Lecture 9

The Smith Chart and Basic

Impedance-Matching Concepts

The Smith Chart: plot in the Complex Plane

Smiths chart is a graphical representation in the complex plane of
the input impedance, the load impedance, and the reflection
coefficient of a loss-free TL
Im = i
j1

it contains two families

of curves (circles) in
the complex plane
each circle corresponds
to a fixed normalized
resistance or reactance

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| |=1

=0

1 Re = r

The Smith Chart: Normalized Impedance and

relation #1: normalized load impedance zL and reflection
Z L Z0 zL 1
ZL
where z L=
=
=
= rL + jxL and
Z L + Z0 zL + 1
Z0
=| | e j = r + ji

1+
zL =
1

rL =
xL =

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1 2r

i2
(1 r ) 2 + i2

2 i
(1 r ) 2 + i2

1
rL
2
r
+ i =

1
+
r
1
+
r
L
L

2
2
1 1
2
( r 1) + i =
xL xL

Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

The Smith Chart: Resistance and Reactance Circles

2

1
rL
2
r
+ i =

1
+
r
1
+
r
L
L

resistance circles

1 1
( r 1) + i =
xL xL

reactance circles

let the abscissa be r and the ordinate be i (the complex plane)

resistance and reactance equations describe circles in the
complex plane
resistance circles have centers lying on the r axis (with i
= 0, i.e., ordinate = 0)
reactance circles have centers with abscissa coordinate = 1
a complex normalized impedance zL = rL + jxL is a point on
the Smith chart where the circle rL intersects the circle xL
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

The Smith Chart: Resistance Circles

i
j1

rL = 0
| |=1
rL = 0.25

short

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rL = 1
match
=0 0.2 0.5

open

The Smith Chart: Reactance Circles

i
j1
| |=1

inductive
loads
short

open

match

=0

capacitive
loads

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xL = 1

j1

xL = 1
(capacitive)

The Smith Chart: Nomographs

at the bottom of Smiths chart (left side), nomograph is added to
read out with a ruler the following
(1st ruler) above: SWR, below: SWR in dB, 20log10 SWR
(2nd ruler) above: return loss in dB, 20log10 | |
below: power reflection ||2 (P)
(3rd ruler) above: reflection coefficient || (E or I)

10log10 (1 | |2 )

perfect match
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1 | |2 T = 1 +
7

The Smith Chart: SWR Circles

a circle of radius || centered at
= 0 is the geometrical place
for load impedances producing
reflection of the same
magnitude ||
such a circle also corresponds
to constant SWR
1+ | |
SWR =
1 | |

z=
0.4 + j 0.7
L
SWR = 3.87

| |=0.59

SWR circle
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

The Smith Chart: Plotting Impedance and Reading Out

0.135
xL = 1
What is ZL if Z0 = 50 ?

83
0.5 + j1.0
z=
L
R

||
83

rL = 0.5

| |=0.62

getting || with a ruler:

1) measure R
2) measure
3) | |= / R

The Smith Chart: Tracking Impedance Changes with L

relation #2: input impedance versus the TL length L
1 + g
at generator: Zin =Z 0
, g =e j 2 L (see L08, sl. 8)

1 g

j 2 L
1 + e j 2 L
1
e
+

Z in = Z 0
j 2 L zin =
j 2 L
1
e

1
e

compare with

1+
at load: z L =
1
on the Smith chart, the point corresponding to zin is rotated by
2L (decreasing angle, clockwise rotation) with respect to the
point corresponding to zL along an SWR circle (toward generator)
one full circle on the Smith chart is 2Lmax = 2, i.e., Lmax = /2;
this reflects the -periodicity of zin
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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The Smith Chart: Tracking Impedance Changes with L 2

or
t
a
r
e
n
e

g
d
r
a
w
o
t

SWR circle

i
j1

for Z0 = 50 , the
quarter-wavelength TL
transforms a load of
Z L =25 j 25
to an input impedance of

zin = 1 + j1

Z in =50 + j 50

L=/4

=0

z=
0.5 j 0.5
L
tow
ard
loa
d

check and see whether

Z 0 = Z L Z in

For a frequency-independent
load ZL, what would be the
direction of the locus of Zin as
frequency increases?
Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

11

The Smith Chart: Read Out Distance to Load

unknown distance to load
in terms of
Dn = D /

toward generator

known load ZL
Z L =75 + j 75

known Z0
Z=
50
0

LA = 0.194

1.5 + j1.5
z=
L

measured Zin
Z in =23 j 34
B
=
zin 0.46 j 0.68
Dn = LB LA = 0.2
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

LB = 0.394

12

The Smith Chart: Reading Out SWR

A z L , A = 1 + j1

SWRA = SWRB
rL , B 1
B =
rL , B + 1

rL , B = 2.6

1+ | B |
SWRB =
1 | B |
SWRB =
rL , B

B SWR
2.6
= rL=
,B

SWR circle

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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

13

The Admittance Smith Chart

normalized load admittance
1
j
1
1
1
e
+

1
y=
z
=
=
L
L

=
1 + 1 e j
1

()

normalized input admittance (at generator)

j2 L
1
e

1
y=
z
=
in
in
1 + e j 2 L

the relation between yin and yL is the same as that between zin and zL
one can get from load to generator (and vice versa) by following a
circle clockwise (counter-clockwise)
standard Smith chart gives resistance and reactance values
admittance Smith chart is exactly the same as the impedance Smith
chart but rotated by 180 [see eq. (*) ] in the complex plane
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Reading Out Normalized Conductance and Susceptance Values

normalized admittance
YL Z 0 1
y=
= =
L
Y0 Z L zL

y=
g L + jbL
L

YL load admittance
Y0 characteristic admittance

normalized susceptance

Y=
GL + jBL
L
conductance susceptance

normalized conductance

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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

15

Conductance and Susceptance Circles in Admittance Smith Chart

combined impedance and conductance Smith Charts
conductance circles

short circuit
YL
( Z L = 0)

resistance circles

positive (capacitive)
susceptance
negative (inductive)
susceptance

open circuit
YL = 0
( Z L )

reactance circles
susceptance circles
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Switching Between Impedance and Admittance on Smith Chart

impedance values from a standard Smith chart can be easily
converted to admittance by rotation along a circle by exactly 180
rotation by 180 on the impedance Smith chart corresponds to
impedance transformation by a quarter-wavelength TL

1 + e j 1
4

(
/
4)
z=
L

=
=
in
1
1 e j 1 +
zin (=
L / 4)
= = yL
1+
zL
zL =
1
in impedance Smith chart, the point diametrically opposite from
an impedance point shows its respective admittance value

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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Switching Between Impedance and Admittance: Example

r
o
t
i
a
r
e
Check whether in this
n
e
g
j1
d
example the yL found
r
a
w
to
from the Smith chart
satisfies
1
zin = 1 + j1
yL =
zL
same as
yL = 1 + j1
L=/4
=0

z=
0.5 j 0.5
L
tow
ard
loa
d

18

Quarter-wave Transformer Revisited

L = 0 / 4

ZG

( , Z0 )

VG

ZL

loss-free line

from L08, sl. 18:

Z 02
Z in L= /4 =
ZL

Z in

for impedance match at the input terminals of the /4 TL, Zin = ZG*
1
zG = y L
Z 0 = Z G Z L zG z L =

TL must be designed to have this specific Z0

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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Quarter-wave Transformer Revisited 2

the impedance match with the /4 transformer holds perfectly at
one frequency only, f0, where L = 0/4
this impedance-match device is narrow-band
Z L + jZ 0 tan( L)
2 0 f
Z in ( f ) =Z 0
, where L = =

4 2 f0
Z 0 + jZ L tan( L)

=
Z L 100
50
Z=
G
=
Z 0 70.71

perfect match
Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

Z in ( f ) Z 0
| ( f ) |=
Z in ( f ) + Z 0
20

Optimal Power Delivery: Review (Homework)

at the generators terminals, a loaded TL is equivalently represented
by its input impedance Zin
ZG

VG

Iin

Vin

Z in

active (or average) power delivered to the loaded TL (this is also

the power delivered to the load ZL if the line is loss-free)
2
1
Z in
1
1 2
1 2

( Pin ) av =
Re{Vin I in }
|V
| VG |
Re
=
=
in | Re Yin
2
2
2
Z G + Z in
Z in
Rin
1 2
( Pin ) av =
| VG |
2
( Rin + RG ) 2 + ( X in + X G ) 2
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Optimal Power Delivery: Review (Homework)

assume generators impedance ZG = RG + jXG is known and fixed
optimal matching is achieved when maximum active power is
delivered to the load Zin what is this optimal value of Zin?
Z inopt = max Pin ( Z in )
Zin

find the optimal Rin and Xin by obtaining the respective derivatives
Pin
= 0 RG2 Rin2 + ( X in + X G ) 2 = 0
Rin
Pin
=0 X in ( X in + X G ) =0
X in
maximum power is delivered to the load under conditions of
conjugate match
Rinopt =
RG and X inopt =
X G Z inopt =
Z G
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Summary
the impedance Smith chart depicts a normalized load impedance as a
point in the complex plane
the load impedance is normalized with respect to the characteristic
impedance Z0 of the TL
the admittance Smith chart depicts a normalized load admittance yL
as a point in the complex plane
the admittance Smith chart is rarely used because the impedance
Smith chart can be readily used as an admittance chart as well the
sense of rotation with increasing TL length is the same
resistance/reactance impedance values are determined from the
resistance/reactance circles
the input impedance zin of a TL loaded with a known zL is found by
following the SWR circle, starting from zL, and completing an angle
of 2L in a clockwise direction (on chart: toward generator)
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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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Summary 2
if the input impedance zin of a TL is known but the load zL is not,
zL is determined by starting from zin , following the SWR circle and
completing an angle of 2L in a counter-clockwise direction (on
chart: toward load)
the normalized admittance of a given impedance zL is found by
reading out the value of the point diametrically opposite to zL on
the Smith chart
many more applications of the Smith chart will be shown during
the tutorial

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Lecture 09: The Smith Chart

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