FDTD Analysis of Radiation Performance of a Cylinder Plasma Antenna

A cylinder plasma antenna coated with a dielectric tube is analyzed by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The influences of operating frequency as well as permittivity of the dielectric tube on the radiation pattern of the antenna are investigated. Numerical results indicate that the radiation efficiency of the antenna is a function of the dielectric constant of the outside tube. The optimal values of these parameters should be concerned for obtaining the maximal radiation gain.