Experimental Demonstration of Local Quasi-TEM Gap Modes in Single-Hard-Wall Waveguides

This letter reports an experimental study of a gap waveguide which is able to support a plurality of degenerate local quasi-TEM modes. No sidewalls are needed to separate these modes, which is a very useful property in the upper microwave and millimeter-wave bands. The waveguiding media is formed in the gap between a conducting plate and a hard surface. The working principle is described first. Next a practical realization is explained and tested experimentally.