A thin and low-cost scalable waveguide load absorber

In this paper, a set of simple S-band waveguide absorbers are designed and implemented on a low-cost FR4 substrate. This is to provide an alternative for conventional waveguide absorbers, which are generally bulky and costly. The proposed structure is composed of only two open-ended resonator strips on a low-cost, 3.2-mm thick FR4 board. These absorbers operate with the same fundamentals as absorbers based on the frequency selective surfaces. The proposed innovative waveguide absorber load is mode-independent and designed without any connection between the strips and the waveguide. Simulations and measurements indicated an approximately 2.2% of bandwidth, with a 99% absorption rate at the center frequency. A complete parameter study is also performed to show the robustness of the design, besides enabling tuning for use in other microwave waveguides. A good agreement between simulated and measured results confirms the functionality of the absorber.

A1 Journal article – refereed

F. Nazari, F. Ghorbani, M.A. Khak, P.J. Soh, H. Aliakbarian, A thin and low-cost scalable waveguide load absorber, AEU - International Journal of Electronics and Communications, Volume 137, 2021, 153820, ISSN 1434-8411, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeue.2021.153820

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeue.2021.153820 http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe2021081943660