Radio-shielding metamaterials transparent in the visible spectrum: approaches to creation

Abstract The approaches to creation of the materials providing simultaneously high indicators of transparency in the visible spectrum and shielding in a wide radio frequency band are considered in this paper. The analysis and comparison of the main designs of such materials, as well as approaches to their creation, including multilayer and conductive mesh structures, is carried out. The results of our own theoretical studies of the disordered mesh structure are presented, which allow one to obtain a light transmission coefficient from 90 to 98 % in combination with an electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency from 50 to 65 dB. The best results practically achieved to date (shielding efficiency equal 45 dB in the range from 10 kHz to 20 GHz with a light transparency of more than 80 %) were obtained on mesh structures by photolithography, which is a significant limiting factor of this approach. The created multilayer structures show, in general, lower characteristics. However, the technology for their production is better scaled, and the optimization of the thicknesses and chemical composition of multilayer structures can significantly increase them. In this regard, technological aspects may come to the fore when taking into account the possibility of subsequent scaling of the technology and economic indicators when choosing an approach for the implementation of the materials with the required characteristics.