IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 41, NO.

4, APRIL 1993

412

Time Harmonic and Transient Scattering by

Finite Periodic Flat Strip Arrays: Hybrid
(Ray)-(Floquet Mode)-(MOM) Algorithm
Lawrence Carin, Member, IEEE, and Leopold B. Felsen, Life Fellow, IEEE

Abstract-Finite periodic structures are of interest in a variety of narrow-band applications. With the trend toward wider
bandwidth, culiiinating in the ultra-wideband or short pulse
(SP) regime, it is of interest to explore how well defined narrowband wave fields, such as the dispersive periodic structure modes,
behave under SP conditions.These considerationshave motivated
the present frequency and SP time-domain (TD) study of twodimensional plane wave scattering from a finite periodic array
of thin, flat, coplanar perfectly conducting strips. Rigorous analytical-numerical reference solutions are established by spatial
spectral wave number decompositionand the method of moments
(MOM), followed by frequency inversion. The analytical portion
is approximated so as to yield via high-frequency asymptotics,
for a sufficiently large number of strips, a hybrid ray-(Floquet
mode)-MOM algorithm which not only explains the phenomena
in physical terms but is also numerically efficient and reasonably accurate when compared with the reference solution. Of
special interest are the TD Floquet modes with their spacetime
dependent frequenciesand wave numbers. By superposition,they
can synthesize the highly resolved pulse train return under SP
conditions. Attention is given also to direct SP-TDsynthesis, and
to processing options of SP-TDdata.

I.

INTRODUCTION

N applications pertaining to target identification and classification, to detection of targets in a cluttered background
environment, to remote sensing of terrain, etc., increased
attention has been given to interrogation by wideband signals
because of the resulting enriched data base when compared
with narrow-band information. To generate such signals, attention has also been given to ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna design, and to control elements for wave shaping as
well as data analysis and processing. While analytic and
numerical modeling, as well as experimental implementation,
can proceed in the traditional way by covering a range
of frequencies and then synthesizing, this route becomes
increasingly cumbersome and physically less transparent as
one approaches the UWB or short pulse (SP) regime with
its highly resolved time-bracketed features. We shall refer to
such time-domain (TD) features as TD observables. Now, it
is relevant to seek an interprekztion of UWB data by direct
TD modeling in order to achieve a better match between
the TD observables and the wave phenomena responsible for
Manuscript received March 24, 1992; revised December 8, 1992. This work
was supported by the Naval Ocean System Center, San Diego, CA, under
contract N6601-91-CO6018.
The authors are with the Weber Research Institute, Department of Electrical
Engineering, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY 1 1201.
IEEE Log Number 9208143.

generating them. Matching wave phenomena to observables

is what we have called an observable-based parametrization
(OBP) of the scattering problem. A good OBP is useful not
only for data interpretation but also for wave-oriented data
processing pertaining to identification.
A good example of a TD-OBP algorithm is the hybrid
wave front-resonance scheme that combines progressing wave
objects and oscillatory wave objects self-consistently [ 11, [2].
The wave front portion is essentially a TD version of the
geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) and its uniformized
refinements in transition regions (shadow boundaries, caustics,
etc.). Especially for SP excitation, the GTD ray paths chart the
evolution of the localized well-resolved early time observables.
At later times, when GTD arrivals cannot be individually
resolved, the observables settle down to oscillatory patterns
indicative of global responses from the structure as a whole
[3]. While the GTD and resonance schemes have been well
developed for scattering from impenetrable structures with
smooth exterior shapes that can be interrupted by edges
and comers, no similar development has occurred for surface portions with periodic structural features as exhibited,
for example, by patch array antennas, polarization gratings,
etc.
We have initiated a systematic study of the phenomena
associated with SP scattering from truncated periodic arrays. Our initial model, reported here, is two-dimensional
(y-independent) and involves a TE or TM pulsed plane wave
incident on a finite periodic array of flat, coplanar, infinitely
long, thin, perfectly conducting strips located on the z = 0
plane (Fig. 1). To generate a reference solution, a hybrid
analytical-method of moments (MOM) procedure is employed
in the frequency domain and then inverted, by fast Fourier
transform (FFT)inversion, into the time domain. To generate
the OBP algorithm, it is advantageous to represent the scattered
field by spectral domain decomposition with respect to the
wave numbers kz in the plane of the strips because this permits
reduction of the spectral integrals by high frequency saddle
point techniques, and thereby the identification of GTD-type
OBP wave objects. The outcome are uniformized frequencydomain and TD algorithms parameterized in terms of truncated
Floquet modes, and of edge-diffracted fields whose diffraction
coefficients carry the periodic imprint. Numerical comparisons
in the frequency and time domains permit assessment of the
accuracy of data reconstructed by the OBP algorithm. The
frequency-domain aspects are presented in Section 11, the time-

0018-926)3/93$03.00 @ 1993 IEEE

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413

CARlN AND FELSEN: TIME HARMONIC AND TRANSIENT SCATTERING

B. Solution

1) Determination of Induced Currents: Solution of the wave

equation and associated boundary conditions is achieved in the
spectral domain (denoted by the tilde, -) via first performing
a spectral transform with respect to the spatial coordinate z:
03

fij(kz, z )

Fig. 1. Truncated periodic array of N coplanar, identical, equally spaced,

infinitesimally thin, perfectly conducting strips of width UI and spacing s
in free space, with schematization of scattering synthesis by superposition
of u r and U ] from two semi-infinite arrays. The angles 01, and distances
Lf, locate the leftmost and rightmost unit cells, respectively, as seen by the
observer at (x,bsr z , b s ) . The angle BZ denotes the angle of incidence of the
plane wave and also the reflection angle of the lowest order ( m = 0 ) Floquet
mode. The angle + m ( w ) denotes the angle of propagation of the mth Flcquet
mode; its shadow boundaries are shown dashed. Edge-diffracted contributions
associated with ur and U[ are shown dashed.

z)e-Zkzz dx

= L;j(z,

(3a)

Next, we require the free-space Green

UG and
GG. For a unit strength line current at (z , O), one has
U:*
= ( i / 4 ) H ~ ) [ k o [( x z ) ~ z ~ ] ~ where
/ ~ ] Hi1)
,
is the
Hankel function Of the first kind. The corresponding
Can
be derived from u ~ Eby differentiation. This yields for the
and
for HY (TM) and!I
respectively, ([7], ch. 5)

EM

EE

domain aspects in Section 111, and the numerical results in

Section IV. Conclusions are presented in Section V.
11. FREQUENCY
DOMAIN

&&

A. Formulation
The electromagnetic fields for the two-dimensional scattering problem schematized in Fig. 1 can be derived from
solutions of the scalar wave equations

is the free-space wave impedance.

where qo =
The induced currents are specified by the TE or TM integral
equations obtained on enforcing the boundary conditions on
the strips. These equations have the form

ui(x,0) =

-1

U E E ( ~- x,o

) J ( z ~ ) ~ z(TE)
~ , (5a)

strips

where IC0 = w / c is the wave number, and c the speed of light,

in free space. Regions j = 1 and j = 2 correspond to z < 0
and z > 0, respectively. The scalar wave functions u J ( x ,z )
represent in regions j = 1, 2 the electric and magnetic field
components Ey and Hy for TE and TM, respectively, from
which the remaining field components can be derived. A time
dependence exp(-iwt) and the w dependence of the fields
uj are suppressed. The total field is divided into the incident
field, uz, and scattered field, U,:

d
-u;(z

dZ

- x,O ) J ( z )dx, (TM)

(5b)
subject to the edge condition at the strip edges. The integration
on the right-hand side of (5) is performed over the width of
the strips, with the space-domain Green functions found from
(3bh

TE
uG
TM (x-z , z ) =

---

L/
2T

TE

GGTM (kz,z)eikg(z-z)dk,. (6)

While the integrals in (6) can be expressed in closed form as

noted above, it will be useful to retain the spectral-domain
representation. The integral equations in (5) are solved by
d ( z , z ) = exp[-i(<iz
tciiz)], j = 1, 2
(2)
expanding the unknown currents J ( z ) in a chosen set of basis
with 5; = kosin15i and tci =
= kocosBi repre- functions with unknown coefficients,with subsequent solution
senting the (2, z ) components of the incident wave vector for the coefficients by the method of moments [4].
2) Determination of Scattered Fields: After the induced
k; = (ti,E ; ) . The scattered field u s j satisfies a radiation
(outgoing wave) condition at 1 2, z I-+ 03, and the total field, currents have been determined, the scattered fields u,j(z, z )
at any observation point (2, z ) can be evaluated in terms of
u j , satisfies the following conditions on the z = 0 plane:
the z # 0 versions of the integrals in (3,with
du2/dz = a u l / d z (TM) inside the gaps,
u2 = ~1 (TE)
TM
TM
TM
( d u j l a z ) = 0 (TM) on the strips,
uj = 0 (TE)
U
(24
(z, z ) =
E: .
(x- 1cI, z )J
) d i , (7)
strips
plus an edge condition at the strip edges.

+
d

(Zl

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 41, NO. 4, APRIL 1993

414

where j = 1 for z < 0, and j = 2 for z > 0. In a

spectral-domain representation, invoking Parseval's theorem,
one has

TM

TM

TM

u,(z,

z ) = ul(x,z ) - u,(z, z)e-ikoNdSinSt 1

(16)

where

(3a). The' subscript j and the superscripts TM and TE will be

omitted henceforth for brevity. The induced currents, J ( x ),
for an array of N strips can be expressed as
N

J ( z ' ) = C J n [ x '- ( n - l)d],

which permits the decomposition into

d =w

+ S,

and

.[1- B]- 1 e&

(9)

[z-NdI

J l(b).(16b)

n-1

where J , is the current on strip n centered at z, = (n - 1)d

and extending over the interval I 2' -2, I< w/2. A goal in our
formulation of the scattered field is to relate the properties of a
finite array to those of the corresponding infinite array. Except
for a different background phase determined by the obliquely
incident plane wave, the currents on each strip of the infinite
array are identical. With that assumption implemented for the
finite array, we may write approximately
i
~ ~ [ z ' - ( n - l ) dE ~ ~ ~ [ ~ ' - ( ( n - l ) d ~ e - i ' ~ ' d ( n - n o ) s i n,@(10)

where Oi is the incidence angle of the plane wave, and Jno

is the current on the reference strip, no, which will be chosen
to lie in the center of the array. The approximation in (10)
should be accurate for relatively "large" arrays; its quality will
be assessed by comparison with a numerical reference s,olution
based on the exact formulation. The total current, J ( x ), may
therefore be expressed as

The total current in the spectral domain is then given by

Phenomena associated with subscripts 1 and T are phase

referenced with respect to the periodic cells located at the
left-hand ( n = 1) and right-hand ( n = N) edges of the array.
Each of the integrals in (16) has poles at

= jlCB"= & [ l -B q 1 -

IC, = IC0 sin #J

B]-1,

(12)

[l - BN][l- B]-'dk,,

u1,r ( 2 , z ) =

J2-3

+/
o c

d#~cos
# J S ( ~ O sin 4 )

'

44-01,

[1- e-ikod(sin

r)

@;+sin$11

J1(ko sin 4).

The integration path C and pole singularities at

sin-' [*
- sin&] (see (17)) are shown in Fig. 3.

4,

(20)
=

C. Asymptotic Evaluation and Interpretation

(13)

For asymptotic evaluation of the scattered field spectral integral in (13), it is convenient to isolate the slowly varying from
the rapidly varying portions of the spectral Green function. To
~
this end we write i i as

where S ( k , ) can be identified from (4). Then

L1=

z = L1 COS 01 = L, COS O r ,

eikoLl,

where j 1 = ~no(k,)exp[-iv(l -no)], B(IC,) = exp(-iF),

v = IC& sin Oi, and i? = Y + k,d. Inserting (12) into (8), we
obtain

(18)

and introducing the geometrical Parameters based On the

Construction in Fig. 29

one obtains

n-0

(17)

with A0 = 27r/IC0 denoting the free-space wavelength. Each

pole in the complex IC, plane corresponds exactly to the spatial
wavenumber IC,
of the mth Floquet mode associated with an
injinite periodic structure of period d. Changing variables from
the rectilinear to the angular spectrum domain via

N-1
.?(IC,)

m = 0, f l , . . . ,

Asymptotic evaluation of the integrals in (20) can be carried

out by well-known application of the steepest descent method
[7]. The original contour, C , mapped from the complex IC,
to the complex plane via (18) is deformed into the steepest
descent path (SDP) through the saddle point 4 = 81, ,, at which
the phase is_ stationary (derivative of the phase vanishes).
(Note that J1 is treated here as an amplitude function. For
a refined treatment that extracts a phase term in application of
the moment method, see [4].) Any pole singularities crossed
during the deformation of C into the SDP must be accounted
for by their residue contributions (Fig. 2). Poles on the real
axis interval #J E [-lr/2, ~ / 2 ]define Floquet modes which
#J

CARIN AND FELSEN: TIME HARMONIC AND TRANSIENT SCATTERING

415

the dimension d of the unit cell. This latter dependence, in

the denominator, carries the signature of the infinite grating,
including its resonances at the characteristic angles of the
reflected Floquet modes. The GTD diffraction coefficients
diverge at the shadow boundaries of the Floquet modes, which
Caplured inlDeformation
/ bAnglelof Observation
arise from the truncations. These shadow boundaries lie along
the characteristic angles, and uniform approximations (see
(24)) must be employed for observation points O l , r E &, in
their vicinity. For the restricted observation domains defined
by the Heaviside functions, the second terms in (21) provide
the Floquet mode representation of the field scattered by the
infinite grating. The combined effects of the first and second
terms in (21) are schematized in Fig. 1: ul in (16a) expresses
Fig. 2. Original contour C and steepest descent path (SDP) in comscattering from a semi-infinite grating occupying the interval
plex @ plane. There are an infinite number of evanescent modes on the
0
5 z 5 CO; ur in (16b) expresses the effect of a semi-infinite
Re(@) = f r / 2 axes, and a finite number of propagating modes for
4 E [ - r / 2 , 7r/2]. In this figure, the observation angle is 0 > 0; one grating on the interval N d 5 z 5 00; and their difference
propagating and many (neglected) evanescent Floquet mode poles are captured via (16), which is phase referenced to the same incident wave,
in the deformation to the SDP.
establishes scattering from the finite array. In establishing the
contributing domains of the Heaviside functions, it must be
propagate away from the z = 0 plane, whereas the infinite kept in mind that 81,, and $nL are both measured from the
number of complex poles on the lines
= f n / 2 defines positive z axis, both being positive when moving from the z
evanescent Floquet modes which decay away from the z = 0 axis in the clockwise direction, and both being negative when
plane. There always exists one real pole at 40 = -0i that moving from the z axis in the counterclockwise direction (see
corresponds to the fundamental ( m = 0) Floquet mode and Fig. 1).
expresses specular reflection of the incident field. Assuming
In (21), it has been assumed that the saddle points at
"large enough" koL, the asymptotic approximation of (20), by 4 = 1 9 1 ,are
~ not located near a Floquet mode pole &. To
saddle point evaluation to the leading order, and with inclusion account for transition effects when the angle of observation
of intercepted pole singularities, yields
01, is near a pole, we employ a uniform approximation using
Fresnel integrals [7, ch. 41 for all poles along the real 4 axis
(propagating Floquet modes):

respectively, and sgn(a) equals -1 for cy < 0 and +1 for

Q > 0.
The physical interpretation of (21) can be carried out
with reference to Fig. 1. The first terms are associated with
wave phenomena that are phase centered at the outermost
left-hand (subscript 1) and right-hand (subscript r ) unit
cells. Thus, they describe the truncation effects of the
periodic array, which manifest themselves via the dependence
exp(ikoL1,.)(koLl, r ) - 1 / 2 like GTD edge diffractions. Via
(16), the reference phases at Ll = 0 and L , = 0 are
established by the incident plane wave at these locations. The
r , B j ) given by the remaining
diffraction coefficients D(&,
factors in $e first terms of (21) depend on the spectral
amplitude J1 (kosin 81, r ) of the strip currents as well as on

A;m

erfc(7) = -

e-t* dt = 2 - e&(-?).

(24b)

Here e&(.) denotes the error function complement and the

summations in (24) are over all poles along the real 4 axis.
The shadow boundary transition function in (24) is only locally
uniform, for 81, M i$m. The globally uniform expressions in
[7] have been approximated so as to simplify the formulas and
also to facilitate subsequent inversion into the time domain.
Use of these forms highlights the connection between (21)
and (24), and we have actually used (24) for all observation
angles in the numerical calculations. The results have been
found to be highly accurate for all cases tested so far.

IEEE TRPrNSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 41, NO. 4, APRIL 1993

416

Although represented discontinuously, the total field U(, is

continuous across 4, = 81, and it reduces to the nonuniform
expression in (21) when ( k 0 L / 2 ) l / ~1 el,,. - 4, I is large
enough to validate replacement of erfc by its leading order
asymptotic approximation. The frequency-domain expressions
in (24), as written, are inconvenient for subsequent asymptotic
inversion into the time domain. Instead, it is preferable to
replace pairs of discontinuous terms in the two m series in
(24) with a single continuous function [8]. Implementing this
scenario yields

mode shadow boundaries associated with the left and right

edge truncations, which may sweep past him and therefore
require the uniform treatment in (25). We have established
the adequacy of (25) over a broad range of frequencies even
outside the transition regions +,(U) M 81, ,. and shall retain the
transition function in (25) over the entire relevant w spectrum.
Moreover, we treat erfc as an amplitude function because over
its phase varies slowly.
its effective range +,(U) M
Implementing this scenario leads to a typical inversion integral
of the form
b,

A(w)eiG(".

(27)

with the phase function

&E,

, = d-e-iX/4
sin[(+, - 81, ,.)/2]. The result
where 7
in (25) is well suited for asymptotic inversion into the time
domain because it represents in a single expression the residue
and the shadow boundary transition function for a particular
Floquet mode.

z,

t , w ) = @(z,z , U ) - w t .

The saddle points are defined by

First-order asymptotics yields

f(z,z , t )

- JqiKzTl
. ~ ( q ~ i [ + (, "w, ) - ~ ~ i ( n / + g+"(x,
n

Formulation and Asymptotics

2,

~3)

(29)

G ( d 2 / b 2 ) @ .For the mth Floquet mode, retumwhere

ing to the rectilinear (k,) wave number decomposition in
(15)-( 17), with (19), which is more convenient here, one has
from (21) and (23),
@I'

When the incident plane wave has a temporal behavior

described by a function f ( t ) , the scattered field response
due to this excitation can be synthesized by superposition of
the time-harmonic solutions in Section 11, weighted by the
frequency spectrum F ( w ) corresponding to f(t). Thus, the
time-dependent fields O j ( z , z ; t) corresponding to the timeharmonic fields uj(z,z ; w ) are related as follows:

@,(a, z , w ) = k,,(w)z+k,,(w)z

k,,

= (k;-k:,)1'2
(30)

where

ko = W / C

k Z m ( w ) = (2m7r/d)-kosinOi,

d = w+s.
(30a)
Via (19) and Fig. 1, these phases can be referenced to the
left and right edges of the array to establish the equivalent
edge-centered phase terms k&,
cos (4, - 81, T ) .
The phase IcoLl,. for the edge diffracted terms in (21) or
J -03
(25) is nondispersive and therefore not amenable to saddlewhere the dependence of u j on w has been made explicit.
point asymptotics. Accordingly, the dispersive amplitude terms
The expression in (26) can be computed numerically using
must be treated explicitly. This has not been done so far.
the (FFT).Physical information is extracted by reducing (26)
Instead, we have inverted this contribution numerically by FFT
approximately via asymptotics, using in the integrand the
from the frequency domain. Furthermore, in our calculations
compact form in (25).
so far, we have specialized to normal incidence (6i = 0),
In our applications, the pulse spectrum F ( w ) is bounded
which reduces k Z m ( w )in (30a) to the constant value (2m7rld).
away from w = 0 in such a manner as to render the
Thus, the m = 0 (specular) Floquet mode has kzm = 0, with
asymptotic results in subsection 11-C valid over the entire
$ ~ ~ (zz, ,w ) equal to the nondispersive value (koz). This imbandwidth. This has been confirmed by extensive frequencyplies that the m = 0 Floquet mode contribution to the scattered
domain comparisons. Therefore, the integral which results
field must likewise be inverted numerically. Frequency-domain
from substitution of (25) into (26) has portions which can
asymptotic expressions have been employed in (26) or (27)
be regarded the amplitude functions that vary slowly with
only for the evaluation of the m # 0 TD Floquet modes.
frequency, and phase functions that oscillate rapidly. This
The observer is assumed to be located at a sufficiently large
establishes the prerequisites for asymptotic evaluation in the
distance z from the array to require only propagating modes
(complex) w domain. Since the phase depends on space,
can
with real k z m ( w ) (evanescent modes with imaginary IC,
time, and frequency, the asymptotic time-domain fields are
be included if necessary). It may easily be verified that for the
parameterized by the space-time-dependent saddle point frerelevant phase function
quencies W ( z , z , t), which yield time-dependentFloquet mode
angles & [ W ( z , z , t)]. Accordingly, with reference to Fig. 3, q,(a, z , t , w ) = (2m7r/d)z+[k;- ( 2 m ~ / d ) ~ ] ~ / ~ z - w t
a &eed observer at (2, z ) (i.e., fixed 81, T ) sees moving mth
(31)
uj(z,z;

w)F(w)e-Zwtdw

(26)

CARIN AND FELSEN TIME HARMONIC AND TRANSIENT SCA'lTERING

the solutions of (28) for the saddle point frequencies 55,

given explicitly by
-

w,(x,

z,

~ 7 - 2I m~
dd-'

t)= f

# 0.

417

are

(32)

propagate with weak dispersion. Further work is required to

furnish good approximate forms for these contributions.
IV. NWERICALRESULTS

A comprehensive set of numerical results was generated

from the hybrid (ray)-(Floquet Mode)-(MOM) algorithm described above. For the asymptotic expressions (24) and (33),
one requires the strip currents, in the frequency domain, on a
representative strip in the infinite periodic array. For each of
the N strip geometries analyzed below, the MOM procedure
[4] was used in the frequency domain to find the correct
where IC,
= 2m7r/d, T = ct, cot4(t) = z / ( ~ z2)1/2,
~
currents on all N strips. The MOM procedure uses complete
and 7
, is defined in (25). In (33), the notation emphasizes domain trigonometric basis functions to represent the strip
explicitly the time dependence of various quantities for a fixed currents, and is standard. Asymptotic techniques have been
observation point (x,z ) .
developed to make that procedure efficient for computation
The interpretation of the time-domain results can be carried over ultrawide bandwidths [4]. The computed currents on
out directly by referring to Fig. 3 because the expression the middle strip of the truncated array are then used in
(25) used for usj in the integrand of (26) is parameterized (24) and (33). Reference solutions for the scattered fields
in terms of the hybrid ray-Floquet mode format. Although were obtained by retaining the correct currents on all strips,
all constituents are space-time dependent, the parameteri- and evaluating (8) numerically. The time-domain reference
zation in terms of the space-time dependent local saddle solutions were calculated by converting the results from (8)
point frequencies W ( x , z , t ) establishes the connection with into the time domain via the FIT. One of the advantages of the
the frequency domain via the instantaneous Floquet-mode asymptotic expressions is that they only require the currents
dispersion relation. For our special case Bi = 0, the explicit on a representative strip in a finite periodic array. Therefore, to
asymptotic reduction applies only to the m # 0 Floquet modes. evaluate the scattered fields of a strip array approximately, one
For the nondispersive m = 0 mode and edge diffraction could compute the representative strip current by considering
contributions in (25), the inversion is performed numerically (in the MOM analysis) a periodic array with fewer strips than
but the ray-mode interpretation remains intact. This is illus- the actual structure under study. For large finite arrays, this
trated in Fig. 3, which depicts TD phenomena associated with can reduce the computational burden on the MOM analysis
the semi-infinite array originating at the left edge (x = 0) significantly. Such issues will be addressed elsewhere. In the
in Fig. 1. With the saddle point frequency W, given in results presented here, emphasis is placed on establishing the
(32), the Floquet mode angle is given from (17) and (18) accuracy of the asymptotic expressions for the frequency- and
by & ( z j m ) = ~in-~(2m7rc/z,d) = sin-l[l - ( z / T ) ~ ] ' / ~time-domain
,
scattered fields.
m # 0. This implies that the mth Floquet mode field at a
fixed observer at time t can be attributed to scattering from that A. Frequency-Domain Results
particular location on the array which has a signal transit time
Fig. 4 contains comparisons for the scattered field ex$ited
t to (2, z ) (Fig. 3). Note that W, in (32) increases with mode
by
a unit-amplitude plane wave incident obliquely at 45 on
index m but decreases with time t , approaching the modal
an array of five coplanar strips. The strip widths are 1x0
, --+ ~ / 2 Note
.
cutoff frequency (2m7rcld) at t --t CO with 4
especially that 4,[Wm(t)] is independent of m and is therefore and the strip separations are (2/3)xo. The scattered fields are
the same for all Floquet modes. This implies that in the time computed as a function of angle at a distance of 33.33Xo
domain, at a given time t, each Floquet mode travels to the from the array center. Parts (a) and (b) of Fig. 4 show TM
observer at the same angle d ( t ) , thereby allowing synthesis and TE polarizations, respectively. The accuracy between the
of highly localized SP returns by Floquet-mode superposition asymptotic and the numerical reference results is very good,
(see Fig. 6). For fixed w in the frequency domain, each Floquet and is typical of all other structures investigated. Note that
mode propagates at a different angle 4, (U ) . The explicit ap- the quality for the TE case deteriorates at observation angles
proximate expression for the mode field in (33), with weighting near grazing. This can be understood by considering the edge
by the pulse spectrum F[W,(t)], remains valid through the condition for TE polarization which, at the strip edges, should
shadow boundary transition 4,[TSm(t)] % 01 at times t when yield strip currents that differ appreciably for strips at the array
that boundary approaches the observation angle. For times t2 center and those at the ends of the array. Effects due to currents
where 4
, > 6'i, the mth mode pole is not captured during at the ends of the array should be most important near grazing.
the SDP deformation, and its virtual launch point is off the Elsewhere, the agreement between asymptotics and numerics
array (Fig. 3). Similar phenomena are associated with the is quite respectable. The data clearly reveal prominent features
subsidiary semi-infinite array terminating at the right-hand near the Floquet mode angles for the infinite array.

Then, from (29),

truncation in Fig. 1. The number of contributing Floquet modes

is determined by the width of the pulse spectrum F ( w ) .
The m = 0 mode and edge-diffracted fields in (25), with
nondispersive phase but dispersive amplitude, are expected to

B. Eme-Domain Results

1) The Input Pulse and Problem Parameters: For the time

function f ( t ) descriptive of the incident plane wave, we have

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 41, NO. 4, APRIL 1993

418

JShadd

boundary at time t=t,

0 60 7

(X.2)

- - - -......... +x
t o r i @ on array 01

Lett edg.

Floquet
mode move. to hi1wilm
-=hg
Mu (47 > t,)

Fig. 3. Schematization of TD inth Floquet mode behavior with respect to left

edge of truncated array. # ~ ~ , 2~) (: instantaneous
t,
propagation angle of 172th
Floquet mode with local frequency W,,( t ) .o,, ( t 1 ) < 0 1 :mode contributes;
# J m ( t 2 ) > 0 f :mode does not contribute.

LL

0.20

chosen the fourth-order Rayleigh pulse [9],

f ( t ) = Re
with spectrum

(34a)
-90.00

-40.00

10.00

60.00

Angle ( D e g r e e s )

( = (~~ w ) 14 e - ~ 4 4 / ( ~ ~ d f ) .

(34b)

(a)

where W M = 2 7 r c / X ~is the desired center frequency and Xn;r

is the corresponding wavelength. Results are shown for a 20strip array with normalized strip width w / X m = 2, and strip
separation s = 2w/3. The pulsed plane wave is assumed to be
normally incident on the array (0, = O), and the polarization
Results for TM (not shown) are similar. The scattered
is E.
fields are observed at a point located at a distance zo = 5 w / 3
above the center of the array. Because of symmetry, the total
signal at the observer equals twice the contributions from
either half of the array.
2) TD Floquet Modes: The pulsed-plane-wave excited
asymptotic TD Floquet modes (TDFM) associated with the
finite strip array are represented by individual m terms in
the sums of (24) or (23, when weighted with the source
Q
5 0.20
spectrum F ( w ) in (34b) and inverted into the time domain
U
(see (26)); the explicit expression in (33) applies when rn # 0.
0
m
The approximations pertaining to these various forms have
been discussed earlier. Exact expressions for the TDFM are
0.00
-9
constructed from the exact residues at intercepted poles in
Angle ( D e g r e e s )
the SDP spectral integral representation based on (20), and
subsequent inversion into the time domain via (26); reference
(b)
data are generated by performing both spectral integrations Fig. 4. Scattered electric field from ten strips of width 1x0 and spacing
numerically.
2/3Xo. observed as a function of angle at a distance 33.33Xo from the array
Typical behavior of a TDFM is illustrated by the 1 ~ 1= 1 center. Solid line: results from direct numerical inversion; points: asymptotic
plot in Fig. 5. Except for very early times, the numerical results using (24). Peaks in pattern are located at angles 60 = -45.
00 = -6.1. pi = 29.5 (identified by arrows) corresponding to the three
reference solution agrees well with the asymptotics generated Floquet modes #Jm, m = 0. 1, 2, excited on infinite array with same period.
from (33) (Fig. 5(a)). The TDFM signal is seen to be a wave (a) TM Polarization (b) TE polarization.
packet with the local time-varying frequency W l( t )in (32) that
stabilizes as time increases. The local portions on the array,
which contribute to the observed signal at time t , are identified the array; for observers outside the central region, where edge
in Fig. 3. For times t 2 in Fig. 3, which exceed the travel phenomena predominate, this may not be the case and needs
times from the final array elements to the observer, the signal to be explored further. To highlight the effect of truncations,
strength decreases rapidly. The agreement across and beyond the TDFM behavior for the infinite array is also shown in Fig.
the shadow boundary transition (Fig. S(b)) demonstrates that S(b) (a comprehensive study is forthcoming [lo]). One notes
the rather restrictive approximation in the uniform asymptotics that received signals from both the infinite and truncated arrays
of (33), which deemphasizes the edge contribution, is adequate agree closely within the travel time window bracketed by the
for predicting TDFM fields dominated by the central portion of edges of the finite array; thereafter, the signal from the infinite

419

CARIN AND FELSEN: TIME HARMONIC AND TRANSIENT SCATTERING

-0.10

i j
0 00

Uoo

c 00

-0.30 I
9.00

I 1 I I I I I I I

I I I I I I I 1 I

I I I I I I I I I

13.00

11.00

I I I 1 I I 1 I I

15.00

I 1 I I I I I I I

17.00

I I I I

19.00

Time (tn)
(a)

0.005 -

2
.-a,
L L

Pa,

0.000

'
~

+U
0
0
V,

'

-0.005

1,

-0010
10 00

? I

~ ~ 1 " " " " ' I " " " " " " " " " ' ~

15 00

20 00

25.00

30 00

Time (t/T)
(b)

~
the center of a 20-strip array with strip separation (2/3)w
Fig. 5. m = 1 scattered TDFM observed at a point located 1 0 above
and strip width w and from the corresponding infinite grating excited by a TE polarized pulsed plane wave incident normally. The
fields are observed at a point located 10w above the center of the array. The time is normalized to T, where T = w/c. (a) Dots:
asymptotics from (33); solid curve: numerical FFT.Arrow locates travel time from end of array to observer. Input pulse shape and
spectrum are shown as insets. (b) Enlarged scale. Dots: array in (a); solid curve: corresponding infinite array. Both sets computed
asymptotically. Agreement between numerical reference data (not shown) and asymptotic data excellent except near initial wave front.

I
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 41, NO. 4, APRIL 1993

420

array decays more slowly because of the continued arrival of

scattered contributions from exterior elements.
3) Total Scattered Fields: Synthesis of the total field at the
observer is shown in Fig. 6, computed by numerical integration
(reference solution) and by the asymptotics based on (25) and
(33). As noted earlier, we have not yet developed asymptotic
algorithms for the weakly dispersive m = 0 TDFM and TD
edge-diffracted fields; these were calculated from (25) by FFT
implementation of (26). The m I> 0 TDFM contributions in
(33) were limited to 1 51 m 15 10, which cover the frequency
range of the pulse spectrum in Fig. 5(a). The asymptotic
data confirmed again that edge diffraction plays a negligible
role in establishing the signal at the array-centered observer;
as noted earlier, this may not be adequate for observation
points laterally off the array. Thus, in the present example,
the scattered signal can be synthesized entirely by the sum of
TDFM, which reproduces the train of highly resolved short
pulses in the reference data. The evolution of time-limited
pulses from superpositions of global TDFM as in Fig. 5 (not
shown here) can be tracked by selective addition of TDFM
which reveals successively more localized responses due to
constructive and destructive interference between different
modes. The remarkable reconstruction achieved by summing
over all contributing modes lends further confidence in the
quality of the asymptotic algorithm for the present problem
conditions.
Although the TDFM synthesis is based on direct TD wave
objects, the TD observables generated in this way do not bear
the oscillatory modal imprint. Evidently, an OBP as defined in
Section I should be based on traveling wave front interactions.
Examination of Fig. 6 reveals that principal features in the
pulse train are essentially replications of the input pulse in
Fig. 5(a). In fact, as shown by the inset and identifying arrows
in Fig. 6, the arrival times of successive pulses agree with
the travel times from the leading and trailing edges of each
strip in the array; the pulse width is short enough to achieve
that resolution. These primary edge-diffracted signals are
complemented by weaker contributions arising from multiple
interactions between edges. The polarity, strength, and degree
of distortion of the various pulses can be related to the TDGTD edge diffraction coefficients with their different values
from leading and trailing edges toward the observer. These
aspects are explored in [IO].
A final remark on why the TDFh4 synthesis reconstructs
the edge-diffracted pulse train so well. As noted earlier,
contributions at a given time t from any TDFh4 originate from
the same local region on the array and have the same transit
time to the observer, although their individual local frequencies
W, ( t ) are different; this allows coherent superposition.

0 40 7

0.20

31

Fig. 6. Total TD scattered field for problem in Fig. 5(a) observed (5/3)w
above array center. Dots: asymptotics and (33). Solid curve: numerical FFT.
Arrows and inset identify pulse arrivals and their points of origin on array.

results have been discussed in detail in the text and need

not be repeated here. The outcome has been a new extension
of frequency- and time-domain GTD to dispersive scattering
caused by truncated periodicity. This new parametrization,
which is matched to the observables in the reference data
(OBP), contains reflected and edge-diffracted GTD-type constituents, generalized to include the periodic structure imprint
via its Floquet modes. When transforined into the time domain,
the role of the damped oscillatory TD-Floquet modes with their
time-varying frequency and wave number in establishing the
response at a fixed observation point is especially illuminating;
the high resolution scattered fields for short pulse excitation
are synthesized by constructive and destructive interference
between the Floquet modes whose frequencies lie within the
bandwidth of the input pulse. The analytic modeling strategy
employed here has drawn upon insights from a separate study
of phenomena associated with injnite strip gratings in free
space, on a dielectric half space and with a backup ground
plane [lo]; the TD-OBP interpretation of these results has
provided a starting point for generalization to truncated arrays.
Even the preliminary results shown here point the way
to promising processing options for the TD data base. By
IC, spectral decomposition of TD data, one generates wave
objects in the ( I C z , t ) domain, which are here the TDFM.
By windowed Fourier transforms, one may display in the
( U , t ) domain the time-dependent frequencies that identify
the time evolution of the nondispersive ( m = 0) as well as
V. CONCLUSIONS
the dispersive ( m # 0) TDFM [ll]. Being tied to the wave
In this study, which is aimed toward a basic understanding physics, the OBP for the canonical infinite and finite periodic
of wave phenomena associated with frequency and time- plane arrays should be adaptable by adiabatic extension to
domain scattering by finite periodic structures, we have em- nonplanar geometry, nonuniform spacings, etc., just as ordiployed a simple two-dimensional strip array model for both nary GTD for a cylindrical canonical shape, for example, has
numerical and analytic tractability. The solution strategy, ana- been extended to other smoothly convex configurations.These
lytic and numerical data base, and validation of the asymptotic generalizations, which are relevant to shaped grating design,

CARIN AND FELSEN: TIME HARMONIC AND TRANSIENT SCATERING

clutter environments, and other applications, are presently

under investigation.
REFERENCES
113 L. B. Felsen, Progressing and oscillatory waves for hybrid synthesis
of source excited propagation and diffraction, IEEE Trans. Anrennas
Propagat.. vol. 32, pp. 775-796, 1984.
[2] E. Heyman and L. B. Felsen, A wavefront interpretation of the
singularity expansion method, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol.
33, pp. 706-718, 1985.
[3] E. J. Rothwell, K.-M. Chen, and D. P. Nyquist, Extraction of the natural
frequencies of a radar target from a measured response using E-pulse
techniques, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 35, pp. 7 15-720,
1987.
[4] L. Carin and L. B. Felsen, Efficient analytical-numerical modeling of
ultra-wideband pulsed plane wave scattering from a large strip grating,
Int. J. Numerical Modeling, vol. 6, pp. 3-17, 1993.
[5] R. F. Harrington, Field Compurarion by Moment Merhods. Malabar,
W.R. E. Krieger, 1985.
[6] B. J. Rubin, Scattering from a periodic array of apertures or plates
where the conductors have arbitrary shape thickness, and resistivity,
IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagar., vol. 34, pp. 1356-1365, 1986.
[7] L. B. Felsen and N. Marcuvitz, Radiation and Scarrering of Waves.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1973.
[8] S. Zeroug and L. B. Felsen, Non-specular reflection of boundary beams
from multiplayer fluid-immersed elastic structures, submitted to J.

42 1

Nondestructive Evaluation.
[9] P. Hubral and M. Tygel, Analysis of the Rayleigh pulse, Geophysics,
vol. 54, pp. 654-658, 1989.
[IO] P. Borderies and L. B. Felsen, Time-harmonic and transient scattering
by an infinite periodic flat strip array, in preparation.
[ l l ] L. Carin, L. B. Felsen, and M. McClure, Time-domain design-oriented
parametrization of truncated periodic gratings, IEEE Microwave and
Guided Wave Lett, vol. 3, pp. 110-112, Apr. 1993.

Lawrence Carin (S85-M89) was bom in Washington, DC on March

25, 1963. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, all in electrical
engineering, from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1985, 1986,
and 1989, respectively.
He is now an Assistant Professor with the Electrical Engineering Department at Polytechnic University. His present research interests include
the analysis of electromagnetic waves in planar and quasi-planar structures,
optoelectronics, and ultra-wideband electromagnetics.
Dr. Carin is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu.

Leopold B. Felsen (S47-A53-M54-SM55-F62-LF90),

for a photograph
and a biography, please see page 596 of the June 1992 issue of this joumd.