Systematic study of elliptical loop antennas using characteristic modes

We make use of characteristic modes to analyze and optimize elliptical loop and other wire structures. This work introduces some preliminary results to point out that characteristic modes may help in antenna design, since they give clear physical insight into the radiation characteristics. Relevant information about antenna resonant behavior can be obtained by studying characteristic mode variation with frequency. Since mode excitation is proportional to current amplitude at the feed point, antenna properties can be improved by properly combining and exciting the desired modes. Characteristic modes and their associated eigenvalues are obtained from the symmetric generalized impedance matrix of the structure. In this work the Galerkin method of moments formulation has been applied for computing the generalized impedance matrix.