Radiation and scattering from infinite periodic printed antennas with inhomogeneous media

The hybrid method of moments (MoM)/Green's function method technique is applied to infinite periodic printed antenna arrays containing dielectric inhomogeneities. The solution uses an integral equation for an infinite periodic printed array on or over a homogeneous dielectric substrate, coupled with equivalent volume polarization currents for dielectric inhomogeneities on top of the homogeneous substrate. Volume pulse-basis functions were used to expand the volume polarization currents. A hybrid MoM/Green's function method solution was then obtained through the matrix form of the problem. The two-dimensional (2-D) solution of plane wave scattering from a grounded dielectric slab was used to validate the reaction impedance of the dielectric inhomogeneity. Several infinite periodic printed dipole arrays with dielectric supports and overlays were studied with this solution and good agreement was observed between the hybrid MoM/Green's function method and waveguide simulator experiments.