The effect of a superstrate layer on the input impedance of an annular-ring microstrip antenna

The method of moments is used to analyze the effect of a superstrate on the input impedance of an annular-ring microstrip antenna. Surface current and vertical unit current ae used to model the microstrip patch and the coaxical probe, respectively. The integral equations for the unknown current on the patch are solved by using Galerkin's method applied in the Hankel transform domain. The expression for the input impedance is derived according to the patch current. The numerical results for the input impedance are presented for different values of the thickness and relative permittivity of a superstrate layer. It is shown from the numerical results that the superstrate has an effect of decreasing the resonant frequency and changing the input impedance level.