What can we expect from a continuously tapered, resistively loaded monopole, for UWB applications?

Like many multi-dimensional problems, there is not always a single best solution but a set of solutions, known as Pareto front, representing all possible trade-offs that can be made for given problem and criteria. Once the front is identified, the designer can choose the best solution for the current application. In this paper, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique is used to determine the Pareto front of a set of possible parabolic resistive loading profiles carried out on a monopole antenna. This Pareto front is the result of an optimization in terms of spatially averaged fidelity (SAP) and mean radiation efficiency for a given bandwidth. The optimum loading profile is selected as a compromise between these two parameters. This Pareto front shows what we could expect from a continuously tapered, resistively loaded monopole for UWB applications.