On the impulse response of the folded dipole

The behavior of an impulse-excited folded dipole modeled as a narrow rectangular loop is discussed. The physical mechanism behind its radiation becomes clearly understandable in view of its time domain response. Charge acceleration in the radiating structure can be observed easily, and the not-yet-completely understood characteristics of a folded dipole can be explained. Results on an approximate impulse response for the folded dipole are presented and analyzed. This antenna is known for its moderately high input impedance over a wide frequency bandwidth, along with a fairly reasonable directional radiation pattern. However, not much is known about its impulse response and the connection between this response and the previously noted characteristics. The in-depth understanding of the physical mechanism involved in this relationship can be extremely useful in the design of innovative antennas that have similar properties with totally different geometry.