Patent ID: 10749265

Abstract:
A method and apparatus for converting electromagnetic surface waves from TE mode to TM mode or from TM mode to TE mode. The apparatus includes a dielectric surface having an anisotropic impedance tensor which is preferably obtained by a plurality of electrically conductive unit cells disposed on the dielectric surface and arranged in a two dimensional array of unit cells, a majority of the unit cells in said array being divided into at least two portions, with at least one gap separating the at least two portions from each other into two or more patches or plates, the array of unit cells having a surface wave input end and a surface wave output end, gaps in the unit cells disposed closest to the surface wave input end having a first orientation and gaps in said unit cells disposed closest to the surface wave output end having a second orientation different than said first orientation. The electromagnetic surface waves have a frequency greater than a TE cutoff frequency determined by a second solution of Maxwell's equations for said dielectric surface.