Finite element analysis of conformal antennas

Microstrip antennas have been the most widely used conformal aperture primarily due to their low-profile, simple construction, and durability. However, they are inherently low bandwidth apertures due to the fact that they form a leaky cavity. In this paper, the beginning of a new investigation into conformal apertures that are inspired by thin patch radiators yet have features designed to modestly enhance the bandwidth performance without requiring the addition of significant additional complexity. The goal is to design an antenna that can bear substantial structural loads. A hybrid finite element-boundary integral method is used in this study to accommodate the structural and material inhomogeneous features of the design.