Near-field distribution, directivity and differential scattering cross section for a line source-excited metamaterial-coated electrically small cylinder

An antenna configuration consisting of an arbitrarily located electric line source radiating in the presence of concentric metamaterial cylinders is examined. In particular, the near field, the directivity, and the differential scattering cross section are investigated for specific metamaterial structures, and these results are compared to those for the corresponding structures based on double-positive materials. It is shown that specific electrically small metamaterial structures possess radiation and scattering features that surpass those of the corresponding double-positive material structures.