Estimating air-substrate microstrip patch antenna input impedance with characteristic mode theory

Abstract

The theory of characteristic modes (TCM) for PEC bodies is showing great promise and application in the analysis, design, and placement of antennas. Its use for input impedance estimation, however, is still largely dependent on the idealized delta-gap model. Because TCM depends on all conductors, even feed structures, care must be taken for certain classes of antennas if estimating input impedance; probe-fed microstrip patch antennas (MSAs) are one example. In this paper, two different coaxial probe feed models are developed to estimate the input impedance of thin, arbitrarily shaped, air-dielectric MSAs using TCM. Their accuracy is compared with experimental results for a case study of an L-shaped MSA. Results show the importance of including all metal structures, including feeds, in TCM analyses.