# Plant Foliar Geometry as a Biomimetic Template for Antenna Design
## 2 Materials and Methods  
Two important elements are required to generate the antenna design: software to process images (SolidWorks) of the leaves' geometries and the electromagnetic solver to assess the design models (CST Microwave Studio) [32]. Figure 1 illustrates the method of the design process to generate the radiating elements using the image of the leaf geometry. The geometry of the leaves is generated by processing the images of the chemically cleared plant leaves as described in [33]. The foliar geometry  
of 100 species is generated and analyzed. These 100 species are shown in Table 1 using the details provided by [33] as family and type of leaf. The antenna design methodology using the image or template of the leaf geometry follows the next steps (Figure 1):  
1. The image of the leaf geometry (for each species in Table 1) is taken from the Manual of Leaf Architecture [33]. This is in order to obtain a wide range of leaf images. Then, we take the image set in this leaf manual by considering the front view and knowing the name and family of each leaf architecture. Furthermore, this leaf manual provides an extensive selection of many kinds of leaf architectures found in nature. 2. The original leaf image (taken from nature) is converted to black and white. The black and white image can be generated using color filter software. 3. CAD design software (for example SolidWorks) is used to generate the image. SolidWorks processes the image in black and white. The function \"Sketch Picture\" of SolidWorks can be used to detect the black and white leaf geometry. Then, a collection of samples or points is generated to provide a tridimensional model by using a compatible format with CST solver. 4. The processed images are exported to the CST electromagnetic solver to set dimensions and substrate properties. The substrate FR4 is considered in each design geometry with the next electrical properties: dimensions of 100 mm \(\times\) 100 mm, a thickness of 1.6 mm, relative permittivity \(\varepsilon\tau\) = 4.2 and tangent loss of 0.025. 5. Each leaf geometry of Table 1 is characterized in the CST solver. The CST software uses the method of finite differences in the time domain (FDTD) to provide the radiation pattern and the reflection coefficient of each leaf geometry. Different radiation pattern cuts (horizontal and vertical) can be extracted from the 3D pattern obtained. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
5 & Tetracentron sintense Trochodendraceae & 15 & Morus microphylla Moraceae \\ \hline
6 & Buchanania arborescens & Anacardiacaceae & 16 & _Comocladia dodonaea_ Anacardiacaceae \\ \hline
7 & Aristelia racemosa & Eleacorapaceae & 17 & _Sorindeia gilletii_ Anacardiacaceae \\ \hline
8 & Bombacopsis rupicola & Malvaceae & 18 & _Leepiercia prertacorapoides_ Protease \\ \hline
9 & Rhynchoglossum azureum & Gesneriaceae & 19 & _Adenia heterophyllla_ Passifloraceae \\ \hline
10 & Nothofagus & _procera_ Nothofagaceae & 20 & _Potentilla recta_ Rosaceae \\ \hline
21 & Dryandra longifolia & Proteaceae & 31 & _Carrierea calycina_ Salicaceae \\ \hline
22 & Cucurbita cylindrata & Cucurbitaceae & 32 & _Dalechampia cissifolia_ Euphorbiaceae \\ \hline
23 & Quercus alba & Quercus alba & _Croton hircinus_ Euphorbiaceae \\ \hline
24 & Rubus mesogaeus & Rosaceae & 34 & _Dombeya elegans_ Malvaceae \\ \hline
25 & Cissampelos & 35 & _Tetrameles nudiflora_ Datisaceae \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Cont.