Diffraction of a surface wave at the truncation of a dielectric structure

A numerical method to investigate the diffraction of a surface wave at the edges of a truncated dielectric structure is presented. The method is based on the equivalence principle. The current distribution is found from the relevant integral equation obtained from the condition of continuity of the tangential magnetic field. The diffraction pattern and the reflection coefficient of the surface wave are computed after the solution of the integral equation by the Galerkin method. The numerical results show the influence of the substrate´s permittivity and thickness on the radiation parameters.