1
APPENDIX C. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN CHAPTER 3 2
At the transmission line terminals forward-propagating and reflected pulses add up, so we observe
the following time signal at the input terminals
Figure C.1 shows a graphical representation of the time signals. (The numerical simulation was
done with ADS circuit simulation software from Agilent, Inc.)
Figure C.1: Time plots of the voltages at the transmission line terminals (ADS simulation result)
The problem may be solved with freeware computerized Smith chart tools available on the
Internet. Figure C.2 shows the result using a commercial tool (ADS from Agilent, Inc.). The
serial line rotates the (normalized) load impedance zA = ZA /Z0 around the center of the diagram
(clockwise rotation) until is reaches the circle of unity normalized conductance. Following this
circle we approach the matching point (center of the diagram).
The software displays the appropriate electrical line lengths in degree. We can calculate
physical line lengths by using frequency and speed of propagation. For an air-filled line (c = c0 )
our result would be
`serial 50.461◦ 50.461◦ 50.461◦ c0
= → `serial = λ = · = 4.2 cm (C.13)
λ 360◦ 360◦ 360◦ f
`stub 35.857◦ 35.857◦ 35.857◦ c0
= → `stub = λ = · = 3.0 cm (C.14)
λ 360◦ 360◦ 360◦ f
In order to evaluate our results we perform a circuit simulation with ADS. Figure C.3 shows
the circuit for a s-parameter simulation in the frequency range from 0.1 to 2 GHz. The transmis-
sion lines are represented by physical line models (TLINP=Transmission LINe Physical). The
transmission line parameters are
• characteristic impedance Z = Z0 = 50 Ω,
• geometric length L and
• relative permittivity K = εr = 1.
APPENDIX C. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN CHAPTER 3 4
d) Propagation constant
The propagation constant γ is
√ 1
γ = α + jβ = jω L0 C 0 = j6.28 (C.21)
m
Alternatively, we can directly calculate the phase constant β
2π c c0
β= with λ = =√ = 1m (C.22)
λ f εr f
Consequently, the propagation constant is
2π 1
γ = jβ = j = j6.28 (C.23)
1m m
e) Input impedance
In our example the wavelength λ is
c c0
λ= =√ = 1m (C.24)
f εr f
The geometric length is ` = 0.25 m = λ/4. As shown in Section 3.1.8.3 an an open-ended
quarter-wave line has a zero input impedance (short-circuit).
Zin = 0 Ω (C.25)
APPENDIX C. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN CHAPTER 3 6
` = c0 t0 = 60 m (C.26)
The voltage divider rule at the input terminals (RI = Z0 ) yields a value of 1 V for the forward
propagating voltage (Uf1 = 1 V). So, reflection coefficient and load impedance become
1 + rA0
rA0 = −0.2 ⇒ ZA0 = Z0 = 16.67 Ω = RAP k RAS (C.31)
1 − rA0
Next, we look at the voltage uA (t) for t → ∞. The capacitance is fully charged, there is no
(DC) current through the capacitance. The capacitance behaves like an open circuit. Hence, the
load impedance now becomes
ZA∞ = RAP (C.32)
For t → ∞ we see steady (DC) conditions. The loss-less transmission line represents a simple
through-connection. From the voltage divider rule we get
uA (t → ∞) ZA∞
= (C.33)
2V RI + ZA∞
Now, we can calculate the first circuit element as
In order to determine the capacitance we take a look at the time plot of uA (t). For t ≥ t0 the
output voltage is given by the following relation.
t − t0
−
uA (t) = 0.8 V + (1.524 V − 0.8 V) 1 − e τ for t ≥ t0 (C.36)
From uA (tx ) = 1.182 V and Equation (C.36) we determine the time constant τ .
τ = 100 ns (C.37)
The exponential time constant τ depends on the capacitance and the effective resistance R.
τ = RC (C.38)