Magnetron sputtering nichrome on fiber fabric to construct microwave-absorbing structure

Nichrome has a small resistance temperature coefficient, high resistance accuracy and resistivity, good thermal stability and chemical stability, which has great potential for high temperature stealth applications, yet not been mentioned in previous studies. In this paper, a microwave-absorbing structure based on Salisbury screen produced by nichrome coated quartz fiber fabric (NFF) and pristine quartz fiber fabric (PFF) is proposed. A direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering technique is used to form the nichrome coating onto the quartz fiber fabric. The morphology, element, and phase identification of nichrome coated quartz fiber fabrics were examined by SEM, EDS, and XRD, respectively. The reflectivity of the proposed structure of nichrome coated quartz fiber fabrics sputtered at one side or both sides is obviously different, and relative to the sputtering time and the number of pristine quartz fiber fabric tiers. The so-made microwave-absorbing structure is thin and lightweight, and exhibits good absorption performance in X and Ku frequency band, with wide bandwidth below − 10 dB from 8.5 to 15.5 GHz, and reached a lowest reflectivity of − 53 dB at 11.48 GHz.