Modeling Antennas with COMSOL Multiphysics® and the RF Module

Duration: 25:37

Using the COMSOL Multiphysics® software and add-on RF Module, you have the ability to model various types of antennas, such as simple dipole antennas and antenna arrays. This video shows you how to model a simple dipole antenna and extract relevant information from the results. The concepts you will learn provide a solid foundation for building your own models of more complex antenna geometries.

The process of building a model is simple and repeatable no matter the antenna type. First, we create the antenna geometry, which consists of an antenna and a spherical domain to encapsulate the far field. An absorbing region is also defined, representing the waves traveling to infinity. Material properties are assigned to the antenna (aluminum) and surrounding domain (air).

Next, the physics conditions are added, including an:

  • Impedance condition for the antenna
  • Scattering condition for the exterior air domain
  • Lumped port for the feed point
  • Far-field domain for the air domain

Meshing the geometry is an automatic process based on the physics and controlled by the wavelength. To compute the solution, the model is solved at a specific frequency. The results discussed include the electric field norm, far field (2D and 3D), S-parameters, lumped port impedance, surface losses, and more.