EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENT ON THE SURFACE WAVE -CHARACTERISTICS OF A DIELECTRIC-COATED CONDUCTOR - PART I

Abstract

The surface ware characteristics, such as guide wavelength, radial propagation constant (u2) etc of a surface wave (E0) excited dieletric (E1) coated conductor a function of the dielectric constant (E2) of the environment in which the structure is immersed are studied. Results show (i) that surface wave solution exists as long as E2 < E1 (ii) existence of maximum of u2vary E2 curves for a particular value of E land shift of the maximum as E1 is varied; and( iii)  longitudinal power flow in the environmental medium decreases with increasing E2 and the rate of decrease   depends upon the value of E1 . It is concluded that the dielectric constant of the environmental medium has significant influence on the characteristics of a surface wave structure.