Investigations of complex modes in a generalized bilateral finline with mounting grooves and finite conductor thickness

A generalized bilateral finline with mounting grooves and finite conductor thickness is analyzed by a full-wave mode-matching method. The final nonstandard eigenvalue equation is derived from the unknown coefficients in the slot regions to reduce the size of the matrix equation. The convergence studies of the mode-matching method is first studied for the fundamental mode of a symmetric bilateral finline. Both the propagation constant and the characteristic impedance as defined by the power-voltage relationship are analyzed and compared to the existing data. Excellent agreement is obtained. The effects of metallization thickness and mounting grooves are discussed. The accurate results obtained for the fundamental mode by the mode-matching method with respect to both relative and absolute convergence were also obtained for the complex modes of the finline. The dispersion characteristics of the fundamental, higher order, evanescent, and complex modes are presented for an asymmetric bilateral finline. The effects of mounting grooves and metallization thickness on the complex mode propagation constants are investigated and discussed.< >