Coupled Mode Theory Applied to Resonators in the Presence of Conductors

Using the method of images, Energy Coupled Mode Theory (ECMT), a coupled mode equation in the frequency domain, is extended to deal with important cases where resonators are in close proximity to conducting surfaces. Depending on the type of conductors and the orientation of the resonators, the method of images determines the relative phases of the images. Using the formed images, the coupled frequencies and fields can be determined by applying ECMT. Two cases are studied. In the first case, it is shown that a dielectric resonator inserted in a cavity couples with both the mirror image and the cavity. The frequency behavior is described by the interaction with the image which counteracts that with the cavity. The second case is that of resonators sandwiched between conducting plates. It is shown that an infinite array of stacked images is formed. The coupling of the resonator with its images determines the coupled frequencies and fields. In this context, the main advantage of ECMT is its ability to separate the effects of the walls from the uncoupled system. This means that the system parameters are independent of the separation distances and/or the type of conductors, which renders the post processing analyses easier and predictable. Provided that the behaviors of the uncoupled resonators are known, ECMT is general and can be applied to more complex systems.