MULTIPACTION MITIGATION COATINGS

Nokomis is well-positioned to offer a range of materials engineering solutions, from cutting-edge new technologies to cost-effective implementations of mature processes for a variety of RF materials applications and demands. These technologies range in scope from proprietary nanocoatings processes that manipulate the chemical and electronic properties of the surface to thick coatings suitable for ruggedization of environmentally exposed RF-property sensitive surfaces.

For surface ruggedization, coating products are available for resistance to high temperature, reactive chemical, weathering, and/or abrasive environments for conformal antennas, radomes, and windows. Nanocoatings for multipactor mitigation of RF components and dielectric and ferroic coatings for specialized planar devices are also areas of strength. The broad range of Nokomis-owned RF test equipment allows for rapid turnaround in-house testing to verify and guarantee performance of the product.

Services Offered

  • Multipactor Mitigation Coatings for High-Power RF Applications
  • Custom Dielectric/Magnetic Material Coatings for Passive and Active RF Components
  • Surface Ruggedization Coatings for Conformal Antennas, Radomes, and Windows

Coatings

Multipaction is an issue that plagues particle accelerators, satellite waveguides and many other high-power microwave devices. Multipaction itself is an effect of RF standing waves exciting electrons, nominally called secondary electrons, from a surface. When there is a large accumulation of these excited electrons an avalanche of charge transpires that causes a corona discharge and a resultant runaway multipactor effect.

To address this serious issue there are a few solutions. The most cost effective is to use a thin film coating. Nokomis has developed a new innovative thin film coating using Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) material. The Nokomis multipaction mitigation coating has shown lower secondary electron yields (SEY) than the current industry standard of titanium nitride (TiN). Nokomis’ multipaction coating has another advantage over TiN as it is more air-stable.