volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

This study proposes a broadband, wide-angle metasurface for bistatic radar cross-section (RCS) reduction by integrating a low-profile bent-line unit design with an Adaptive Binary Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm enhanced by Array Pattern Synthesis (ABPSO-APS). The optimized metasurface achieves over 10 dB of bistatic RCS reduction across 8.4-21 GHz (86.7% fractional bandwidth), with a peak reduction of 22 dB, outperforming conventional checkerboard, genetic algorithm, and particle swarm optimization layouts by 22.82%, 15.27%, and 7.91%, respectively. The design also exhibits angular stability up to 30° and polarization insensitivity under both TE and TM incidences, while maintaining an ultrathin profile of only 0.1λ (where λ is the wavelength at the center frequency). These results demonstrate its strong potential as a compact and efficient solution for advanced electromagnetic stealth and radar signature control applications.

1. Muniyasamy, Amutha and Karthipan Rajakani, "UWB radar cross section reduction in a compact antipodal Vivaldi antenna," AEU --- International Journal of Electronics and Communications, Vol. 99, 369-375, 2019.
doi:10.1016/j.aeue.2018.12.020 Google Scholar

2. Zhang, Ke, Rong Tan, Zhi Hao Jiang, Yong Huang, Lin Tang, and Wei Hong, "A compact, ultrawideband dual-polarized Vivaldi antenna with radar cross section reduction," IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 21, No. 7, 1323-1327, 2022.
doi:10.1109/lawp.2022.3166821 Google Scholar

3. Pozar, D. M., "RCS reduction for a microstrip antenna using a normally biased ferrite substrate," IEEE Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, Vol. 2, No. 5, 196-198, 1992.
doi:10.1109/75.134353 Google Scholar

4. Kumar, Dheeraj and P. K. S. Pourush, "Circular patch microstrip array antenna on NiCoAl ferrite substrate in C-band," Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Vol. 322, No. 9-12, 1635-1638, 2010.
doi:10.1016/j.jmmm.2009.05.056 Google Scholar

5. Yu, Nanfang, Patrice Genevet, Mikhail A. Kats, Francesco Aieta, Jean-Philippe Tetienne, Federico Capasso, and Zeno Gaburro, "Light propagation with phase discontinuities: Generalized laws of reflection and refraction," Science, Vol. 334, No. 6054, 333-337, 2011.
doi:10.1126/science.1210713 Google Scholar

6. Cui, Tie Jun, Mei Qing Qi, Xiang Wan, Jie Zhao, and Qiang Cheng, "Coding metamaterials, digital metamaterials and programmable metamaterials," Light: Science & Applications, Vol. 3, No. 10, e218, 2014.
doi:10.1038/lsa.2014.99 Google Scholar

7. Huang, Cheng, Changlei Zhang, Jianing Yang, Bo Sun, Bo Zhao, and Xiangang Luo, "Reconfigurable metasurface for multifunctional control of electromagnetic waves," Advanced Optical Materials, Vol. 5, No. 22, 1700485, 2017.
doi:10.1002/adom.201700485 Google Scholar

8. Galiffi, E., P. A. Huidobro, and J. B. Pendry, "Broadband nonreciprocal amplification in luminal metamaterials," Physical Review Letters, Vol. 123, No. 20, 206101, 2019.
doi:10.1103/physrevlett.123.206101 Google Scholar

9. Li, Jianxiong, Ping Yu, Shuang Zhang, and Na Liu, "Electrically-controlled digital metasurface device for light projection displays," Nature Communications, Vol. 11, No. 1, 3574, 2020.
doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17390-3 Google Scholar

10. Kim, Gyeongtae, Yeseul Kim, Jooyeong Yun, Seong-Won Moon, Seokwoo Kim, Jaekyung Kim, Junkyeong Park, Trevon Badloe, Inki Kim, and Junsuk Rho, "Metasurface-driven full-space structured light for three-dimensional imaging," Nature Communications, Vol. 13, No. 1, 5920, 2022.
doi:10.1038/s41467-022-32117-2 Google Scholar

11. Zheng, Xiaoying, Jing Lin, Zhuo Wang, Haoyang Zhou, Qiong He, and Lei Zhou, "Manipulating light transmission and absorption via an achromatic reflectionless metasurface," PhotoniX, Vol. 4, No. 1, 3, 2023.
doi:10.1186/s43074-022-00078-w Google Scholar

12. Gao, Chengjing, Tingjun Lai, Liang Peng, Xuewei Zhang, Zhengjie Huang, Zhiyu Wang, Xiaoyu Pang, Shenghui Zhao, and Dexin Ye, "Multifunctional intelligent reconfigurable metasurface," ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 16, No. 41, 55675-55683, 2024.
doi:10.1021/acsami.4c09944 Google Scholar

13. Sambhav, Saurabh, Jayanta Ghosh, and Amit Kumar Singh, "Ultra-wideband polarization insensitive thin absorber based on resistive concentric circular rings," IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Vol. 63, No. 5, 1333-1340, 2021.
doi:10.1109/temc.2021.3058583 Google Scholar

14. Hannan, Saif, Mohammad Tariqul Islam, Sami H. A. Almalki, Mohammad Rashed Iqbal Faruque, M. Salaheldeen M, and Md. Shabiul Islam, "Rotational symmetry engineered, polarization and incident angle-insensitive, perfect metamaterial absorber for X and Ku band wireless applications," Scientific Reports, Vol. 12, No. 1, 3740, 2022.
doi:10.1038/s41598-022-07824-x Google Scholar

15. Hossain, Md. Bellal, Mohammad Rashed Iqbal Faruque, Sabirin Abdullah, Mohammad Tariqul Islam, and K. S. Al-mugren, "A coding based metasurface absorber with triple circular ring resonator for broadband RCS reduction and high EMI shielding effectiveness," Results in Engineering, Vol. 21, 101791, 2024.
doi:10.1016/j.rineng.2024.101791 Google Scholar

16. Lin, Baoqin, Wenzhun Huang, Jianxin Guo, Zuliang Wang, Kaibo Si, and Hongjun Ye, "An absorptive coding metasurface for ultra-wideband radar cross-section reduction," Scientific Reports, Vol. 14, No. 1, 12397, 2024.
doi:10.1038/s41598-024-63260-z Google Scholar

17. Azizi, Yousef, Mohammad Soleimani, and Seyed Hassan Sedighy, "Low cost, simple and broad band radar cross section reduction by modulated and holography metasurfaces," Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Vol. 52, No. 43, 435003, 2019.
doi:10.1088/1361-6463/ab31f0 Google Scholar

18. Schurig, D., J. J. Mock, B. J. Justice, S. A. Cummer, J. B. Pendry, A. F. Starr, and D. R. Smith, "Metamaterial electromagnetic cloak at microwave frequencies," Science, Vol. 314, No. 5801, 977-980, 2006.
doi:10.1126/science.1133628 Google Scholar

19. McCall, Martin, "Transformation optics and cloaking," Contemporary Physics, Vol. 54, No. 6, 273-286, 2013.
doi:10.1080/00107514.2013.847678 Google Scholar

20. Kishimoto, Naoki, Kazuhiro Izui, Shinji Nishiwaki, and Takayuki Yamada, "Optimal design of electromagnetic cloaks with multiple dielectric materials by topology optimization," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 110, No. 20, 201104, 2017.
doi:10.1063/1.4983715 Google Scholar

21. Gao, Huanhuan, Xiaojun Huang, Xiongwei Ma, Xiaoyan Li, Linyan Guo, and Helin Yang, "An ultra-wideband coding polarizer for beam control and RCS reduction," Frontiers of Physics, Vol. 18, No. 4, 42301, 2023.
doi:10.1007/s11467-022-1252-4 Google Scholar

22. Zhou, Xiaofeng, Helin Yang, Jing Jin, Linyan Guo, Yujun Li, Houyuan Cheng, Yang Fu, and Yilin Dai, "A low-profile coding metasurface for broadband radar cross section reduction via beam diffusion and absorption," Physica Scripta, Vol. 99, No. 4, 045522, 2024.
doi:10.1088/1402-4896/ad32f9 Google Scholar

23. Ali, Luqman, Qinlong Li, Tayyab Ali Khan, Jianjia Yi, and Xiaoming Chen, "Wideband RCS reduction using coding diffusion metasurface," Materials, Vol. 12, No. 17, 2708, 2019.
doi:10.3390/ma12172708 Google Scholar

24. Taher Al-Nuaimi, Mustafa K., William G. Whittow, Guan-Long Huang, Rui-Sen Chen, and Qiang Shao, "Exploring the EM-wave diffusion capabilities of axicon coding metasurfaces for stealth applications," Optics Express, Vol. 31, No. 23, 37495-37506, 2023.
doi:10.1364/oe.502528 Google Scholar

25. Paquay, Maurice, Juan-Carlos Iriarte, Iñigo Ederra, Ramon Gonzalo, and Peter de Maagt, "Thin AMC structure for radar cross-section reduction," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 55, No. 12, 3630-3638, 2007.
doi:10.1109/tap.2007.910306 Google Scholar

26. Han, Tiancheng, Kaihuai Wen, Zixuan Xie, and Xiuli Yue, "An ultra-thin wideband reflection reduction metasurface based on polarization conversion," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 173, 1-8, 2022.
doi:10.2528/pier21121405 Google Scholar

27. Fu, Haoran, Ning Liu, Xianjun Sheng, and Jiaxin Li, "An optimized coding polarization conversion metasurface with a transmission window for RCS reduction," Applied Physics A, Vol. 131, No. 4, 283, 2025.
doi:10.1007/s00339-025-08389-y Google Scholar

28. Wang, Chaohui, He-Xiu Xu, Yanzhao Wang, Shuai Zhu, Canyu Wang, and Ruiqi Mao, "Hybrid-phase approach to achieve broadband monostatic/bistatic RCS reduction based on metasurfaces," Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Vol. 53, No. 36, 365001, 2020.
doi:10.1088/1361-6463/ab9266 Google Scholar

29. Xin, Hui, Yucheng Gao, and Wen Jiang, "An ultra-wideband polarization conversion metasurface with high angular stability," 2024 IEEE 12th Asia-Pacific Conference on Antennas and Propagation (APCAP), 1-2, Nanjing, China, 2024.
doi:10.1109/APCAP62011.2024.10881652

30. Liu, Xiao, Jun Gao, Liming Xu, Xiangyu Cao, Yi Zhao, and Sijia Li, "A coding diffuse metasurface for RCS reduction," IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 16, 724-727, 2016.
doi:10.1109/lawp.2016.2601108 Google Scholar

31. Han, Xinmin, Haojun Xu, Yipeng Chang, Mao Lin, Zhang Wenyuan, Xin Wu, and Xiaolong Wei, "Multiple diffuse coding metasurface of independent polarization for RCS reduction," IEEE Access, Vol. 8, 162313-162321, 2020.
doi:10.1109/access.2020.3021650 Google Scholar

32. Shan, Hanyu, Kaijie Jiang, Jiangnan Xing, and Tao Jiang, "BPSO and staggered triangle layout optimization for wideband RCS reduction of pixelate checkerboard metasurface," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 70, No. 7, 3406-3414, 2022.
doi:10.1109/tmtt.2022.3171519 Google Scholar

33. Pan, Yaxi, Jian Dong, Heng Luo, Meng Wang, and Chengwang Xiao, "Phase cancellation-assisted BGWO method for advanced design of ultrawideband RCS reduction metasurface," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 73, No. 10, 7351-7362, 2025.
doi:10.1109/tmtt.2025.3576616 Google Scholar

34. Ullah, Muhammad Ubaid, Tarik Abdul Latef, Mohamadariff Othman, Yoshihide Yamada, Atef Abdrabou, Tengku Faiz Tengku Mohmed Noor Izam, Kamarul Ariffin Noordin, Hazlie Mokhlis, Kamilia Kamardin, and Kaharudin Dimyati, "Advanced 1-bit algorithmic approaches to PB phase metasurface optimization for radar cross-section reduction," Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Vol. 16, No. 8, 103466, 2025.
doi:10.1016/j.asej.2025.103466 Google Scholar

35. Khan, Hamza Asif, Jingjing Zhang, Shanwen Luo, and Yuxiang Wang, "A single-layer checkerboard metasurface based on reconfigurable polarization converter for dual-mode RCS reduction," IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 24, No. 7, 2029-2033, 2025.
doi:10.1109/lawp.2025.3554981 Google Scholar

36. Zhang, Gaiping, Aixia Wang, Wenjie Wang, Sai Sui, Yajuan Han, Xinmin Fu, Chang Ding, Jingli Wang, Jiafu Wang, Yueyu Meng, and Yiming Zhang, "The coding metasurface combined absorption and phase cancellation for 20 dB broadband RCS reduction," Applied Physics A, Vol. 131, No. 8, 642, 2025.
doi:10.1007/s00339-025-08759-6 Google Scholar

37. Balanis, Constantine A., Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design, 3rd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2005.

38. Yang, Zhengyi, Na Kou, Shixing Yu, Fei Long, Lili Yuan, Zhao Ding, and Zhengping Zhang, "Reconfigurable multifunction polarization converter integrated with PIN diode," IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, Vol. 31, No. 6, 557-560, 2021.
doi:10.1109/lmwc.2021.3064039 Google Scholar

39. Zhu, Shunkai, Fang Yuan, Kai Hu, Taotao Pi, Xicheng Zhu, and Cheng Li, "Design of bistatic radar cross section reduction metasurface based on convolutional neural networks," Acta Physica Sinica, Vol. 74, No. 10, 107802, 2025.
doi:10.7498/aps.74.20250109 Google Scholar

Dr. Ke Wang

Professor Wei Li

Dr. Chao Zhang

Dr. Yichao Zhou

Dr. Shijie Xie