Metamaterial-Compensated HybridSilT Structural Elements for Radomes Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-044 Topic Title: Metamaterial-Compensated HybridSilT Structural Elements for Radomes Proposal No.: N121-044-0441 Firm: NanoSonic, Inc. 158 Wheatland Drive Pembroke, Virginia 24136 Contact: Bradley Davis Phone: (540) 626-6266 Web Site: http://www.nanosonic.com Abstract: This Phase I SBIR program will encompass design, simulation and construction of metamaterial based composite structural members for the E-2 rotodome. NanoSonic has created a team with a unique combination of engineers, chemists and materials scientists capable of design, simulation and fabrication of this product. The NanoSonic would team leverage existing work for custom computational electromagnetics tools, dielectric materials and composite construction. NanoSonic would construct substrate layers from customized nanocomposite HybridSilT dielectric substrates, HybridSilT composite resins, and structural composites to optimize the metamaterial function thus creating composites with permittivity and permeability close to that of free space. The HybridSilT substrates are novel, high performance RF and microwave substrates that are UV stable and have excellent thermal properties. These layers would be covalently bonded to ensure maximum reliability. NanoSonic would exploit its in-house advanced simulation tools to design the correct metamaterial solution. Inkjet patterning would be used to create the metamaterial elements. Preliminary composite panel testing would also be performed in-house with NanoSonic equipment. The NanoSonic PI is an electromagnetics engineer with many years' experience in both hardware implementation and simulation software construction. NanoSonic would work with a defense prime contract that manufactures radomes. Benefits: The construction of electromagnetic structural materials that are nearly transparent will have wide application to wireless communication in the military and commercially. The construction of microwave components and low-profile conformal antennas from metamaterials, inkjet processing, HybridSilT substrates would also provide multiple advantages. The materials and devices developed and applied in this program may be used to form a variety of high performance microwave materials and devices integrated directly into lightweight polymer structural components. Such low-cost processing will allow the manufacturing of cost-competitive aerospace, electronic, optoelectronic, sensor and actuator materials, devices and integrated function structures. Conformal or free-standing, antennas are of importance for both military and commercial applications. Additionally, these antennas would address DoD and law enforcement needs for communication and surveillance with reduced probability of detection. In commercial use, such antennas could be integrated into vehicle or building structures; NanoSonic also intends to apply these antennas as inexpensive as RFID tags. Return