Metal Mesh-Based Infrared Transparent Electromagnetic Shielding Windows with Balanced Shielding Properties over a Wide Frequency Range

Abstract: With the increasing complexity of the electromagnetic environment, electromagnetic interference has already been an important problem for optoelectronic systems to be reckoned with. The metal mesh film is a kind of widely used electromagnetic shielding material with both visible and infrared transparency. However, the shielding performance of previously reported mesh materials is frequency dependent. Here, we report an infrared-transparent electromagnetic shielding windows based on metal mesh with irregular patterns. The mesh coatings are prepared on sapphire substrate using ultraviolet photolithography technology, and provide efficient electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of more than 20 dB in the wide frequency range of 1.7~18 GHz while maintaining high infrared optical transparency. In addition, there is no distinct variation in shielding effectiveness between low and high frequency range, exhibiting a balanced shielding characteristic throughout a broad frequency band. This work could be significant in protecting infrared optoelectronic devices from electromagnetic interference.