An iterative current-based hybrid method for complex structures

This paper presents a general unified hybrid method for radiation and scattering problems such as antennas mounted on a large platform. The method uses a coupled electric-field integral equation (EFIE) and magnetic-field integral equation (MFIE) formulation, referred to as the hybrid EFIE-MFIE (HEM), in which the EFIE and MFIE are applied to geometrically distinct regions of an object. The HEM is capable of modeling arbitrary three-dimensional (3-D) metallic structures, including wires and both open and closed surfaces. We show that current-based hybrid techniques that utilize physical optics (PO) are an approximation of the HEM formulation. A numerical solution procedure is given that combines the moment method (EFIE) with an iterative Neumann series technique (MFIE). This permits one to effectively utilize the PO approximation when appropriate, and provides a general and systematic mechanism to correct the errors introduced by PO. Consequently, the HEM overcomes the inherent limitations of hybrid techniques which rely upon ansatz-based improvements of PO. The method is applied to the problem of radiation from objects that can be modeled using wires and metallic surfaces as fundamental elements. A representative example is given to demonstrate that the method can handle the difficult problem of a parasitic monopole located in the deep shadow region.