Workshop 2: Characteristic mode and characteristic basis analyses of real world antenna design problems

Abstract

The Characteristic Mode theory of antenna analysis and design has received the attention of many researchers in recent years, because it provides a brand new way of looking at the problem of placing antennas on a given platform to achieve a desired radiation pattern; to reduce coupling between antennas in a MIMO design; to achieve a wideband performance compared to that of the original antenna, etc. In this presentation, we will begin by reviewing the fundamentals of the Characteristic Mode Analysis (CMA) to bring the audience up-to-date with the fundamentals of CMA as well as with its latest developments. Next, we will discuss a number of real-world problems arising in practical antenna applications, and identify some challenging issues that have been encountered by the antenna designers in the process of applying the CMA to these problems. These include, among others, excitation of the Characteristic modes on complex platforms; antenna placement on these platforms to achieve a desired radiation pattern, specified over a limited angular range; determining excitation coefficients of antennas to achieve interference suppression of unwanted signals.