This dissertation presents a methodology for designing and fabricating wideband structural and ballistic radomes using conventional composite and ballistic materials. The methodology employed centers on transforming the radome design into an impedance matching problem utilizing electrically compatible materials. Included in this dissertation is a thorough overview of both structural composite and ballistic materials, with the aim of identifying the compatible conventional materials by highlighting both advantageous and detrimental electrical properties. Moreover, I describe the current state of the art in radome design and performance. As with all impedance matching problems there are standard techniques for developing impedance matching solutions, in this dissertation I describe the most common analytical methods for impedance matching. In addition to analytical methods for designing impedance matching structures, iterative methods are explored. The impedance matching solutions developed through the analytical and iterative methods are implemented using subwavelength textured surfaces. The efficacy of the textured surfaces is controlled by the accuracy of the numerical modelling, many of the common electromagnetic subwavelength modelling techniques like effective medium theory (EMT), are not sufficient to design textured surfaces because EMT breaks down. To address this short fall, the rigorous coupled wave analysis method was employed. Fabrication of properly modelled textured surfaces was accomplished using both subtractive and additive manufacturing techniques. The advantages and pitfalls of each manufacturing technique is explored and conclusions are provided. Finally, to validate this methodology I present experimental results of radomes designed and fabricated using this new methodology.
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