Research progress on surface wave attenuation of radar absorbing materials

Radar absorbing materials (RAMs), as a significant research direction in the field of electromagnetic wave protection, exhibit broad application prospects. In recent years, with the continuous development of radar detection technology and material absorbing technology, coupled with increasing application demands, the performance requirements for absorbing materials have gradually extended from traditional reflectivity suppression towards the simultaneous enhancement of both reflectivity suppression and surface wave attenuation. Surface waves, as a form of electromagnetic wave propagation along material surfaces, possess attenuation performance that directly influences the overall effectiveness of the absorbing material. This paper reviews the recent research progress concerning the surface wave attenuation performance of radar absorbing materials, first introducing the fundamental concepts and propagation characteristics of radar surface waves; subsequently, the research progress on the impact of three types of absorbing materials (magnetic loss RAMs, dielectric loss RAMs, and metamaterials) on surface wave attenuation performance is presented. Finally, based on current research trends, potential directions for enhancing the surface wave attenuation performance of future absorbing materials are proposed, and the pressing issues and challenges requiring urgent resolution within this field are identified.