MEKTEC Corporation (Headquarters: Shibadaimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Taro Ito; hereinafter “MEKTEC”), a group company of NOK Corporation, has newly developed “Flexible Radio Wave Absorber” measuring less than 0.1 mm in thickness, a first for FPC manufacturers*1. The product is designed to address high-frequency noise in fields where demand is expected to grow, including next-generation high-speed communication equipment and humanoid robots.

By applying Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC) manufacturing technology, this product achieves a thin, lightweight design with high flexibility and bendability, enabling installation in confined spaces and on complex curved surfaces. It also employs proprietary metamaterial technology*2 featuring fine patterns on its surface to absorb radio waves in the millimeter-wave band*3 used for high-capacity, high-speed communications in applications such as 5G communications and humanoid robots. In-house verification using measurement and evaluation methods established through participation in the Metamaterials Research and Innovation Center (Meta-RIC®) confirmed noise absorption performance of over 99% in the representative 28 GHz band. By combining the strengths of FPC with high radio wave absorption performance, the product supports both further reductions in the size and weight of electronic devices and stable high-speed communications, contributing to the advancement of next-generation mobility and smart devices.

[Newly Developed] Features of the Flexible Radio Wave Absorber

• Ultra-thin design utilizing FPC manufacturing technology (thin, lightweight, highly flexible and bendable): With a thickness of tens to hundreds of micrometers and a weight of tens to hundreds of grams per square meter, the product can be installed in confined spaces and on complex curved surfaces.

• Selective tuning to targeted frequencies: Our proprietary circuit design enables selective tuning to targeted frequencies, primarily in the millimeter-wave band.
*Achieves over 99% absorption in the 28 GHz band.

• Mass production using existing production lines: Existing FPC production lines, including roll-to-roll processes used in FPC manufacturing, enable stable mass production.

• Heat resistance: The flexible radio wave absorber offers heat resistance equivalent to FPC.
Product Page : Flexible Wave Radio Absorber|NOK Corporation

Background of Development

With the widespread adoption of 5G communications and the development of next-generation communication technologies, the use of radio waves in high-frequency bands is expanding rapidly. As electronic devices become smaller and more space-efficient, the need for technologies that reliably suppress noise within limited internal spaces is increasing.

To meet these next-generation needs, MEKTEC combined its high-frequency FPC technology with metamaterial technology to achieve an ultra-thin structural design measuring less than 0.1 mm. Through this product, MEKTEC will support the stable operation of advanced equipment undergoing further miniaturization and functional enhancement, including next-generation communications, mobility, smart devices, and humanoid robots. In doing so, MEKTEC will embody the NOK Group’s “Essential Core Manufacturing — The manufacture of pivotal products that shape society” and contribute to the advancement of next-generation technologies.

Examples of Applications Expected to See Future Demand

Next-generation high-speed communication equipment, including 5G millimeter-wave and 6G systems; next-generation base stations, including NTN such as HAPS; aerospace applications, including communication satellites; automobiles and next-generation mobility; humanoid robots and next-generation robotics; and wearable devices.

Participation in the Metamaterials Research and Innovation Center (Meta-RIC®)

Because of their extreme thinness, the radio wave absorption performance of ultra-thin metamaterial structures such as this product has been difficult to measure and evaluate accurately using conventional methods. To address this challenge, MEKTEC joined the consortium in 2024 and has continued its research activities.

Under the guidance of Center Director Professor Yoshiaki Kanamori of the Department of Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, MEKTEC developed measurement and evaluation methods. This industry-academia collaborative evaluation system has reliably verified the product’s high absorption performance of over 99% in the 28 GHz band, directly contributing to improved product reliability.

*1 As of July 2026, according to MEKTEC research (among FPC manufacturers).

*2 Metamaterial: A microscopic structure artificially engineered to control the behavior of radio waves and light as desired. In this product, precisely arranged micro-patterns on the surface of the sheet selectively absorb radio waves at specific frequencies.

*3 Millimeter-wave band: Radio waves with wavelengths primarily ranging from 1 to 10 mm (frequencies of 30 to 300 GHz). They are used in advanced applications requiring high-capacity, high-speed communications, including 5G (fifth-generation mobile communications), next-generation communications (6G), and automotive radar for autonomous driving.