DESIGN OF 2D METAL PHOTONIC CRYSTAL ARRAY OF DIRECTIONAL RADIATION IN MICROWAVE BAND

A 2D metal photonic crystal structure with a rectangular lattice is designed for directed wave propagation in the microwave frequency band. The dispersion curve of EPC is computed for designing the directed period array. In order to favor the computing, the rectangular period array is studied, which is different from the reference that is designed in optical range and uses the dielectric rods and hexagonal structure to compose the period array. The computed dispersion curves are combined with the theory of finite thick period array for obtaining the directed wave propagation structure. The influence of the number of metal rods on the antenna directionality is investigated, and the simulation results are compared and analyzed. It is found that when the number of transverse metal rods increases, the directionality of the antenna is enhanced, and the radiant power of the sidelobe radiation can be reduced. Based on the simulation results, the actual 2D metal photonic crystal array is constructed for the measurement validation. According to measurement results, the antenna located in the center of the array can get good directionality at 3.1 GHz.