Parallel-plate Line
The
parallel-plate line consists of two parallel metallic
plates in close proximity. Often between the plates
a dielectric layer is placed. Here, however, we
assume that the medium between the plates is simply
air. Figure 1 is a map of the E-field
where the arrows show the direction of the vector
and their color represents its intensity. Figure
2 plots the magnitude of the E-field
along a vertical line intersecting the plates right
in the middle.
Notice
that: (1) the field is practically constant almost
everywhere between the plates; (2) at the edge
of each plate, the field stream lines curve and
even “leak out” in the surrounding
medium (edge effect); (3) the field is weak but
not zero outside of the volume sandwiched between
the plates as the structure is open; the closer
the two plates to each other, the less the leakage
(4) at the corners of the metallic plates, the
field magnitude is extremely high (field singularity). |
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Figures (click
to enlarge) |
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Figure 1 |
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Figure
2 |
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