Radiation by a Straight Thin-Wire Antenna Embedded in an Isotropic Chiral Medium

Radiation characteristics of a straight thin-wire antenna embedded in an isotropic chiral medium {D = εE + βe∇ x E,B = µH + βµ∇× H) are explored here. Whereas the radiation field is linearly polarized for achiral media, here it contains both left-circularly polarized (LCP) and right-circularly polarized (RCP) components. The radiation pattern is found to be symmetric about the plane 0 = π/2, is azimuthally isotropic, and is TEM in nature; however, all three of these features are found as well for isotropic achiral media (β = 0). Some specific features of the radiation field on the constant spherical surfaces r = nπ(1 – k2β2)/2βk2 are also examined. If the antenna is reduced to a point dipole, it is shown that the radiation resistance is enhanced by the presence of chirality in the embedding medium, and the antenna LCP gain differs from the RCP gain.