A numerical study of photoconductive dipole antennas: the real emission frequency and an improved antenna design

In this paper we show that the real emission frequency of a photoconductive dipole antenna operating in conjunction with photomixers is not its natural resonant frequency, but a frequency where the antenna's input resistance is the highest and the corresponding mismatch with the source is the smallest. We also introduce a new kind of antenna that offers a much higher input resistance to the photomixer and hence enhances the efficiency of the continuous-wave system.