Design and Implementation of a Screen-Printed Resistive-Ink Microwave Absorber for X-Band Communication Systems

Abstract

The design, and system performance evaluation of a flexible Electromagnetic (EM) wave absorber for X-band communication applications are presented in this work. The proposed structure employs a screen-printed, resistive-ink-based Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) on a paper substrate, enabling low-cost and conformal integration. The absorber features a three-layer configuration, with the FSS patterned using resistive ink as the top layer, facilitating efficient attenuation of incident X-band signals. The unit cell has compact dimensions of 0.46λ₀ × 0.46λ₀ × 0.09λ₀, where ​ λ₀, denotes the free-space wavelength corresponding to the lowest operating frequency of the absorption band. A full simulation made using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) software and high frequency structure simulator (HFSS) software shows a broad fractional bandwidth of 56.17%, which includes the entire X band spectrum. The absorber exhibits consistent performance over different polarization and incident angles, making it effective in Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) applications. The absorber's performance is stable across different polarizations and incident angles, demonstrating its suitability for applications in EMI mitigation in modern communication systems. It is flexible, has broadband functionality, and can be a good choice for future wireless and radar platforms.