ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

Waves

Frequency

Wavelength

Long waves
3-300 KHz
Medium Waves 300-3000 KHz

10 1 Km
1000 100 m

Short waves
VHF waves

3-30 MHz
30 300 MHz

100 -10 m
10 1 m

Microwaves

0.3 30 GHz

100 1 Cm

Millimeter-waves

30 300 GHz

10 1 mm

Transmission Line
Theory
Introduction:
In an electronic system, the delivery
of power requires the connection of two
wires between the source and the load. At
low frequencies, power is considered to be
delivered to the load through the wire.
In the microwave frequency region,
power is considered to be in electric and
magnetic fields that are guided from place
to place by some physical structure. Any
physical structure that will guide an
electromagnetic wave place to place is
called a Transmission Line.

Analysis of differences between Low

and High Frequency
At low frequencies, the circuit elements are lumped
since voltage and current waves affect the entire circuit
at the same time.
At microwave frequencies, such treatment of circuit
elements is not possible since voltage and current waves
do not affect the entire circuit at the same time.
The circuit must be broken down into unit sections within
which the circuit elements are considered to be lumped.
This is because the dimensions of the circuit are
comparable to the wavelength of the waves according to
the formula:
c/f

Transmission-Line Theory
Lumped circuits: resistors, capacitors,

inductors

neglect time delays

(phase)
Distributed circuit elements: transmission lines
account for
propagation and time
delays (phase change)
We need transmission-line theory
whenever the length of a line is significant
compared with a wavelength.
6

Transmission Line
2 conductors

4 per-unit-length parameters:

C = capacitance/length [F/m]
L = inductance/length [H/m]
R = resistance/length [/m]
G = conductance/length [ /m or S/m]

Coaxial Cable
Here we present a case study of one particular transmission line,

a
b
Find

r ,

C, L, G, R

For a TEMz mode, the shape of the fields is independent of

frequency, and hence we can perform the calculation using
electrostatics and magnetostatics.
We will assume no variation in the z direction, and take a
length of one meter in the z direction in order top calculate the
per-unit-length parameters.
8

Transmission Line (cont.)

i z, t
B x x x

+++++++
----------

v z, t

z
i(z,t)

R z

Lz

i(z+z,t)
+

+
v(z,t)
-

Gz

Cz

v(z+z,t)
z

Transmission Line (cont.)

i(z,t)

R z

Lz

i(z+z,t)
+

+
v(z,t)
-

Gz

Cz

v(z+z,t)
z

i ( z , t )
v( z , t ) v( z z , t ) i ( z , t ) Rz Lz
t
v( z z , t )
i ( z , t ) i ( z z , t ) v( z z , t ) G z C z
t
10

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

h = 1 [m]
Find C (capacitance /
length)

Coaxial
cable
From Gausss law:

l 0
l 0
E

0 r

a
b

l0

-l0

V VAB E dr
A

E d
a

l 0
b
ln
2 0 r a
11

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

h = 1 [m]

Coaxial
cable

Hence

l 0 1
l 0

ln

0 r

Q
C
V

a
b

We then
have

l0
-l0

2 0 r
C
b
ln
a

[F/m]

12

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

Find L (inductance /
length)

h = 1 [m]
I

From Amperes law:

Coaxial
cable

Note: We ignore internal inductance here,

and only look at the magnetic field between
the two conductors (accurate for high
frequency.

Magnetic flux:

I
0 r
2

I
I

center conductor

(1) B d
a

13

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

1 0 r

h = 1 [m]

0 r
a

Coaxial
cable

Hence

H d
a

0 r

I
d
2

I
b
ln
2 a

1 b
0 r
ln
I
2 a

0 r
L
ln
2

[H/m]
14

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

L
For a lossless cable:Z 0
C
2 0 r
C
b
ln
a

0 r b
L
ln
2
a

[F/m]

Z 0 0
0

r 1
ln
r 2

[H/m]

b
[ ]
a

0
376.7303 []
0
15

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

h = 1 [m]
Find G (conductance /
length)

Coaxial
cable
From Gausss law:

l 0
l 0
E

0 r

a
b

l0

-l0

V VAB E dr
A

E d
a

l 0
b
ln
2 0 r a
16

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

a
b

J E
l0

I leak J

(1) 2 a

2 a E

-l0

We then
have

l 0
2 a

a
0 r

G
l 0
b
ln
2 0 r a

I leak
G
V

or

l 0
2 a

a
0 r

2
G
[S/m]
b
ln
a
17

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

h = 1 [m]

Find

R (resistance / length)
R Ra Rb

Coaxial
cable

2 a

Ra Rsa

Rs = surface resistance of metal

Rb Rsb

2 b

b , rb

a , ra

Rsa

a
b

1
a a

2
0 ra a

Rsb

1
b b

2
0 rb b
18

Common Transmission Lines

Coax

lossless
0

r 1 b
ln []
r 2 a

r , r
a

1
1

R Rsa
Rsb

a
2

Twinlead

Z 0lossless

r
h
cosh 1 []
r
2a
h

2a

R Rs
a h 2

2a

h
a

r , r
19

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory

At high frequency, discontinuity effects can become
important.
transmitted

incident
Bend
reflected

The simple TL model does not account for the bend.

ZTH
+
-

Z0

ZL
20

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory (cont.)

At high frequency, radiation effects can become
important.

We want energy to travel from the generator to the load,

without radiating.
ZTH
+
-

Z0

ZL

When will radiation

occur?

21

Coaxial Cable (cont.)

Observation:
2 0 r
C
b
ln
a

[F/m]

0 r b
L
ln
2
a

[H/m]

LC 0 0 r r
This result actually holds for any transmission line.
22

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory (cont.)

The coaxial cable is a

perfectly shielded
system there is never
any radiation at any
frequency, or under any
circumstances.

a
b

The fields are confined to the

region between the two
conductors.
23

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory (cont.)

The twin lead is an open type of
transmission line the fields extend
out to infinity.

The extended fields may

cause interference with
nearby objects. (This may
be improved by using
twisted pair.)
Having fields that extend to infinity is not the same thing as having
24

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory (cont.)

To reduce radiation effects of the twin lead at
discontinuities:
1) Reduce the separation distance h (keep h <<
).
2) Twist the lines (twisted pair).
h

CAT 5 cable
(twisted pair)

25

Limitations of Transmission-Line Theory (cont.)

The infinite twin lead will not radiate by itself,
regardless of how far apart the lines are.
1

E H* dS 0

Pt Re
S

reflected
incident

S
h

No attenuation on an infinite lossless line

The incident and reflected waves represent an exact
solution to Maxwells equations on the infinite line, at
any frequency.
26

Transmission Line (cont.)

Transmission lines commonly met on printed-circuit bo

w

Microstrip

Stripline

w
h

Coplanar strips

Coplanar waveguide (CPW)

34

Coplanar Waveguide is a transmission line system

consisting of a central current-carrying trace atop a
substrate, coplanar with side grounds extending
beyond a symmetric gap to either side of the trace.
Grounded CPW (GCPW) will have an additional
ground plane on the underside of the substrate
Ungrounded CPW is more standard, in which the
side grounds coplanar to the strip itself provide
the only return current path, and the underside of
the substrate is unclad.
Finite Ground CPW (FG-CPW) traditionally refers
to an ungrounded CPW in which the side ground
metalization is of limited width due to space
considerations.

3 (2g + w)

4h minimum
w

Using Transmission Lines to Synthesize Loads

This is very useful is microwave engineering.

A microwave filter constructed from microstrip.

37

Transmission Line (cont.)

Transmission lines are commonly met on printed-circuit boa

Microstrip line

A microwave integrated circuit

38

Waveguiding Structures
A waveguiding structure is one that carries
a signal (or power) from one point to
another.
There are three common types:
Transmission lines
Fiber-optic guides
Waveguides

Note: An alternative to waveguiding structures is

wireless transmission using antennas.
39

Waveguides
Properties
Has a single hollow metal pipe
Can propagate a signal only at high
frequency: > c
The width must be at least one-half of a
wavelength
Has signal distortion, even in the lossless
case
Immune to interference
Can handle large amounts of power
Has low loss (compared with a transmission
line)
Has either Ez or Hz component of the fields
(TMz or TEz)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waveguide_(electromagnetism)

41

Fiber-Optic Guide
Properties
Uses a dielectric rod
Can propagate a signal at any
frequency (in theory)
Can be made very low loss
Has minimal signal distortion
Very immune to interference
Not suitable for high power
Has both Ez and Hz components of the
fields

42

 Microstrip line feed

Coaxial feed
Aperture coupled fee
Electromagnetic
coupling

Inset feed is effectively used to match the

patch antenna using a microstrip line feed

MICROSTRIP PATCH
ANTENNA

 Dielectric Constant
2.2 12

length of the patch

/3 < L < /2

Thickness of the metallic strip

<<
where is the free space
wavelength
Height of the substrate

h<

<
Usually 0.003 h 0.005

Microstrip line feed

Coaxial feed
Aperture coupled feed
Electromagnetic coupling

Microstrip line feed

Coaxial feed
Aperture coupled fee
Electromagnetic coupling