FULL-WAVE ANALYSIS OF GUIDING STRUCTURES USING A 2-D ARRAY OF 3-D TLMNODES

This paper introduces a novel TLM approach to the full-wave analysis o f guided wave structures. Instead of using real pulses as in the conve ntional TLM method, complex pulses are used in this new approach. Ther efore a non-reciprocal phase shift in z-direction can be introduced wh ich can be used to connect the z-arms in a 3-D node directly. As a res ult, the 3-D array of 3-D nodes, normally required in the TLM method t o calculate the propagation and attenuation constant, is reduced to on ly one mesh unit in z-direction (2-D array of 3-D nodes). The propagat ion constant is determined by chosing a value and then calculating the frequency at which this value is valid from the Fourier Transform of the impulse response. Losses are found by computing the exponential de cay of time harmonic solutions at the eigenfrequencies of the structur e.