Cylindrical phase-switched screens

Phase switched screens (PSS) have been proposed as a potential method for modifying the electromagnetic scattering properties of an object. Conventional approaches to this problem usually rely on either modifying the shape of the object and/or coating its surface with lossy materials. In the former approach, the scattered energy is redirected to regions of space that are outside the angular detection range of the receiver systems while in the latter case, the incident energy is absorbed and converted to heat. In the PSS approach however, the energy scattered by an object is translated in the frequency domain to regions that are outside the bandwidth of the detection systems. The PSS achieves this translation in frequency by imposing phase modulation onto the energy scattered from the object. Previously published work, both experimental and theoretical, has concentrated on planar structures. However, in many practical situations where RCS control is an issue, the object under consideration will not be planar and any coating, or screening structure, will need to conform to the geometry of the object. As a first step, this paper examines the application of PSS techniques to cylindrical surfaces.