LAUSR

Catenoids, Riemann’s minimal surfaces, and Scherk’s surfaces (doubly periodic minimal surfaces) are classical minimal surfaces in $$\mathbb {R}^3$$R3. The catenoid and Riemann’s minimal surface can be foliated by circles with different radii. Because the Scherk’s surface is represented by the graph of $$z(x,y)=\log \cos x-\log \cos y$$z(x,y)=logcosx-logcosy, it can be foliated by curves congruent to the graph of $$z=\log {\cos x}$$z=logcosx. In this study, we consider surfaces foliated by similar planar curves. When the surface is minimal $$(H=0)$$(H=0) and foliated by homothetic curves without translations, the surface is either a plane or a catenoid. In addition, a minimal surface foliated by parallel ellipses including circles is either a catenoid or a Riemann’s minimal surface. When the surface foliated by ellipses without translations has constant mean curvature, the surface is either a sphere or one of Delaunay surfaces. Finally, we prove that a nonplanar minimal surface foliated by congruent planar curves with only translations on each plane is a generalized Scherk’s surface.