Study on the Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in the Parallel-Plate Waveguide with the Metamaterial ENZ Tunnel Embedded

This paper discusses how to change the electromagnetic waves' property in the cut-off causing discontinuity existing in the guiding structure of the RF passive component by using the metamaterial and elaborates on its principle. Particularly, we find and explain, from the viewpoint of electromagnetics and circuit theories, the so-called tunneling condition that when the segment with an extremely narrow cross-section leading to blockage in the parallel-plate waveguide is given the ENZ(Epsilon Near Zero) for its filling material, the wave starts to propagate through the segment. The analysis method as a transmission-line theory taking the discontinuity and material change into consideration is shown valid through the comparison with other methods for analyzing parallel-plate waveguides, and provides the illustration of the S-parameters and impedance describing the characteristics of the tunneling.