Analysis of Structural Boundary Effects of Copper-Coated Films and Their Application to Space Antennas

Abstract

Copper-coated films are a solution for flexible electronic devices. One of the applications is a flexible-tension film-deployable antenna, which is a large deployable space antenna with broad application prospects. To analyze the possibility of applying coated films to the antenna, surface accuracy evaluation is required. The finite element method (FEM) was used to analyze the surface accuracy of the copper-coated thin-film structures. Both wrinkling and stretching–bending coupling deformation were considered. Simplified models were applied to study factors influencing the surface accuracy under boundary effects. Different sizes of coated area and different boundary conditions were simulated. The results showed the characteristic boundary effects of copper-coated thin-film structures and the influence curve of film thickness and patch size on boundary effects. These findings will inform the design and analysis of variable-stiffness thin-film antennas. On this basis, the application of a flexible-tension film-deployable antenna is discussed, along with a measure to improve the surface accuracy.