Rectangular Waveguides

Waveguide components

Rectangular waveguide Waveguide to coax adapter

Waveguide bends E-tee

More waveguides
 Uses
• To reduce attenuation loss
– High frequencies
– High power
• Can operate only above certain frequencies
– Acts as a High-pass filter
• Normally circular or rectangular
– We will assume lossless rectangular
 Rectangular Wave Guide

• Need to find the fields

components of the em
wave inside the
waveguide
– Ez Hz Ex Hx Ey Hy
• We’ll find that
waveguides don’t
support TEM waves
 Rectangular Waveguides: Fields inside

Using phasors & assuming waveguide filled

with
• lossless dielectric material and
• walls of perfect conductor,
the wave inside should obey…
2 E  k 2 E  0
2 H  k 2 H  0
where k 2   2  c
Then applying on the z-component…

 Ez  k Ez  0
2 2

 2 Ez  2 Ez  2 Ez
   k 2
Ez  0
x 2
y 2
z 2

Solving by method of Separation of Variables :

E z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X '' Y '' Z ''
   k 2
X Y Z
 Fields inside the waveguide
X '' Y '' Z ''
   k 2
X Y Z
 k x2  k y2   2   k 2
which results in the expression s :
X ''  k x2 X  0 h 2   2  k 2  k x2  k y2
Y ''  k y2Y  0
Z ''   2 Z  0
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
z z
Z ( z )  c5e  c6 e
 Substituting
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Ez ( x, y, z)  X ( x)Y ( y)Z ( z) Z ( z )  c5ez  c6 e z


E z  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y  c5 ez  c6 e z 
If only looking at the wave traveling in  z - direction :
E z   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y e z
Similarly for the magnetic field ,
H z  B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x B
x 3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y e  z
 Other components
From Faraday and Ampere Laws we can find the remaining
four components:
 E z j H z
Ex   
h 2 x h 2 y *So once we know
 E z j H z Ez and Hz, we can
Ey   2  2 find all the other
h y h x
fields.
j E z  H z
Hx  2  2
h y h x
j E z  H z
Hy   2  2
h x h y
where
h 2   2  k 2  k x2  k y2
 Modes of propagation
From these equations we can conclude:
• TEM (Ez=Hz=0) can’t propagate.

• TE (Ez=0) transverse electric

– In TE mode, the electric lines of flux are perpendicular to
the axis of the waveguide

• TM (Hz=0) transverse magnetic, Ez exists

– In TM mode, the magnetic lines of flux are perpendicular
to the axis of the waveguide.

• HE hybrid modes in which all components exists

 TM Mode
E z   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y e z
• Boundary E z  0 at y  0,b
conditions: E  0 at x  0,a
z

From these, we conclude:

X(x) is in the form of sin kxx,
where kx=mp/a, m=1,2,3,…
Y(y) is in the form of sin kyy,
where ky=np/b, n=1,2,3,…
So the solution for Ez(x,y,z) is

E z  A2 A4 sin k x x sin k y y e  jz

 TM Mode

• Substituting

 mp   np   j z
E z  Eo sin  x  sin  y e
 a   b 
where
 mp   n p 
2 2

h      k2 2
2

 a   b 
  mp   np   jz
TM
E z  Eo sin  x  sin 
 amn   b 
y e

Hz  0
• Other components are
 E z   mp   mpx   npy  z
Ex   Ex   2   Eo cos   sin  e
h 2 x h  a   a   b 
 E z   np   mpx   npy  z
Ey   2 Ey   2   Eo sin   cos  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j E z j  np   mpx   npy  z
Hx  2 Hx  2   Eo sin   cos  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j E z j  mp   mpx   npy  z
Hy   2 Hy   2   Eo cos   sin  e
h x h  a   a   b 
 TM modes

• The m and n represent the mode of propagation and

indicates the number of variations of the field in the
x and y directions
• Note that for the TM mode, if n or m is zero, all fields
are zero.
• See applet by Paul Falstad
http://www.falstad.com/embox/guide.html
 k  k  k
TM Cutoff 2
x
2
y
2

 mp   np 
2 2

       
2

 a   b 
• The cutoff frequency occurs when
 mp   np 
2 2

When c      then     j  0
2

 a   b 
 mp   np 
2 2
1 1
or f c     
2p   a   b 
• Evanescent:

 mp   np 
2 2

When  2          and   0
 a   b 
– Means no propagation, everything is attenuated

 mp   np 
2 2

• Propagation: When    
2
     j and   0
 a   b 
– This is the case we are interested since is when the wave is allowed to travel
through the guide.
 Cutoff
attenuation Propagation
of mode mn

fc,mn

• The cutoff frequency is the frequency below

which attenuation occurs and above which
propagation takes place. (High Pass)
2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b
• The phase constant becomes

2
 mp   n p   fc 
2 2

   2    
     ' 1   
 a   b   f 
 Phase velocity and impedance

• The phase velocity is defined as

 2p up
up   
'  f
• And the intrinsic impedance of the mode is

2
Ex Ey  fc 
TM    ' 1  
Hy Hx  f 
 Summary of TM modes
Wave in the dielectric Inside the waveguide
medium
2
f 
 '   / u '       ' 1  c 
 f 

2
'  /  TM
f 
 ' 1  c 
 f 

up  /
u '   /  '  f  1 / 
2
f 
 ' 1  c 
f 

'
 
 '  u' / f  f 
2

1  c 
 f 
 Related example of how fields look:
Parallel plate waveguide - TM modes
 mpx  e jt  z 
Ez  A sin 
Ez  a 
m=1
0 a x

m=2

m=3
z a x
 TE Mode
H z  B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x x B3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y e z
• Boundary E x  0 at y  0,b
conditions: E  0 at x  0,a
y

From these, we conclude:

X(x) is in the form of cos kxx,
where kx=mp/a, m=0,1,2,3,…
Y(y) is in the form of cos kyy,
where ky=np/b, n=0,1,2,3,…
So the solution for Ez(x,y,z) is

H z  B1 B3 cos k x x cos k y y e  jz

 TE Mode
• Substituting

 mpx   np   jz
H z  H o cos   cos  y e
 a   b 
where again
 mp   np 
2 2

h2     
 a   b 

• Note that n and m cannot be both zero

because the fields will all be zero.
  mp   np   j  z
TE
H z  H o cos
mna
x  cos 
  b 
y e

Ez  0
• Other components are
j H z j  np   mpx   npy  z
Ex   2 Ex  2   H o cos  sin  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j H z j  mp   mpx   npy  z
Ey   2 Ey   2   H o sin   cos e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z j  mp   mpx   npy  z
Hx   2 Hx  2   H o sin   cos e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z
Hy   2 j   np   mpx   npy  z
h y Hy  2   H o cos  sin  e
h  b   a   b 
 Cutoff
attenuation Propagation
of mode mn

fc,mn

• The cutoff frequency is the same expression as

for the TM mode
2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b

• But the lowest attainable frequencies are lowest

because here n or m can be zero.
 Dominant Mode
• The dominant mode is the mode with lowest
cutoff frequency.
• It’s always TE10
• The order of the next modes change
depending on the dimensions of the guide.
 Summary of TE modes
Wave in the dielectric Inside the waveguide
medium
2
f 
 '   / u '       ' 1  c 
 f 

'
TE 
'  /  f 
1  c 
2

f 


up  /
u '   /  '  f  1 / 
2
f 
 ' 1  c 
f 

'
 '  u' / f  
 f 
2

1  c 
 f 
 Variation of wave impedance

• Wave impedance varies with frequency

and mode

TE

’
TM

0 fc,mn
 Example:

Consider a length of air-filled copper X-band waveguide,

with dimensions a=2.286cm, b=1.016cm operating at
10GHz. Find the cutoff frequencies of all possible
propagating modes.
Solution:
• From the formula for the cut-off frequency

2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b
 Example

An air-filled 5-by 2-cm waveguide has

Ez  20 sin 40px sin 50py e jz V/m
at 15GHz
• What mode is being propagated?
• Find 
• Determine Ey/Ex
 Group velocity, ug

• Is the velocity at which the

energy travels.
2 j  p   mpx  z
 fc  Ey      e
1  rad/s   m  h2  a 
H o sin
 a 
ug   u' 1     rad/m    s 
 /  f     

• It is always less than u’

u pug  u'
2

http://www.tpub.com/content/et/14092/css/14092_71.htm
 Group Velocity

• As frequency is increased,
the group velocity increases.
 Power transmission

• The average Poynting vector for the waveguide fields

 
is
Pave  ReE  H   Re E x H y  E y H x
1 * 1 * *

2 2
2 2
Ex  E y [W/m2]
 zˆ
2
• where  = TE or TM depending on the mode
2 2
a b
Ex  E y
Pave   Pave  dS    dy dx [W]
x 0 y 0
2
 Attenuation in Lossy waveguide

• When dielectric inside guide is lossy, and walls are not

perfect conductors, power is lost as it travels along
guide.
Pave  Po e 2z
dPave
• The loss power is PL    2Pave
dz
• Where c+d are the attenuation due to ohmic
(conduction) and dielectric losses
• Usually c >> d
 Attenuation for TE10

• Dielectric attenuation, Np/m Dielectric

conductivity!
 '
d  
2
f 
2 1   c 
 f 

• Conductor attenuation, Np/m

2 Rs  b  f 
2

c    0.5   c ,10  
2   f  
 f c ,10   a   
b ' 1   
 f 
 Waveguide Cavities

• Cavities, or resonators, are used

for storing energy
• Used in klystron tubes, band-
pass filters and frequency
meters
• It’s equivalent to a RLC circuit at
high frequency
• Their shape is that of a cavity,
either cylindrical or cubical.
 Cavity TM Mode to z

Solving by Separation of Variables :

E z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Z ( z )  c5 cos k z z  c6 sin k z z

where k 2  k x2  k y2  k z
2
 TMmnp Boundary Conditions
E z  0 at y  0 ,b
From these, we conclude:
kx=mp/a E z  0 at x  0 ,a
ky=np/b E y  E x  0, at z  0 ,c
kz=pp/c
m= 1,2,3…………
n= 1,2,3…………
p= 0,1,2,3…………..
where c is the dimension in z-axis
 mpx   npy   ppz 
E z  Eo sin   sin   cos   c
 a   b   c 
where
 mp   np   pp 
2 2 2

k2          
2

 a   b   c 
 Resonant frequency

• The resonant frequency is the same for TM

or TE modes, except that the lowest-order
TM is TM111 and the lowest-order in TE is
TE101.
2 2 2
u'  m   n   p 
fr       
2  a  b  c 
2 2 2
  mp  np   pp 
2

     
a  b  c 
 Cavity TE Mode to z

Solving by Separation of Variables :

H z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Z ( z )  c5 cos k z z  c6 sin k z z

where k  k  k  k z
2 2 2 2
x y
 TEmnp Boundary Conditions
H z  0 at z  0 ,c
From these, we conclude: E y  0 at x  0 ,a
kx=mp/a
ky=np/b E x  0, at y  0 ,b
kz=pp/c
where c is the dimension in z-axis

 mpx   npy   npz  c

H z  H o cos   cos   sin  
 a   b   b 
 Quality Factor, Q

• The cavity has walls with finite conductivity

and is therefore losing stored energy.
• The quality factor, Q, characterized the loss
and also the bandwidth of the cavity
resonator.
• Dielectric cavities are used for resonators,
amplifiers and oscillators at microwave
frequencies.
A dielectric resonator antenna with a
cap for measuring the radiation
efficiency

Univ. of Mississippi
 Quality Factor, Q

• Is defined as
Time avera ge energy stored
Q  2π
loss energy per cycle of oscillation
W
 2p
PL

For the dominant mode TE 101 where

1

a 

pf101o c
 c abc
2 2

QTE101
  
 2b a 3  c 3  ac a 2  c 2 
 Example
For a cavity of dimensions; 3cm x 2cm x 7cm filled with air
and made of copper (c=5.8 x 107)
• Find the resonant frequency and the quality factor for the
dominant mode. 2 2
3 1010  1   1   0 
2

f r110           9GHz
Answer: 2  3  2  7 
2 2 2
3 1010  1   0   1 
fr           5.44GHz
2  3  2  7 
1
  1.6 10 6
(5.44 10 9 ) o c


3
 72 3  2  7
2
  568 ,378
QTE101
  
 2  2 3  7  3 7 3  7
3 3 2 2
 