Full-wave analysis of finite periodic cylindrical conformal arrays with Floquet spherical modes and a hybrid finite element – generalized scattering matrix method

Abstract

This work reports a novel approach for the full-wave analysis of a finite conformal array made up of antennas which are periodically arranged on a metallic cylindrical surface. The analysis methodology is based on a hybrid finite element and modal analysis method, and it allows the computation of the generalized scattering matrix of the structure. In this case, spherical vector modes are used to characterize the radiating region and because of the periodic nature of the conformal array, Floquet’s theory is used to render the methodology efficient and accurate. Therefore, the formulation is derived to be able to characterize the whole structure from the analysis of only one semi-period. Numerical results of arrays made up of rectangular apertures and microstrip patches are presented and compared with the ones obtained with commercial software and infinite models both for conformal and planar arrays.

Keywords:

• cylindrical conformal array
• Floquet’s theory
• spherical modes
• finite element method
• generalized scattering matrix