Hybrid finite element/waveguide mode analysis for infinite phased arrays of cavity radiators

A hybrid finite element method (HFEM) has been developed for analyzing the scanning properties of cavity radiators imbedded in an infinite phased array. By expressing the transverse boundary fields in terms of waveguide modes on the cavity´s feed side and Floquet modes on the radiating side, continuity conditions are imposed on the variational functional. Three-dimensional vector finite elements are used to expand the electric field inside the cavity. Validation results for the implementation of this approach in a computer code are presented. These results demonstrate that the method is accurate and versatile, correctly predicting the scanning performance of a large variety of practical array radiators.<>