Radar-Absorbent Material and Radar Cross Section

Abstract

Radiation-absorbent material, usually known as RAM, is a material which has been specially designed and shaped to absorb incident RF radiation, as effectively as possible, from as many incident directions as possible. The more effective the RAM, the lower the resulting level of reflected radio-frequency (RF) radiation. Many measurements in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and antenna radiation patterns require that spurious signals arising from the test setup, including reflections, are negligible to avoid the risk of causing measurement errors and ambiguities. Radar cross section (RCS) of a target is also subject of this chapter, where this phenomenon is the ratio of the radar power scattered by the target in the direction of the radar receive antenna to the power density incident on the target.