Transparent Metamaterial Absorber Fabrication by Pulsed-DC Magnetron Sputtering

Metamaterials are artificially engineered structures with unprecedented control over electromagnetic waves and their properties. They have wide range of electrical and optical applications like absorbers, camouflage, sensors and antennas. In this communication an alternative technique of transparent metamaterial fabrication is proposed. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is sputtered on acrylic substrate for the desired duration through a shadow mask to get the desired pattern. Measurement of the absorber indicates strong correlation between simulated and measured results. The challenges associated with fabrication technique has been discussed in detail. The proposed technique is a good alternative to traditional laser micromachining of ITO-PET. Using this technique custom made sheet resistance can be achieved while designing unit cell which provides another degree of freedom.