Rapid prototyping of frequency selective surfaces by laser direct write

Abstract

In this work we describe the use of laser direct-write for the rapid prototyping of frequency selective surfaces. Frequency selective surfaces are generally described by a periodic array of conducting or dielectric features (i.e. crosses, loops, grids, etc.) that when properly designed can pass or reject specific frequency bands of incoming electromagnetic radiation. While simple frequency selective surfaces are relatively straight forward to design and fabricate, operational demands, particularly military, have motivated the design and fabrication of much more complicated patterns. These new designs combine features of significantly different length scales, randomly dithered patterns and combinations of passive and active elements. We will demonstrate how laser direct-write is an ideal tool for the rapid prototyping of these new more complicated frequency selective surface designs. We will present experimental results for devices fabricated using several different laser direct-write processes.