Microstrip Trainer MST532

MEASUREMENT OF RETURN LOSS, REFLECTION

COEFFICIENT AND VSWR ASSIGNMENT 4

CONTENT The measurement of the return loss of a microwave component

utilising a directional coupler to monitor reflected power is
described. Return loss measurements are made on three
microwave components: a microstrip matched termination, a 50
ohm coaxial termination and a low pass filter. From these
measurements the magnitude of the input reflection coefficient
and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) are calculated.

The operation of the microstrip matched termination is

explained and its performance compared with the 50 ohm
coaxial termination. The reflection effects of the low pass filter
in its pass and attenuation bands are also investigated.

EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED Qty Designation Description

1 VCO Voltage controlled oscillator,

microwave source

1 CIR 3-port circulator

1 DC Directional coupler

1 D Crystal detector

1 ML Matched load

1 LPF Low pass filter

2 MT (red spot) 50 ohm coaxial terminations

3 PPC SMA plug-to-plug coaxial connectors

1 SC (white spot) Coaxial short circuit termination

1 OC (blue spot) Coaxial open circuit termination

1 Power supply for VCO source

1 Digital voltmeter for diode detector

Note: The power supply should not be used in ‘tracking’

mode.

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MEASUREMENT OF RETURN LOSS, REFLECTION

COEFFICIENT AND VSWR ASSIGNMENT 4

OBJECTIVES When you have completed this assignment you will:

 Know the meaning of return loss and its relationship with

reflection coefficient and voltage standing wave ratio (vswr)

 Know how return loss may be measured utilising a

directional coupler

 Know how a 50 ohm matched termination can be produced

in microstrip using a 50 ohm surface mount resistor and a
quarter-wavelength, open-circuited line to make an effective
short-circuit to the ground plane conductor.

 Have measured return loss for microstrip and coaxial 50

ohms loads and investigated the reflection produced by a
low pass filter in its pass and attenuation bands.

KNOWLEDGE LEVEL No prior microwave knowledge is required to carry out this

assignment. However, it would be useful preparatory
background to read Sections 4.2 'Reflection coefficient, VSWR
and return loss' and 4.9 'Basic measurement of return loss' in
Chapter 4 'Introduction to Microwave Measurements'.

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Assignment 4

INTRODUCTION
Summary of definitions,
method of measurement
and action of microstrip
matched load

5.4.1
Reflection coefficient,
VSWR and return loss
Incident wave
Matched
Component
termination
Reflected wave
Resultant voltage
amplitude

Distance along line

Fig 5.4.1

If a transmission line is terminated in an impedance other than

the characteristic impedance Zo of the line, reflection will occur
at the termination and a standing wave will be set up on the
line.

The voltage reflection coefficient  caused by such a

termination, see fig 5.4.1, is defined as:

Vr

V
i

where Vi = amplitude of the incident wave

Vr = amplitude of the reflected wave

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Assignment 4

The voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) on the line, S, is

defined as,

V max
S  V
min

where Vmax = amplitude of voltage at positions of voltage

maxima
Vmin = amplitude of voltage at positions of voltage
minima

and is related to the magnitude of reflection coefficient,  , by

(1   )
S 
(1   )

The return loss ratio is defined in terms of the ratio of the
reflected power Pr to the incident power Pi,
Pr
return loss ratio 
P
i

and as the reflected and incident wave powers are respectively

proportional to the square of the amplitudes of reflected and
incident wave voltages, we have:
Pr
return loss ratio 
P
i
2
rV 2
  
2
V
i

In practice return loss is usually expressed in decibels (dB):

Pr
return loss  10log 10
Pi
2
 10log 10   20 log10 

For further information see Section 4.2 in Chapter 4

'Introduction to Microwave Measurements'.

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Assignment 4

5.4.2
Measurement of Return
Loss using a Directional
Coupler
D
P r' c P r

3 4 Pr Device
1 2 Matched
under
test load
P
i
Directional
coupler (a)

D
P i ' c P i

Pr
3 4
=Pi Short or
1 2
open-circuit
P i termination
Directional
coupler (b)

Fig 5.4.2 Measurement of Return Loss using a Directional Coupler

In this assignment the power Pr reflected from the device under

test is measured using a directional coupler, see fig 5.4.2(a).
The coupler couples a fraction of the power reflected from the
device and this is measured at port 4,

Pr' = c Pr

where c = coupling coefficient of the directional coupler.

The reference incident power Pi can be determined by

replacing the device under test by a short-circuit and/or open-
circuit, both of which produce 100% reflection, and measuring
the power at port 4,

Pi' = c Pi

Thus the return loss ratio,

P r P r'
P  P ' can be calculated.
i i

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Assignment 4

Furthermore as,

2 Pr (1   )
  and S 
P (1   )
 i

we can also determine the voltage reflection coefficient and
 voltage standing wave ratio.

5.4.3
The Microstrip
Matched Load

 ML

1
Length L  4 g of
50 chip resistor
open-circuited line

Fig 5.4.3 Microstrip matched load unit, (ML)

The microstrip matched load, unit ML, is shown in fig 5.4.3. It is

designed to present at an input impedance of 50 ohms at the
centre of S-band and act as a matched termination in 50 ohm
impedance level microstrip systems.

The load comprises a 50 ohm chip resistor connected in series

with the 50 ohm microstrip input line and terminated in a length
L of line, approximately one quarter of a guide wavelength, and
open-circuited at its far end. This length produces an effective

RF short-circuit to microwaves immediately to the right of the

resistor and thus avoids the necessity of a physically wired
connection to the ground plate conductor — a real advantage in
microstrip circuit production.

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Assignment 4

The action of the line L terminating the 50 ohm resistor in a

short-circuit is based on the quarter wavelength transformer
principle, see fig 5.4.4. When L = 1/4 g, the input impedance
of the line when terminated in a load ZL is,
2
Z
Z  o , see (a)
in Z
L

where Zo = characteristic impedance of the line L.

Thus if ZL is an open circuit, Z L  Z o/c  ,
2
Z
Z o
in  Z 0 ,see (b);
o/c

so the input impedance approaches zero and the open-circuited

line acts as a short-circuit at its input.

The equivalent circuit of the microstrip matched load is shown

in (c). At plane xx' the quarter-wavelength open-circuited line
produces an effective RF short circuit.

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Assignment 4

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Assignment 4

PRACTICAL 4.1
Measurement of
return loss
Digital
Circulator (CIR) Short-circuit
voltmeter DVM
Plug-to-plug as Isolator (SC)
connector 50 Crystal
(PPC) (MT) D
detector

3 4 Open-circuit
PPC
1 2 X (OC)
VCO
1 2
3
Microwave
source Directional
50 (MT) Device
Coupler (DC)
under
test

Fig 5.4.5 Test set-up for measurement of return loss

The measurement of return loss can be undertaken using the

test set-up shown in fig 5.4.5. In the procedure described the
reflected power coupled by the directional coupler is first
measured with short and open-circuit terminations to provide
the reference incident power level or 100% reflection, 0dB
return loss condition. Reflection power measurements are then
made for the microstrip matched load, the 50 ohm coaxial
termination and the low pass filter. Results should be recorded
in a copy of Table 5.4.1, reproduced at the end of this
assignment.

1 Set up the test measurement system as shown in fig 5.4.5

with the short-circuit coaxial termination, SC, denoted by a
white spot on its casing, connected to point X, port 2 of the
directional coupler.

2 Measure the reflected power coupled to the directional

coupler at port 4 at the frequencies 2.5, 2.75, 3.0, 3.25 and
3.5GHz by noting the crystal detector output. The
procedures for setting up the VCO to a given frequency and
using the crystal detector for power measurement are
described in Assignment 1.

3 Disconnect the short-circuit and replace by the open-circuit

coaxial termination, OC, denoted by a blue spot on its
casing and repeat measurements of reflected power.

4 Calculate the average value of short and open-circuit

reflected powers and record them. Each value represents
the reference incident power for the given frequency.

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Assignment 4

5 Disconnect the open-circuit and connect the microstrip

matched load, unit ML. Measure the reflected power at port
4 for each of the five frequencies. Note you will need a plug-
to-plug connector (PPC) to connect the ML unit to the
directional coupler.
6 Disconnect the microstrip unit ML and connect a 50 ohm
coaxial termination at point X. Measure the reflected power
at each of the five frequencies.
7 Disconnect the 50 ohm coaxial termination and connect the
low pass filter unit LPF at point X using a plug-to-plug
connector (PPC). Ensure the filter output is terminated in a
50 ohm coaxial termination.
Calculation and
Observations From the table of results obtained calculate the voltage
reflection coefficient, return loss and VSWR for the three
components investigated recording the results for each in
copies of Table 5.4.2, reproduced at the end of this assignment.
Compare the characteristics of the microstrip and 50 ohm
coaxial termination matched loads.
Comment on the results obtained for the low pass filter with
particular reference to reflection in the pass and attenuation
bands, i.e below and above 3GHz.
SUMMARY When a transmission line is terminated in a load other than its
characteristic impedance reflection occurs which gives rise to
troublesome effects: loss in transmission power; interference
with the source and other signals; positions of high voltage in
the standing wave set up, which in high power systems can
even cause breakdown. It is therefore essential to quantify the
degree of mismatch caused by a component and for this reason
return loss and/or VSWR values are required as part of a
component's specification.
In this assignment the return loss and VSWR of three
components have been measured using a directional coupler
method. The reflection characteristics of the microstrip and 50
ohm coaxial terminations have been determined. Ideally these
two components should produce zero reflection.
A good quality matched load should have a VSWR of 1.05 or
less and a corresponding return loss of –32dB or less.
However, in microstrip circuits return losses of the order of
–20dB are usually acceptable. In contrast the low pass filter
investigated relies on reflection of input energy to produce
transmission loss in its attenuation band and high values of
VSWR are present in this band.

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RESULTS TABLES ASSIGNMENT 4

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RESULTS TABLES ASSIGNMENT 4

NOTES

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