Selective Excitation of the Microwave Sommerfeld—Zenneck Surface Wave on a Conductive Strip

Abstract

Surface electromagnetic waves (SEWs) on imperfect conductors proposed by A. Sommerfeld and J. Zenneck in the early 20th century have remained unrecognized by academic science for almost a hundred years due to a regrettable misunderstanding of theorists and unsolved radio communication problems. Recognition could have come much earlier if radiophysicists had been able to apply excitation of SEWs in the centimeter range of microwaves, generation of which became possible in the first half of the 20th century with development of radar. Radiophysical experiments on excitation of surface electromagnetic waves on conductors in the centimeter range of radio waves are presented. A method for selective excitation of SEWs is described. Its essence is that the space radio wave radiation is suppressed by screening while the SEW on the conductive strip is excited by isolated currents launched through a slit in the screen.