Dispersion analysis of periodic structures by solving corresponding excitation problems

Eigenproblems of periodic structures with complicated material distribution are solved efficiently by solving corresponding excitation problems. A unit cell with periodic boundary conditions is discretised and handled by a doubly periodic hybrid finite element boundary integral technique, which even considers complex propagation constants. Instead of solving algebraic eigenproblems, the analogy to resonance problems is exploited which gives improved physical insight into the problem. Moreover, open problem types can be handled. Numerical results for composite right/left-handed waveguides in one and three dimensions confirm the presented approach.