Multifunctional Metamaterial Microwave Blackbody with High-Frequency Compatibility, Temperature Insensitivity, and Structural Scalability

Compared with optical black, few attempts have focused on achieving broadband microwave blackbodies. In this study, all-ceramic metamaterial microwave blackbodies are created by integrating a graded Gyroid shellular (GGS) metastructure design with additive manufacturing of polymer-derived SiOC (PDCs-SiOC) ceramics encapsulated by Si3N4 (SiOC@Si3N4). Hardly influenced by the destructive interference effect, as-fabricated GGS-structured SiOC@Si3N4 microwave blackbodies demonstrate a broadband microwave absorption (MA) above 83.6% (91.3% on average) across the entire X-Ku band and encompassing higher frequencies above 18 GHz as well, together with the temperature insensitivity from room temperature to 500 degrees C. Based on the flexible electromagnetic tunability of PDCs-SiOC, exceptional structural scalability is experimentally validated for metal-doped modified CuSiOC and CoSiOC substrates with the same GGS metastructures, retaining high-efficiency MA capability. Furthermore, attachment of perfectly reflecting metal backplanes further enhances the MA performance, with an ultrawide MA exceeding 67.9% (89.1% on average) achievable at 2.95-18 GHz for CoSiOC substrate. Meanwhile, the GGS-structured SiOC@Si3N4 metamaterials possess additional multifunctional properties, such as good noise reduction performance as well as ultrahigh wear resistance. As a proof of concept, this study provides important guidance on achieving multifunctional coupling broadband MA characteristics by fully tapping the application potential of existing materials.

Automated summary

This study achieves the fabrication of all-ceramic metamaterial microwave blackbodies, demonstrating broadband microwave absorption capability, temperature insensitivity, and structural scalability. It also exhibits additional properties of noise reduction and high wear resistance.