Modeling of normal-mode helical antennas at 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz for mobile communications handsets using the FDTD technique

A simple technique is proposed for modeling short normal-mode helical antennas using a commercial finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) code with a rectangular grid and a nominal extension of the wire. The approach allows affects on the input impedance and radiation performance of the helix to be examined and importantly does not require modification of the excitation subroutines. Normal-mode helical antennas for mobile communications use at 900 and 1800 MHz were designed using the proposed method and good agreement with measurements of impedance and near-magnetic field strength was found. The radiating performance of the helix was compared to that of a λ/4 monopole and generally found to be inferior at 900 MHz due to only 19.2 % efficiency in the presence of the head. At 1.8 GHz the two antenna types showed similar characteristics except in regard to bandwidth, 36.1 % for the monopole and 7.8 % for the helix, in the presence of the head. The modeled helix antennas produce spatial peak specific absorption rate (SAR) figures that are up to 27 % greater at 900 MHz and up to 49 % greater at 1.8 GHz than the corresponding monopole values due to the shorter antenna