Fast and accurate CAD tool of periodically loaded E-plane filters

Abstract

In this paper, a fast and accurate Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tool of periodically loaded E-plane filters is proposed. The tool is based on a very efficient Integral Equation (IE) technique that provides a full-wave modal analysis of discontinuities between arbitrarily shaped waveguides, i.e. ridge waveguides, and rectangular ones. For solving the complete filter, the Boundary Integral - Resonant Mode Expansion (BI-RME) method is also employed. In order to show the advantages of this CAD tool, a periodically loaded E-plane filter with improved stop-band performance is analyzed and compared to standard solutions. For validation purposes, numerical and experimental results are successfully compared.