Advances in Simulation Techniques for Complex Antenna Array Systems

Complex radiating elements like planar inverted F (PIFA) antennas, patches, flared notches, ultrawideband radiators, electronic bandgap elements, and emerging metamaterial antennas are often designed using powerful 3D electromagnetic field solvers. Traditionally only single or small collections of elements have been simulated using 3D field solvers. New developments in field solver technology enable much larger, more comprehensive simulations which can include the antenna array together with the platform or environment within which the antenna operates. This paper demonstrates how these new techniques have been applies within Ansoft´s solvers in optimizing a complex antenna array system. The techniques are equally applicable in general for other 3D field solvers.