A hybrid moment method solution for TE/sub z/ scattering from large planar slot arrays

This paper develops a hybrid moment method (MM) based numerical model for electromagnetic scattering from large finite-by-infinite planar slot arrays. The model incorporates the novel concept of a physical basis function (PBF) to reduce dramatically the number of required unknowns. The model can represent a finite number of slot columns with slots oriented along the infinite axis, surrounded by an arbitrary number of coplanar dielectric slabs. Each slot column can be loaded with a complex impedance to tailor the array's edge currents. An individual slot column is represented by equivalent magnetic scattering currents on an unbroken perfectly conducting plane. Floquet theory reduces the currents to a single reference element. In the array's central portion, where the edge perturbations are negligible, the slot column reference elements are combined into a single basis function. Thus, one PBF can represent an arbitrarily large number of slot columns. A newly developed one-sided Poisson sum formula is used to calculate the mutual coupling between the PBF and the slot columns in the presence of a stratified dielectric media. The array scanning method (ASM) gives the mutual coupling between the individual slot columns. The hybrid method is validated using both numerical and experimental reference data. The results demonstrate the method's accuracy as well as its ability to handle array problems too large for traditional MM solutions.