Fundamentals of Slot Antenna Designing for Application in Surface Wave Plasma Sources

Different aspects of slot antenna designing for application in large-scale flat surface wave plasma (SWP) sources are discussed. Finite difference time domain simulation method is applied to investigate radiation characteristics of different slot antenna structures. The effects of slot width and location, and waveguide wall thickness on antenna radiation are studied. Using the transmission line theory, optimum thicknesses for waveguide walls are offered. The vertical, longitudinal, and compound structures of slot antenna arrays are analyzed, and their efficiencies are compared for producing SWPs.