Electromagnetic Characterization And Validation Of Aircraft Composite Materials

This paper reports an electromagnetic characterization of typical composite materials found in structural parts of aircraft using a method based on uncalibrated S-parameters. Dielectric constants of 4.60 and 1.84 and loss tangent of 2.0x10(-2) and 6.1x10(-2) have been obtained for fiberglass and honeycomb composite materials, respectively. Numerical simulations, based on the electromagnetic parameters obtained in the material characterization, and experiments in a semianechoic chamber have been carried out in the L- and C-bands. A 3.0 m prototype of an Embraer light jet aircraft dorsal fin had been fabricated and used in the experiments.