Long rectangular patch antenna with a single feed

Radiation characteristics of a long rectangular patch antenna excited by a single feed are investigated. The equivalent circuit of the patch including the feed line section is developed. It is found theoretically that a single feed long rectangular patch supports a leaky traveling wave along the length of the patch. The complex propagation constant of the traveling wave is estimated by solving the wave equation with impedance boundary conditions. Radiation patterns of the antenna are obtained using the principle of equivalence. Various radiation characteristics of center-fed and end-fed long patch antennas are presented. >