Topology-Free EM Modeling and Analysis of Pixelated Microstrip Low-Pass Filters Under Comparable Footprint.

Pixelated electromagnetic representations enable topology-free numerical exploration of microwave layouts without enforcing a predefined circuit template. This work presents a simulation-based electromagnetic modeling and analysis framework for pixelated microstrip low-pass filters within a physical footprint comparable to that of a classical stepped-impedance reference. A binary metallization encoding is embedded in a fixed microstrip domain and explored through full-wave electromagnetic optimization under consistent material, excitation, and specification conditions. The objective is not extreme miniaturization or hardware prototyping, but to assess whether topology-free pixelated layouts can produce useful low-pass responses within the same general physical scale and to analyze the structural properties of the resulting feasible layouts. Across 20 independent optimization runs, 12 specification-compliant and geometrically unique metallization layouts were identified. Aggregate analysis of 360 single-pixel perturbations reveals topology-dependent sensitivity, while finite-width regularization of ideal corner contacts preserves modeled specification compliance after refined-mesh verification, with the suitable bridge width depending on the topology. The scope is deliberately limited to full-wave EM modeling and numerical analysis; experimental fabrication and measurement are left as a subsequent validation stage. These findings support topology-free pixelated EM modeling and analysis as a route for investigating non-obvious low-pass filter layouts under comparable footprint constraints.