Novel Microwave Network for the Leaky-Wave Analysis of Evanescent Fields in Stub-Loaded Structures

In this paper, a new transverse equivalent network for the modal analysis of stub-loaded leaky-wave antennas is developed. The derived network is useful for the study of the radiation of evanescent fields that occurs when they reach the top aperture of the parallel-plate stub. This transverse network is based, for the first time, on a nonhybrid formulation of the constituent parallel-plates modes of order 1 (TE₁ ^Z and TE₁ ^Z ). The obtained network is an alternative to the one based on hybrid TE₁ ^Vand TE₁ ^V modes, and leads to a simpler transverse resonance equation. The new equivalent network is validated by obtaining leaky-mode dispersion curves for a previously studied leaky-wave antenna in non- radiative dielectric guide technology.