Is there any way to predict the TM mode of a microstrip patch antenna just by looking at its geoetry?Can we guess which TM modes will be present for that antenna?
Using simple CAVITY model analysis, if the microstrip antenna is placed on x-y surface and its axis is along the z-direction (i.e. height of substrate along z-direction), then all microstrip antenna will excite TMz mode. TEz mode will be short circuited. Not only that, in case of inhomogeneous substrate material, the microstrip antenna will excite TMz mode, not TEz mode. By counting number of half cycle, it is possible to predict the different TM modes. This procedure is mainly applicable for rectangular, circular, annular, elliptical and equilateral, 30-60-90, 45-45-90 shaped triangular microstrip antenna. For other geometry, there is no solution. In fact, nomenclature for rectangular ring shaped microstrip antenna is also not available...
Thanks for the answer. One more question...Suppose I have a rectangular geometry with Length=lambda/2. So will only TM10 mode be present?? Not any other mode?
There will be an infinite number of modes available even in the lambda/2 design. Similar to how many harmonics are present in a square wave. The undesired higher order modes may be suppressed with various methods, but are generally still there.
There is a simple equation for computing the resonant modes for rectangular resonators which is: wo=[1/sqrt(ue)]*[sqrt((m*pi()/a^)2 +(n*pi()/b)^2+(p*pi()/c^2))] and m,n run from 1,2,3...and p runs 0,1,2...
Code that into a spreadsheet and play around with it.
All antennas are multi-band antennas. If your desired band is from f1 to f2, then focus on that band only. There will infinite number of higher order modes beyond f2 (i.e. > f2). Using filter we can eliminate band beyond f2.
1. If for a given mode, S11 < -10dB, then it is radiating mode
2. if S11is not less than -10dB, then its a simple mode without matching. By adjusting the feed we can match it and S11 will be less than -10dB. Then non-radiating mode becomes radiating mode.