Optimization of pixelated antennas

The Computer Aided Design of antennas requires a number of design trades to balance antenna performance and simulation efficiency. For a pixelated antenna, one critical trade to be made is the pixel size of the antenna- the minimum step size with which the antenna design can be manipulated. Using a smaller pixel size leads to a higher resolution design that can achieve performance closer to the theoretical limits; however, the pixel size is also related to the amount of time required to optimize the antenna. An optimal value exists for the pixel size based on electrical size and desired frequency of operation.