Degradation in performance of active radar absorbent material due to cumulative element failure

There is continuing interest in the development of large-area active microwave panels for use as switchable windows, ´wallpaper´, reflectors or radar-absorbent materials. The density of active devices on such panels may range from a few hundred to tens of thousands per square metre but there is no published information about the reliability of such panels in practice and the effects on their performance of cumulative device failure. A preliminary analysis of such effects in terms of panel radar cross-section and power consumption is provided.