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Transmission Line Input Impedance

Consider a lossless line, length A , terminated with a load ZL.
I(z)
+ -

IL

V (z)

Z0 ,

+ -

VL

ZL

z = A

z = 0

Lets determine the input impedance of this line! Q: Just what do you mean by input impedance? A: The input impedance is simply the line impedance seen at the beginning ( z = A ) of the transmission line, i.e.:

Zin = Z ( z = A ) =

V ( z = A ) I ( z = A )

Note Zin equal to neither the load impedance ZL nor the characteristic impedance Z0 !

Zin Z L
Jim Stiles

and

Zin Z 0
Dept. of EECS

The Univ. of Kansas

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To determine exactly what Zin is, we first must determine the voltage and current at the beginning of the transmission line ( z = A ). +j A j A V ( z = A ) = V0+ e e + L

V0+ + j A L e j A I ( z = A ) = e Z0
Therefore:
e + j A + L e j A V ( z = A ) Zin = = Z0 + j A I ( z = A ) L e j A e

We can explicitly write Zin in terms of load ZL using the previously determined relationship:

L =

ZL Z0 ZL + Z0

Combining these two expressions, we get:

Zin =

ZL + Z 0 ) e + j A + (ZL Z 0 ) e j A ( Z0 (ZL + Z 0 ) e + j A (ZL Z 0 ) e j A

Z L (e + j A + e j A ) + Z 0 (e + j A e j A ) = Z0 Z L (e + j A + e j A ) Z 0 (e + j A e j A )

Now, recall Eulers equations:

e + j A = cos A + j sin A e j A = cos A j sin A

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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Using Eulers relationships, we can likewise write the input impedance without the complex exponentials:

Zin = Z 0

Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A A A + Z cos j Z sin L 0

Z + j Z 0 tan A = Z0 L + A tan Z j Z L 0 Note that depending on the values of , Z 0 and A , the input

impedance can be radically different from the load impedance ZL !

Special Cases
Now lets look at the Zin for some important load impedances and line lengths.

You should commit these results to memory! 1. A =

2

If the length of the transmission line is exactly one-half wavelength ( A = 2 ), we find that:

A =
meaning that:
cos A = cos = 1
Jim Stiles

2 = 2

and

sin A = sin = 0
Dept. of EECS

The Univ. of Kansas

1/26/2005

Transmission Line Input Impedance.doc

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and therefore:

Zin = Z 0

Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A Z 0 cos A + j Z L sin A

Z ( 1) + j Z L (0) = Z0 L ( 1) (0) + Z j Z L 0 = ZL In other words, if the transmission line is precisely one-half wavelength long, the input impedance is equal to the load impedance, regardless of Z0 or .

Zin = Z L

Z0,

ZL

A =

2. A =

If the length of the transmission line is exactly one-quarter wavelength ( A = 4 ), we find that:

A =
meaning that:
cos A = cos 2 = 0

2 = 4 2
and sin A = sin 2 = 1

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

1/26/2005

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and therefore: Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A Zin = Z 0 cos sin + Z j Z A A L 0 Z (0) + j Z 0 (1) = Z0 L (0) (1) + Z j Z L 0

(Z ) =
ZL
0

In other words, if the transmission line is precisely one-quarter wavelength long, the input impedance is inversely proportional to the load impedance. Think about what this means! Say the load impedance is a short circuit, such that Z L = 0 . The input impedance at beginning of the 4 transmission line is therefore:

Zin

Z ) ( = ZL
0

Z ) ( =
0

line transforms a short-circuit into an open-circuitand vice versa!

Zin = ! This is an open circuit! The quarter-wave transmission

Zin =

Z0 ,

ZL=0

A =
Jim Stiles

4
Dept. of EECS

The Univ. of Kansas

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3. Z L = Z 0
If the load is numerically equal to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line (a real value), we find that the input impedance becomes:

Zin = Z 0

Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A Z j Z A + A cos sin L 0

Z cos A + j Z 0 sin A = Z0 0 + Z j Z A A cos sin 0 0 = Z0 In other words, if the load impedance is equal to the transmission line characteristic impedance, the input impedance will be likewise be equal to Z0 regardless of the transmission line length A .

Zin = Z 0

Z0 ,

ZL=Z0

4. Z L = j X L
If the load is purely reactive (i.e., the resistive component is zero), the input impedance is:

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

1/26/2005

Transmission Line Input Impedance.doc

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Zin = Z 0

Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A A A cos sin + Z j Z L 0

j X L cos A + j Z 0 sin A = Z0 2 Z 0 cos A + j X L sin A X cos A + Z 0 sin A = j Z0 L A A cos sin Z X L 0 In other words, if the load is purely reactive, then the input impedance will likewise be purely reactive, regardless of the line length A .

Z in = j X in

Z0 ,

ZL=jXL

A Note that the opposite is not true: even if the load is purely resistive (ZL = R), the input impedance will be complex (both resistive and reactive components).

Q: Why is this? A:

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

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5. A  If the transmission line is electrically smallits length A is small with respect to signal wavelength --we find that:

A =
and thus: cos A = cos 0 = 1 and

A = 2

sin A = sin 0 = 0

so that the input impedance is:

Zin = Z 0

Z L cos A + j Z 0 sin A A A + Z cos j Z sin L 0

Z (1) + j Z L (0) = Z0 L Z 0 (1) + j Z L (0) = ZL In other words, if the transmission line length is much smaller than a wavelength, the input impedance Zin will always be equal to the load impedance Z L .

This is the assumption we used in all previous circuits courses (e.g., EECS 211, 212, 312, 412)! In those courses, we assumed that the signal frequency is relatively low, such that the signal wavelength is very large (  A ).

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

1/26/2005

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Note also for this case ( the electrically short transmission line), the voltage and current at each end of the transmission line are approximately the same!

V (z = A) V (z = 0)

and

I(z = A) I (z = 0) if A 

If A  , our wire behaves exactly as it did in EECS 211 !

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS