Miniature Helical PCB Antenna

[Phil67ago]

Is it possible to simulate this antenna with openEMS.
I have tried defining the grid lines in different ways but find it complicated and wonder which strategy is best.

The antenna is described here
And attached is the antennas 'stl' file.
PCB-antenna.zip

[VolkerMuehlhaus]

Yes, it is possible to simulate this in openEMS.

However, to get useful results, you will need to simulate the antenna together with the PCB ground shape. The ground shape can be simplified, but it plays an important role in the overall antenna functionality, and interacts strongly with the "antenna" from your STL. Without that ground, the antenna doesn't work, and the actual ground shape and size must be simulated together with the antenna.

Creating the mesh lines is indeed an annoying part of building the model, but it has a big influence on results. For the meander section that you uploaded, I would use a unform mesh in x direction and in the diagonal part in y direction, but mesh size can increase in the middle section. In z direction, it should be sufficient to model as zero thickness sheets, so just one mesh line per conductor layer, and a few in the substrate between them.

Don't forget to add margings to the absorbing boundary, with graded mesh no larger than 1/15 wavelength or so.

I have added some sketches. Implementing this in openEMS code will take a while, so that's your job :-)

[Phil67ago]

Oh many thanks, good to know it is possible.
I will continue with your recommendations!

/Thanks!