Design, simulation and manufacture of a flexible frequency selective surface based on aramid/carbon fiber woven fabric

• An FSF with flexibility is constructed by aramid, carbon fiber and prepreg. • An FSF construction scheme with manufacturing convenience and designable performance is proposed. • Circuit model and finite element method are combined for predicting and customizing performance. • Highly designable passband and stopband. • The obtained FSF selectively shields EM waves at frequencies near 10 GHz. Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are significant for the efficient and accurate transmission of microwave signals due to its ability to selectively shield electromagnetic (EM) waves of different frequencies. In some special scenarios, mechanical properties are vitally required. Herein, a flexible frequency selective fabric (FSF) is proposed. Different from traditional FSSs or reported FSFs, aramid/carbon fiber woven fabric serve as the flexible substrate in which carbon fiber provides functionality instead of metallic materials, and patches made of carbon fiber prepreg are periodically applied for property reinforcement. Equivalent circuit model is used to guide the basic determination of patch’s geometry, and it is further optimized via full-wave simulation software HFSS. A simulation model that reasonably reflect the correlation between structure and frequency-selection characteristic is provided, and structural factors affecting the characteristic are analyzed and discussed. Further, an FSF sample is prepared and its frequency response is measured. Measurement revealed the FSF selectively shields EM waves in the frequency range of 8.9 GHz to 11.4 GHz, and is of the bandpass-bandstop-bandpass characteristic. Benefit from EM property and flexibility, the proposed FSF has advantages in applications pursue lightweight, high strength, and require excellent EM functionality, such as aerospace and structure-EM function integrated products.