Europhysicsnews promotes our paper on large RF antennas modeling
© 2017 EPFL
The scientific paper on large area RF resonant antenna, written by P. Guittienne, R. Jaquier, A. Howling and I. Furno has been summarized in the ‘Highlights from European journals’ section of the 48/3 (2017) issue of the Magazine of the European Physical Society (EPS).
The paper, entitled ‘Electromagnetic, complex image model of a large area RF resonant antenna as inductive plasma source’, presents results and comparisons with the experiment of an electromagnetic model which takes into account the inductive and capacitive coupling between the multiple bars of a large planar antenna as well as the coupling with the plasma. The innovation also consists in using the complex image method.
This model, based on a multi-conductor transmission line design, is especially better than its predecessors when applied to large scale antennas, when the length of the bars is no longer insignificant compared to the wavelength of the RF excitation. It provides an estimation of the real impedance spectrum.
The impedance of a 1.2 x 1.2m antenna consisting in 25 copper bars has been measured with a network analyser and compared to the result of the model for the cases with and without plasma and in the grounded or floating state. The simulations showed good agreement in all cases.
The model can then be used to design large plasma reactors where good adjustment of the impedance is paramount to its proper, homogenous functioning.