Low attenuation microwave waveguides

Abstract

An investigation of the dispersion and attenuation characteristics of cylindrical structures supporting guided electromagnetic waves with low attenuation is described. The object of the investigation is to understand how the cross-sectional shape and the nature of the boundary conditions affects the propagation characteristics. Attention is directed towards structures supporting the least number of propagating modes under the conditions which yield low attenuation over a reasonable bandwidth. Elliptical waveguides with both smooth-walls and corrugated walls are studied in detail. This reveals errors in previous-theories which are corrected. Some aspects of corrugated rectangular and circular waveguides are considered. Potential low attenuation waveguides such as the dielectric lined and dielectric waveguides are evaluated.