RF Engineering for Wireless Networks

Chapter 5 Antennas

1. Not Your Father’s E & M

The approach to antenna theory used here, as noted in Chapter 1, is somewhat unconventional in that we eschew all mention of the field quantities E and B generally regarded as fundamental. All calculations are presented in terms of the vector potential A and scalar potential φ (which are actually components of the relativistically invariant four-vector version of A). In this view, all currents radiate, and there is no physical distinction between the near-and far-field. As a consequence, certain concepts that are widely used in the conventional treatments, such as equivalent currents for fields, are not used here. However, unlike Professor Mead, we adhere to the convention of considering only outgoing ...