Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the models currently used to improve the quasistatic approximation of microstrip structures. The chapter presents a brief review of the microstrip fundamentals; a comprehensive account of these dynamical models. A particular model based on the calculation of the electric surface currents in the structure is introduced in the chapter. The Green's functions involved are constructed and numerically evaluated using the exact formulation for dipole potentials in a stratified medium. New evaluation techniques developed for Sommerfeld integrals permit a very accurate computation of Green's functions. Their properties are then extensively discussed; the validity of the quasistatic approximations is checked and the importance of the surface wave is pointed out in detail. Finally, the integral equations for the currents are set up and solved by numerical methods in that also give several practical applications. The chapter concludes the model is that the surface currents on the antenna are directly determined and the near field can then be determined easily, that becomes most important when microstrip structures are utilized as radiators or biological applicators.

A Dynamical Radiation Model for Microstrip Structures

By supporting an L-probe coupled circular patch antenna with four metallic posts at appropriate locations, it is demonstrated that the conical and the broadside modes which are excited separately by two different sets of L-shaped probes, can be operated at the same frequency range. For a tested antenna operated at 1.85 GHz, the bandwidth (SWR<2) achieved is 24%, and the isolation between the two input ports is 28 dB. The gains of the conical and broadside modes are 4 and 8.5 dBi, respectively. With suitable switching feed networks, the antenna can be reconfigurable in radiation pattern. The antenna can also be used as a pattern diversity antenna for modern mobile communications.

Design of a wide-band L-probe patch antenna for pattern reconfiguration or diversity applications

The problem of the complete determination of the dyadic spectral Green's function for an integrated planar structure with a grounded dielectric slab has been considered and solved in a rigorous way by using the spectral theory of the electromagnetic field. The reciprocity theorem and the geometrical symmetry of the structure have demonstrated the different roles played by the independent terms of the spectral Green's function in the evaluation of the electromagnetic characteristics of the grounded slab excited with a general source. Furthermore, an equivalent circuit representation of the structure, allowing a noteworthy simplification in the determination of the total power, has been obtained. These equivalent circuits and the derived spectral Green's function presented here can be used to analyze and design microstrip antennas of arbitrary shape with a general type of loading, such as matched or unmatched loads, parasitic, and shorting pins. >

Spectral dyadic Green's function formulation for planar integrated structures

The numerical solution of circular microstrip antenna is carried out using the method of moment. The effect of the probe position, The dielectric permittivity of the substrate, and the substrate thickness on the radiation pattern and the mode excitation efficiency are studied. It is found that the probe position and the patch size can be used to control the mode excitation efficiency, and heigher order modes can be generated using only one feed location. Also, the finite ground plane can be used to improve the symmetry of the radiation patterns. The technique is general and can be used to investigate other scattering and antenna problems involving axisymmetric geometries.

The effect of various parameters of circular microstrip antennas on their radiation efficiency and the mode excitation

For original paper by Abboud et al. see IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol.38, p.1882-5 (1990). In the original paper, the resonance frequency of coax-fed circular microstrip antennas with and without air gaps has been modeled (in its Section III) by incorporating and rearranging some results previously reported by others. The present author, while working with the formulas of that Section III noticed a discrepancy in (8) and (9). This has been investigated thoroughly and the observations are presented. A brief reply is given by Damiano et al.

Comments on "A new model for calculating the input impedance of coax-fed circular microstrip antennas with and without air gaps" [with reply]

A theoretical study is presented of the input impedance of a circular microstrip disk antenna excited by a coaxial line. The theory is based on Green's function technique applied to the disk cavity with the boundary admittance at the edge. Both the feed pin size and the boundary admittance are shown to be important in deriving the analytical expression for the input impedance. The boundary admittance is obtained by considering the radiated power and the electric and magnetic stored energies in the fringe capacitance. The analytical expression for the input impedance includes the feed location, the feed pin size, the disk size and thickness, and the dielectric constant of the material, and is useful for optimizing various parameters. The calculations are compared with experimental data showing a good agreement.

S. Yano

Papers

A theoretical study of the input impedance of a circular microstrip disk antenna