Prof. David R.

Jackson
Dept. of ECE
Notes 6
ECE 5317-6351
Microwave Engineering
Fall 2011
Waveguides Part 3:
Attenuation
1
For most practical waveguides and transmission lines the loss associated with
dielectric loss and conductor loss is relatively small.
To account for these losses we will assume
z
k j | o =
attenuation constant
Phase constant for lossless
wave guide
c d
o o o = +
Attenuation
constant due to
conductor loss
Attenuation constant
due to dielectric loss
Attenuation on Waveguiding Structures
2
Attenuation due to Dielectric Loss: o
d
Lossy dielectric complex permittivity
1
(1 tan )
c
c c
c
c
c
c
j
j
j
j
o
c c
e
c c
c
c
c
c o
=
' ''
=
''
| |
'
=
|
'
\ .
'
=
2 2 2
(1 tan )
c c
k j e c e c o
'
= =
tan
c
c
c
o
c
''

'
0
0
rc
rc
c c c
c c c
' '
=
'' ''
=
complex wavenumber k
c
k e c
' '
=
Note:
k k jk
' ''
=
3
Thus
2 2
z d c
k j k k | o = =
Attenuation due to Dielectric Loss (cont.)

c
k e c =
Remember: The value k
c
is always real, regardless of whether the
waveguide filling material is lossy or not.
Note: The radical sign denotes the principal square root:
( )
Arg z t t < <
4
This is an exact formula for
attenuation due to dielectric
loss. It works for both
waveguides and TEM
transmission lines (k
c
= 0).
2
(1 tan )
(1 tan )
c
c
k j
j
e c o
e c o
'
=
'
=
tan 1 o <<
1 1 / 2 1 z z z ~ << for
Small dielectric loss in medium:
Approximate Dielectric Attenuation

Use
( ) ( )
1 tan / 2
c
k j e c o
'
=
( )
tan / 2
c
k
k k
e c
o
' '
~
'' '
~
5
2 2
2 2
2 2 2
(1 tan )
tan
z d c
c c
c c c
k j k k
j k
k j
| o
e c o
e c e c o
= =
'
=
' '
=
( )
2 2 2
tan ( )
c c c
k e c o e c
' '
<<
( )
1 1
1 / 1
2 2
z z
a z a z a a a z a
a
a
( | |
| |
= ~ = <<
|
| (
\ .
\ .
for
Small dielectric loss:
Approximate Dielectric Attenuation (cont.)

Use
6
( )
2
2 2
2
2
2
2
2
tan
an
2
t
c
c
c
c
z c c c
c
d
k k j
j
k j
k
|
|
e
e c e c
c
e c
e c
| o
o
o
' '
=
~

'
=
'

'
2
tan
2
c
d
e c o
o
|
'
~
Attenuation due to Dielectric Loss (cont.)

2 2
c c
k | e c
'
~
2 2
c
k k |
'
~
2
tan
2
d
k o
o
|
'
~
We assume
here that we
are above
cutoff.
7
d
k
k
|
o
'
=
''
=
z
k j k k jk | o
' ''
= = =
For TEM mode
Attenuation due to Dielectric Loss (cont.)

tan
2
d
k o
o
'
~

c
k
k jk
e c =
' ''
=
8
We can simply put k
c
= 0 in the previous formulas.
Or, we can start with the following:
Assuming a small amount of conductor loss:

We can assume fields of the lossy guide are
approximately the same as those for lossless guide,
except with a small amount of attenuation.

We can use a perturbation method to determine o
c
.
Attenuation due to Conductor Loss

Note: Dielectric loss does not change the shape of the fields at all, since the boundary
conditions remain the same (PEC). Conductor loss does disturb the fields slightly.
9
This is a very important concept for calculating loss at a metal surface.
Surface Resistance

z
0 0
, c
, , c o
x
Plane wave in a good conductor
Note: In this figure, z is the direction normal to the metal surface,
not the axis of the waveguide. Also, the electric field is assumed to
be in the x direction for simplicity.
C
S
10
Surface Resistance (cont.)

Assume
1/ 2 1/ 2
1
(1 )
2
2
j
k j j j
o o o eo
e c e
e e e
| | | | | |
= ~ = =
| | |
\ . \ . \ .
Note that
( )
1
2
k k jk j
eo
' ''
= ~
2
k k
eo
' ''
~ ~
The we have
Hence
1
o
ec
11
Surface Resistance (cont.)

Denote
Then we have
2
k k
eo
' ''
~ ~
1
"
p
d
k
o = skin depth = depth of penetration
2
1
' "
p
d
k k
o
eo
o
= =
~ ~
At 3 GHz, the
skin depth for
copper is about
1.2 microns.
12
Surface Resistance (cont.)

2
o
eo
=
Example: copper
7
0
4 10 [H/m] t

= =
7
5.8 10 [S/m] o =
Frequency o
1 [Hz] 6.6 [cm]
10 [Hz] 2.1 [cm]
100 [Hz] 6.6 [mm]
1 [kHz] 2.1 [mm]
10 [kHz] 0.66 [mm]
100 [kHz] 21 [mm]
1 [MHz] 66 [m]
10 [MHz] 20.1 [m]
100 [MHz] 6.6 [m]
1 [GHz] 2.1 [m]
10 [GHz] 0.66 [m]
100 [GHz] 0.21 [m]
13
Surface Resistance (cont.)

d
P
= time-average power dissipated / m
2

on S
*
*
0
1 1
Re( ) Re( )
2 2
d x y z
E H z E H
=
= = P
z
x
S
fields evaluated on this plane
14
Surface Resistance (cont.)

where
x y
E H q =
1
2
(1 )
2
(1 )
c
s
s
j
j j
j
j
j R
Z
e
q
o o
c o
c
e e
e
o
e
o
= = ~ =

+
=
= +
= +
=
Inside conductor:
2
s
R
e
o

Surface resistance (O)

Surface impedance (O)
( )
1
s s
Z j R = +
15
( )

t t
E n H q =
Note: To be more general:
n = outward normal
Surface Resistance (cont.)

(1 )
1
2
s
s s
s
Z
Z j R
R
q
e
o oo
=
= +
= =
Summary for a Good Conductor
16
( )

t s t
E Z n H =
17
( )

t s t
E Z n H =

t
t
E
H
n
=
=
=
tangential electric field at surface
tangential magnetic field at surface
outward unit normal to conductor surface
n
conductor
( )

eff
s t
J n H =
eff
t s s
E Z J =
Effective surface current
The surface impedance gives us the ratio of the
tangential electric field at the surface to the
effective surface current flowing on the object.
Hence we have
Surface Resistance (cont.)

For the effective
surface current density
we imagine the actual
volume current density
to be collapsed into a
planar surface current.
Surface Resistance (cont.)

1
2
s
R
e
o oo
= =
Example: copper
7
0
4 10 [H/m] t

= =
7
5.8 10 [S/m] o =
Frequency R
s
1 [Hz] 2.6110
-7
[O]
10 [Hz] 8.2510
-7
[O]
100 [Hz] 2.6110
-6
[O]
1 [kHz] 8.2510
-6
[O]
10 [kHz] 2.6110
-5
[O]
100 [kHz] 8.2510
-5
[O]
1 [MHz] 2.6110
-4
[O]
10 [MHz] 8.2510
-4
[O]
100 [MHz] 0.00261 [O]6.6
1 [GHz] 0.00825 [O]
10 [GHz] 0.0261 [O]
100 [GHz] 0.0825 [O]
18
Surface Resistance (cont.)

2
0
1
2
d s t
R H = P
In general,
( )
2 2
*
0 0 0
1 1 1
Re( ) Re
2 2 2
d x y z y s y
E H H R H q
=
= = = P
We then have
For a good conductor,
0

eff
s t
J n H ~
Hence
2
1
2
eff
d s s
R J = P
This gives us the power dissipated per
square meter of conductor surface, if
we know the effective surface current
density flowing on the surface.
19
PEC limit:
eff
s s
J J
eff
s s
J J ~ Perturbation method : Assume that
Perturbation Method for o
c

Power flow along the guide:
2
0
( )
z
P z P e
o
=
0
(0) P P =
Power @ z = 0 is calculated
from the lossless case.
Power loss (dissipated) per unit length:
l
dP
P
dz
=
2
0
( ) 2 2 ( )
z
l
P z Pe P z
o
o o

= =
0
( ) (0)
2 ( ) 2
l l
P z P
P z P
o = =
20
There is a single
conducting
boundary.
0
(0)
2
l
c
P
P
o =
*
0
0
1
Re
2
S
z
P E H z dS
=

| |
=
`
|
\ .

)
} }
2
0
(0)
2
s
l s
C
z
R
P J d
=
=
}
Surface resistance of
metal conductors:
2
s
R
e
o
=

s
J n H = Note :
On PEC conductor
Perturbation Method: Waveguide Mode
C
S
21
For these calculations, we
neglect dielectric loss.
0
(0)
2
l
c
P
P
o =
*
0
0
2
0
1
Re
2
1
2
S
z
lossless
P E H z dS
Z I
=

| |
=
`
|
\ .

)
=
} }
1 2
2
0
(0)
2
s
l s
C C
z
R
P J d
+
=
=
}
Surface resistance of
metal conductors:
2
s
R
e
o
=

s
J n H = Note :
On PEC conductor
2
C
S
1
C
Perturbation Method: TEM Mode
There are two
conducting
boundaries.
22
For these calculations, we
remove dielectric loss.
( )
0 0
lossless
Z Z =
0
0
2
lossless
s
c
lossless lossless
R dZ
Z d
o
q
| |
=
|
\ .
2
C
S
1
C
Wheeler Incremental Inductance Rule
23
The Wheeler incremental inductance
rule gives an alternative method for
calculating the conductor attenuation
on a transmission line (TEM mode): It is
useful when Z
0
is already known.
In this formula, dl (for a given conductor) is the distance by which the
conducting boundary is receded away from the field region.
The top plate of a
PPW line is shown
being receded.
The formula is applied for each conductor
and the conductor attenuation from each
of the two conductors is then added.
d
Example: TEM Mode Parallel-Plate Waveguide
Previously, we showed
2
0
0
* 2
0 0
2
0
*
2
0
1
Re
2
1 1
Re
2
1
2
w d
lossless
V
P z z dydx
d
w
V
d
w
V
d
q
q
q

| |

= |
`
|

\ .
)
| |
| |
=
| |
\ .
\ .
| |
~
|
\ .
} }
0
0

jkz
jkz
V
E y e
d
V
H x e
d q

=
= +
0

top
s
jkz
J y H
V
z e
d q

=
=
0

bot jkz
s
V
J y H z e
d q

= =
y
z w
d
, , c o
x
On the top plate:
On the bottom plate:
24
j q q q ' '' =
lossless
c

q q
c c
= =
'
2 2
, 0 0, 0
0 0
(0)
2
w w
top bot
s
l s s
y d z y z
R
P J dx J dx
= = = =

= +
`
)
} }
2
0
0
w
s
V
R dx
d q
=
}
2
0
2
( )
s
lossless
V
R w
d q
~

2
0
2
2
0
0
( ) (0)
2 1
2
2
s
lossless
l
c
lossless
w
R V
d P
P w
V
d
q
o
q
| |
|
\ .
= =
| |
| |
|
|
\ .
\ .
s
c
lossless
R
d
o
q
=
Example: TEM Mode PPW (cont.)
(equal contributions from both plates)
The final result is then
25
s
c
lossless
R
d
o
q
=
Example: TEM Mode PPW (cont.)
26
Lets try the same calculation using the Wheeler incremental inductance rule.
0
0
2
lossless
s
c
lossless lossless
R Z
Z
o
q
| |
c
=
|
c
\ .
0
0
lossless lossless
d
Z
w
d
Z
w
q
q
| |
=
|
\ .
| |
=
|
\ .
From previous calculations:
top bot
c c c
o o o = +
0 0
lossless lossless
Z dZ
d
c
=
c c
d
w
, , c o
0 0
2 2 2
2
top lossless s s s s
c lossless lossless lossless lossless
lossless
R R R R d
d Z d w wZ d
w
w
o q
q q
q
| |
c
| |
= = = =
| |
c | |
\ .
\ .
|
\ .
0 0
2 2 2
2
bot lossless s s s s
c lossless lossless lossless lossless
lossless
R R R R d
d Z d w wZ d
w
w
o q
q q
q
| |
c
| |
= = = =
| |
c | |
\ .
\ .
|
\ .
Results for TM/TE Modes (above cutoff): (derivation omitted)
TM
n
modes of parallel-plate
2
, 0
s
cn
lossless
k R
n
d
o
|q
'
= >
TE
n
modes of parallel-plate
2
2
, 0
c s
cn
lossless
k R
n
k d
o
|q
= >
'
c
n
k
d
t
=
Example: TM
z
/TE
z
Modes of PPW
y
z w
d
, , c o
x
27