Modeling and Simulation of High Frequency Electromagnetics Wave Propagation on Vivaldi Antenna Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

The simulation of the electromagnetic wave propagation plays an important role in predicting the performance of wireless transmission and communication systems. This research paper performs a numerical simulation using the finite element method (FEM) to study electromagnetic propagation through both conductive and dielectric media. The simulations are made using the COMSOL Multiphysics software which notably implements the finite element method. The microwave is produced by a Vivaldi antenna at the respective frequencies of 2.6 and 5 GHz and the propagation equation is formulated from Maxwell’s equations. The results obtained show that in the air, strong electric fields are observed in the slot and the micro-strip line for the two frequencies, they are even greater when the wave propagates in the glass and very weak for the copper. The 3D evolutions of the wave in air and glass present comparable values at equal frequencies, the curves being more regular in air (dielectric). The radiation patterns produced for air and glass are directional, with a large main lobe, which is narrower at 5 GHz. For copper, the wave propagation is quite uniform in space, and the radiation patterns show two main lobes with a much larger size at 2.6 GHz than at 5 GHz. The propagation medium would therefore influence the range of values of the gain of the antenna.