Multispectral metamaterials for radar absorption, infrared suppression, and adjustable pixelated visible camouflage

Abstract This paper presents a multispectral compatible stealth metamaterial (MCSM), which consists of two functional layers including a radar-infrared compatible stealth screen (RICSS) and an adjustable pixelated visible camouflage screen. The proposed MCSM achieves a microwave absorptivity greater than 90% over 8.9–13.75 GHz under normal incidence and an infrared emissivity of 0.35 within 3–14 μ m. To enhance optical compatibility, the upper-layer RICSS incorporates transparent materials and a coplanar design, achieving a high visible light transmittance of 79.32%. Three different pixelated camouflage patterns (i.e. forest, ocean, and desert) can be adjusted due to the thermochromic mechanism. Finally, the multispectral compatible stealth performance of the MCSM is demonstrated by visible light, microwave and infrared experiments separately. The integration of these multifunctional properties in a single structure highlights the potential of the MCSM for applications requiring multispectral stealth and tunable optical properties.