Frequency-dependent radiation properties of negative permittivity metamaterial reflector antenna

Abstract

This paper reports a novel type of microwave reflector antenna that uses the frequency-dependent properties of an epsilon negative (ENG) metamaterial medium. The frequency-dependent characteristics of this artificial plasma medium is analyzed using the dispersive auxiliary differential equation finite difference time domain (ADE-FDTD) method by employing a Gaussian pulse and the results are verified experimentally using an artificial plasma medium fabricated by an array of thin conducting wires. The radiation pattern of plain and corner plasma reflector antennas modeled using Drude equations are obtained and are compared with a plasma reflector and conventional metallic reflector antennas. The results obtained for the plasma reflector antenna is experimentally verified using a 90° corner reflector antenna fabricated using wire medium. This new class of plasma antennas show marked variations in radiation pattern for frequencies above and below plasma frequency, which may find potential use in various frequency selective applications.