Quasi-static analysis of microstrip lines with variation of substrate thickness in transverse direction

• Published in: International journal of RF and microwave computer-aided engineering Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 194 - 205
• Main Authors: Khoulji, S., Essaaidi, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2003
• Subjects: finite metallization thickness; losses; method of lines; microstrip lines; quasi-static analysis; substrates with arbitrarily varying thickness
• ISSN: 1096-4290; 1099-047X
• DOI: 10.1002/mmce.10079

This article is devoted to the analysis of microstrip lines printed on dielectric substrates with transversely varying thickness using the quasi‐static approximation and the method of lines. Discretization lines of varying length, according to the layer thickness, are used and only the Laplace wave equation has to be solved. The numerical results presented herein permit the illustration of the effect of arbitrarily curved substrate interfaces along the transverse direction on the characteristics of the microstrip structures under consideration. The behavior of the per unit length parameters of these structures as a function of the shape of these substrates' cross section is studied in depth. Furthermore, the effects of the finite metallization thickness and losses are also investigated in detail. The results that are obtained are consistent with those published in the literature. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 13: 194–205, 2003.