MUTUAL COUPLING IN ANTENNA ARRAYS

Consider the arrangements of two patch as shown in the figure 1

Fig 1 Two element antenna array.

The near fields can be calculated using the vector potential equation as given below

h1
e jk R 1

A z=
4 h
I ( Z ' )
R1
dZ ' (1)
1

where,

sin ( k ( h|z|) )
I ( Z ' )=I 0 =I m sin ( k ( h|z|) ) (2)
sinkh

I ( Z ' ) is the current through the antenna in Z direction.

(
2
w1 w 2
R1=
2 2 )
+ +d + ( Z +bZ' )
2
(3)
w is the width of the antenna

k = , the wave number

L1
h1= ,
L1 is thelength of the antenna 1 .
2

Consider the following Maxwells equations

2 2
j E z = z A z +k A z (4)

j E = z A z (5)

H = A z (6)

Now, consider (for simplicity purpose)

jk R1
w1 w 2
e
R1 (
=G Z +bZ ' , + +d
2 2 ) (7)

Substituting (1) and (2) in (4), we get

h1
' w1 w2
j E z =


4 h
2 2
(
I ( Z ) ( Z + k ) G Z+ bZ , + + d d Z
1
'
2 2
'
) (8)

Using differential identity (8) can be written as

I ( Z 2+ k 2 ) GG ( Z 2 + k 2 ) I = z (I z GG z ' I )
' ' ' '
(9)

This is done because I(Z) satisfies Helmoltz equation, i.e

I ( Z ) ( Z 2+ k 2 )=0
'
so, the integrand becomes derivative.

Using these (8) can be written as

 w1 w2 w w
' '
(
z [ I ( Z ' ) z G Z +bZ ' ,
2 2 2 2 ) (
+ +d G Z+ bZ ' , 1 + 2 + d z I ( Z ' ) ]dZ ) '

h h
' w1 w2

(
)
1 2

I Z ( Z +k ) G Z +bZ , 2 + 2 +d d Z = 4
4 h
( ) 2 2
'
'

1 h 1

(10)

This is also equal to zero because I (h1) and I ( h2) are end conditions that is equal to zero.

Also considering only the second part of the integral (10) we get

h1
w w w w
' '
(
z [ I ( Z ' ) z G Z +bZ , 1 + 2 +d ]d Z ' +
2 2

'

4 h )
G Z +bZ' , 1 + 2 +d z I ( Z ' ) dZ '
2 2 1
( ) '

h1


4 h 1

(11)

Also considering z I ( Z ' ) =I ' ( Z ' ) and splitting the (11) we get
'

0 h1
w w

4 h 0 1
2 2 (
( ..++ ..)G Z +bZ' , 1 + 2 +d z I ( Z ' ) dZ ' ) '
(12)

Then the (12) is equal to

w w w w w w w

4 ( ) (
[G Z+ b+h1 , 1 + 2 +d I ' ( h 1) + G Z +b , 1 + 2 + d I ' ( 0 )G Z +bh1 , 1 + 2 +d I ' ( h1 )G Z +b ,
2 2 2 2 2 2 )
2 ( ) (
(13)

Now from (2) we have

+


+ (14)
0 = k I m coskh
I'
 +


+ (15)
h1 =k I m
I'

Substituting (14) and (15) in above equation, we get

k I m w w w w w w
4 ( ) ( ) ( )
[ G Z +b+h 1 , 1 + 2 + d +G Z+ bh1 , 1 + 2 + d +2 coskhG Z +b , 1 + 2 + d ]
2 2 2 2 2 2

(16)

We know that

jk R
w1 w 2
( )
e 2

G Z+ b+h1 , + +d = (17)
2 2 R2

jk R
w 1 w2
( e
)
0

G Z+ b , + +d = (18)
2 2 R0

jk R
w 1 w2
( e
)
1

G Z+ bh1 , + + d = (19)
2 2 R1

Substituting (17), (18), (19) in (16) we get

[
k I m e jk R e jk R e jk R
]
1 2 0

+ 2coskh (20)
4 R1 R2 R0

Let n=

Therefore, (20) becomes

 [
jn I m e jk R e jk R
]
jk R
1
e 2 0

E z= + 2 coskh (21)
4 R1 R2 R0

To calculate mutual impedance the electric field in (21) can be written as

[
jn I m e jk R e jk R
]
jk R
e1 2 0

E21 (Z )= + 2 coskh (22)

4 R1 R2 R0

Also the currents (from [2]) is assumed to be sinusoidal so,

I 2 ( z )=I m 2 sin ( k ( h 2|Z|) ) (23)

The mutual impedance between the two elements antenna array from [2] is

h2
1
Z 21= E 21 ( Z ) I 2 ( Z ) dZ
I 1 I 2 h (24)
1

Substituting (22), (23) in (24) we get the final expression for mutual coupling as

h1
jn e jk R e jk R
[
e jk R
]
1 2 0

Z 21= R + R 2 coskh R sin ( k ( h2|Z|) ) dZ

4 sink h1 sink h 2 h (25)
1 2 1
0

R1 R2 , R 0
For the antennas placed side by side (refer figure 2) put b=0 in , then their

expressions will be

(
2
w1 w 2
R1= + +d + ( Z h1 )2
2 2 ) (26)

(
2
w1 w 2
R2= + +d + ( Z +h1 )2
2 2 ) (27)
 (
2
w1 w 2
R 0= )
+ +d + ( Z )
2 2
2
(28)

Fig. Two element antenna array placed side by side.