Electric field imaging of a high impedance surface for GNSS array decoupling application

An original method of characterization of high impedance surfaces (HIS) is presented to exhibit electric field patterns. The electric field frames are obtained through a resistive film located in the near field domain of the HIS. The film heating is recorded using an infrared camera and gives after post-processing electric field magnitude profiles. We applied this technique to a HIS specially tuned for reducing mutual coupling in a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) array designed for the E5 Galileo band. The mushroom-like HIS, designed and realized with the help of simulation, is located near the ground plane of a micro-strip line which allows S parameter characterization. Present measurement enables near field characterization and field structure analysis, and is therefore a complement to usual analysis. Moreover, the technique shows the very special field structure, including sub-lambda details, created by the HIS and more generally by metamaterial structures.