PARALLEL-PLATE WAVEGUIDES

Wave Equation

∇ 2E + ω 2µεE = 0 (1)

∂2Ex ∂2Ex ∂2Ex

+ + 2 = -ω2µεEx (2a)
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z

∂2Ey ∂2Ey ∂2Ey

+ + 2 = -ω2µεEy (2b)
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z

∂2Ez ∂2Ez ∂2Ez

+ 2 + 2 = -ω2µεEz (2c)
∂x 2 ∂y ∂z

PEC
x
µ, ε
z
y
PEC

Transverse Electric (TE) Modes

For a parallel-plate waveguide, the plates are infinite in the y-extent; we need to study the
propagation in the z-direction. The following assumptions are made in the wave equation

∂ ∂ ∂
⇒ ∂y = 0, but
∂x ≠ 0 and ∂z ≠ 0

⇒ Assume E y only

These two conditions define the TE modes and the wave equation is simplified to read

∂2Ey ∂2Ey
+ 2 = -ω2µεEy (3)
∂x 2 ∂z

General solution (forward traveling wave)

[
E y ( x, z) = e − jβ z z Ae − jβ x x + Be + jβ x x ] (4)
 - 2-

At x = 0, Ey = 0 which leads to A + B = 0. Therefore, A = -B = Eo/2j, where Eo is an arbitrary

constant

E y ( x, z) = E o e − jβ z z sin β x x (5)

x=a
x
µ, ε
z
x=0

At x = a, Ey(x, z) = 0. Let a be the distance separating the two PEC plates

E o e − jβ z z sin β xa = 0 (6)

This leads to :

β xa = mπ, where m = 1, 2, 3, ... (7)

or

mπ
βx = (8)
a

Moreover, from the differential equation (3), we get the dispersion relation

β z2 + β x2 = ω2µε = β2, (9)

which leads to

mπ  2
βz = ω µε − 
2
 a  (10)

where m = 1, 2, 3, ... Since propagation is to take place in the z direction, for the wave to
propagate, we must have β z2 > 0, or

mπ  2
ω 2 µε > 
 a  (11)

This leads to the following guidance condition which will insure wave propagation

m
f>
2a µε (12)
 - 3-

The cutoff frequency fc is defined to be at the onset of propagation

m
fc =
2a µε (13)

The cutoff frequency is the frequency below which the mode associated with the index m will
not propagate in the waveguide. Different modes will have different cutoff frequencies. The
cutoff frequency of a mode is associated with the cutoff wavelength λ c

v 2a
λc = f = m (14)
c

Each mode is referred to as the TEm mode (or TEm,0 in Rao's book). From (6), it is obvious that
there is no TE 0 mode and the first TE mode is the TE 1 mode.

Magnetic Field

From ∇ × E = − jωµH (15)

we have

xˆ yˆ zˆ
−1 ∂ ∂
H= 0 (16)
jωµ ∂x ∂z
0 Ey 0

which leads to

βz
Hx = − E o e − jβ z z sin β x x
ωµ (17)

jβ x
Hz = + E o e − jβ z z cos β x x (18)
ωµ

As can be seen, there is no Hy component, therefore, the TE solution has E y, H x and H z only.

x
θ θ µ, ε
z

From the dispersion relation, it can be shown that the propagation vector components satisfy the
relations
 - 4-

β z = βsinθ, β x = βcosθ (19)

where θ is the angle of incidence of the propagation vector with the normal to the conductor
plates.

Transverse Magnetic (TM) modes

The magnetic field also satisfies the wave equation:

∇ 2H + ω 2µεH = 0 (20)

∂2H x ∂2H x ∂2H x

+ + = -ω2µεH x (21a)
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z2

∂2H y ∂2H y ∂2H y

+ + = -ω2µεH y (21b)
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z2

∂2H z ∂2H z ∂2H z

+ + = -ω2µεH z (21c)
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z2

For TM modes, we assume

∂ ∂ ∂
⇒ ∂y = 0, but
∂x ≠ 0 and ∂z ≠ 0

⇒ Assume Hy only

These two conditions define the TM modes and equations (21) are simplified to read

∂2H y ∂2H y
+ = -ω2µεH y (22)
∂x 2 ∂z2

General solution (forward traveling wave)

[
H y ( x, z) = e − jβ z z Ae − jβ x x + Be + jβ x x ] (23)

From ∇ × H = jωεE (24)

we get
 - 5-

xˆ yˆ zˆ
1 ∂ ∂
E= 0 (25)
jωε ∂x ∂z
0 Hy 0

This leads to

E x ( x, z) =
βz − jβ z z
ωε
e [
Ae − jβ x x + Be + jβ x x ] (26)

E z ( x, z) =
β x − jβ z z
ωε
e [
− Ae − jβ x x + Be + jβ x x ] (27)

At x=0, Ez = 0 which leads to A = B = H o/2 where Ho is an arbitrary constant. This leads to

H y ( x, z) = H o e − jβ z z cos β x x (28)

βz
E x ( x, z) = H o e − jβ z z cos β x x (29)
ωε

jβ x
E z ( x, z) = H o e − jβ z z sin β x x (30)
ωε

At x =a, Ez = 0 which leads to

β xa = mπ, where m = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... (31)

This defines the TM modes which have only H y, Ex and E z components.

NOTE: THE DISPERSION RELATION, GUIDANCE CONDITION AND CUTOFF EQUA-

TIONS FOR A PARALLEL-PLATE WAVEGUIDE ARE THE SAME FOR TE AND TM
MODES.

Equation (31) defines the TM modes; each mode is referred to as the TM m mode (or TMm,0 in
Rao's book). It can be seen from (28) that m=0 is a valid choice; it is called the TM 0 , or
transverse electromagnetic or TEM mode. For this mode β x=0 and,

H y = H o e − jβ z z (32)

βz µ
Ex = H o e − jβ z z = H o e − jβ z z (33)
ωε ε

Ez = 0 (34)
 - 6-

where β z = β, and in which there are no x variations of the fields within the waveguide. The
TEM mode has a cutoff frequency at DC and is always present in the waveguide.
x=a
x E
µ, ε
z β
H
x=0
TEM mode

Time-Average Poynting Vector

TE modes

1
P = Re{E × H *} (35)
2

P =
1
2
{ [
Re yˆ E y × xˆ H*x + zˆ H*z ]} (36)

1  E o 
2 2
Eo
P = Re zˆ βz sin β x x + xˆ j
2
β x cos β x x sin β x x  (37)
2  ωµ ωµ 

2
E
P = zˆ o β z sin 2 β x x (38)
ωµ

TM modes

1
P = Re{E × H *} (39)
2

P =
1
2
{
Re [ xˆ E x + zˆ E z ] × yˆ H*y } (40)

1  H o 
2 2
Ho
P = Re zˆ βz cos β x x − xˆ j
2
β x sin β x x cos β x x  (41)
2  ωε ωε 

2
H
P = zˆ o β z cos2 β x x (42)
ωε

The total time-average power is found by integrating <P> over the area of interest.