Space and surface waves in a multilayered structure

The radiation characteristics of an electromagnetic (EM) source placed in a multilayered structure are investigated. Specifically, the EM power propagated via the space and the surface wave modes is determined. The primary EM source is considered to be Harzian magnetic dipole placed inside a multilayered dielectric medium backed by a conducting ground plane. The problem is solved using the integral transformation technique. Numerical results of the EM power carried by the TE and TM space and surface waves are presented. Results of the present investigation can be useful for microstrip antennas etched on a multilayered substrate/superstrate; this is usually done either to protect the antenna from environmental hazards or to achieve a better performance in terms of bandwidth and directive gain.<>