MODELING EFFECTIVE PROPERTIES OF CHIRAL COMPOSITES

After a brief overview of the concepts of electromagnetic chirality an d wave propagation in chiral media, this paper deals with the field of microwave-chiral-material modeling. First, studies regarding the scat tering of single-chiral or non-chiral elements with different shapes ( various designs of helices, Omega-shaped scatterers, wires, and loops) are presented. Results of the backscattered field given by different. computer codes are compared. Comparisons among analytical, numerical, and experimental results are also reported. Second, the case of a col lection of chiral inclusions is treated. A review of different methods , developed to estimate average properties of helix-loaded materials, is given, Modeling of the effective properties of a chiral slab, such as the rotation angle, ellipticity, permittivity, and permeability, is explored. Reflection and transmission coefficients, evaluated by vari ous methods, are compared with each other, and with measurements. Limi tations of the models, possible improvements, and new directions for r esearch are also described. Finally, applications of such composites t o the design of radar-absorbing materials are addressed.