Dynamically tunable optical metamaterial for multispectral-compatible stealth and thermal management

The rapid development of multispectral joint detection technologies, together with complex and variable environments, has substantially increased the exposure risk of targets. Consequently, stealth systems combining multispectral compatibility and dynamic spectral regulation are highly desirable. However, such integration remains challenging due to the strong coupling among visible camouflage, laser stealth, infrared stealth, and thermal management, as well as the conflict between static spectral matching and dynamic spectral regulation. Herein, a dynamically tunable optical metamaterial is proposed to integrate visible camouflage, laser stealth, dynamic infrared stealth, and dynamic thermal management within a single platform, while alleviating the conflict between laser stealth and dynamic infrared regulation. Experimental results demonstrate customizable colors for background matching, a high absorptivity of 0.94 at 10.6 μm, and tunable MWIR/LWIR emissivities from 0.19/0.16–0.50/0.40, respectively. Meanwhile, the emissivities in the 5–8 μm and 14–17 μm thermal management bands are modulated from 0.71/0.51–0.43/0.41. These capabilities enable dynamic regulation between infrared stealth and thermal management without compromising visible camouflage or laser stealth. This work provides a feasible strategy for dynamically tunable multispectral stealth systems and offers a promising route toward improved target survivability in complex detection environments.