.11 S1.1 Return Loss Result

Fig.9 S1.1 Return Loss Result After Third Patch Slot Added
After Substract Second Patch Slot Added
The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz increase to optimum
The result of absorber at 9.375 GHz increase again for for about -15 dB at -33.158652 dB.
about -7 dB and the curve S.1.1 is directly around
desireable frequency. IV. DESIGN ANALYSIS

E. Patch modification by adding pacth slot After designing and modificating square patch
The next modification is to optimize S1.1 at 9.375 GHz microwave absorber for frequency 9.375 analysis can be
by the third square pacth slot with size on table 6. look from compairing each modification.
Table 6. Square Patch Unit Cell Dimension
A. Size analysis
Paramater Value
Size comparison between based on formula calculation
W 22.85
and explored wide and length of patch Table 7).
L 22.85
Wgs 25
Table 7. Comparison of Design Calculation and Exploration
W1 16 Dimension
L1 16
W2 13.5 Value
L2 13.5 Paramater
Calculation Exploration
W3 13 W 9.737 20.611
L3 13 L 9.737 20.611
L4 4.95 h 1.6 1.6
L4 4.95 Wgs 11.737 25
Exploring wide and length size of patch and substrat
definitly increasing the value of absorber quality. The
calculation value is -0.13279967 dB and become -
14.494313 dB after exploration. This comparison shows that
an exploration must be done both for wide or length of patch
and substrat, if its only one of the wide or length from patch
or substrat the result will not move far from the calculation.
The significant result shown in the grafik bellow.
(a)
(b)
Fig.12 S1.1 Return Loss Comparison
of Calculation (a) and Exploration (b)
B. Adding and Substract Patch Slot.
The comparison of each modification by adding and
substracting square patch are as follows:
(a)
v (b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Fig.13 Patch S1.1 Return Loss Comparison of
Exploration by Inserting and subtracting square patch
The comparison of figure above it shows that by
subctracting square patch with a smaller patch an forming a
square ring making the quality of absorber become much
better. They are shown in figure 13a (-14.494313 dB) to 13b
(-23.409471 dB) shows increase about -9dB and figure 13c (-
11.229398 dB) to 13d (-18.591216 dB) increase -7.3 dB.
There are differences in figure 13c and 13e, where in
figure 13c the quality of S1.1 was reduce but and still in the
center of 9.375 GHz also appeared another S1.1 in different
band. For figure 13e, the S1.1 parameter increase from 13d
(-18.591216 dB to -33.158652 dB). The reduce quality in
figure 13c because the vast of substrat reduced by the
inserted/added patch (W2/L2). Figure 13e quality increasing
because the wide of substrat is vast and had been centered at
9.37 GHz in figure 13d by the second ring square patch.
There are limitiation on exploration where on certain
value after reached maximum result, the value would
decrease. From all figure can be determine that to increase
S1.1 (return loss) value, added square ring patch is need
through substract and adding square patch. And, to keep the
value of S1.1 stay in 9.375 GHz, exploration of value needed
to be done by making it smaller to make the frequency
bigger or the opposite.
Finally, the best result achieved is in figure 13e with a
value -33.158652 dB for 9,375 GHz, where it can absorb
99.95% of all transmitted signal. And, if its converse to a
RCS square meter, the size that will appear on radar display
is only 0,00046 square meters or abour 0,46 millimeters.
That result is very small (can not be seen by eyes in radar
display). As a comparison the smallest RCS for a fighter
aircraft is 2,5 cm, so the comparison is 1:54.
V. CONCLUSSION
This paper has designed a microwave absorber for radar
site of Indonesian Air Force at 9.375 GHz using CST
software. We proposed a size of 25mm unit cell to find S11
of -33,158652 dB. We found that a wide substrat absorb
more radar signal. This result is expected to provide good
stealth capability to the radar site of Indonesian Air Force.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author is thankfull to supervisors Mrs. Levy Olivia
Nur and Mr. Khairul Anwar, also Chief of Study
Postgraduate for Electrical Engineering. Thanks for all the
time supporting and everything whenever required.

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