Screen-printing high/low resistance using only a single silver nanowire ink: Resistance-gradient metasurface application for broadband microwave absorption and optical transparency

• A resistance-gradient metasurface is proposed for broadband absorption and optical transparency with a thin substrate. • Silver nanowire ink and screen printing enable multiple resistances in the metasurface, maximizing performance. • The resistance-gradient metasurface achieves 8.68–11.48 GHz absorption with a substrate thickness of only 0.045 λ 0 . • Using only a single silver nanowire ink results in a cost-effective, simple fabrication process. Transparent metasurface absorbers are highly sought after for their diverse applications, but achieving broad absorption bandwidths without sacrificing optical transparency remains a challenge. Traditionally, enhancing absorption involves increasing substrate thickness, which reduces transmittance. We address this by introducing a resistance-gradient metasurface (RGM) that combines broad absorption with high optical transparency. Unlike conventional methods requiring various inks for different resistances, our approach uses a single silver nanowire ink and screen-printing to create multiple resistances. This technique allows for flexible design and multiple resonances within the metasurface, achieving broad absorption even with a thin substrate. The RGM demonstrates an absorption bandwidth from 8.68 to 11.48 GHz with a substrate thickness of just 0.045 λ 0 , and optical transmittance of 66.3 % at 550 nm. This innovation promises to enhance both substrate efficiency and bandwidth in transparent metasurface absorbers, broadening their application potential in advanced devices.