Stacked annular ring dielectric resonator antenna excited by axi-symmetric coaxial probe

A stacked annular ring dielectric resonator (DR) antenna composed of commercially available dielectric resonators and exited by axi-symmetric coaxial probe is studied computationally using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The numerical results are checked against experimental measurements, and good agreement is observed. It is demonstrated that the introduction of air-gaps between the two DR's and also between the driven DR and the ground plane can improve the impedance bandwidth of the antenna significantly. The effects of the air-gaps thickness on the return loss and the bandwidth are discussed. The far-fields are also calculated by applying the electromagnetic field equivalence principle. The antenna produces an end-fire radiation field similar to that of an electric monopole.>