EE340A: Electromagnetic Theory

Tutorial #6 19th March 2021

1. For a normalized load impedance ̅̅̅ 𝑍𝐿 = 1 − 𝑗1 and an operating wavelength 𝜆 = 5 cm,

determine (a) the first 𝑽𝑚𝑎𝑥 ; (b) the first 𝑽𝑚𝑖𝑛 from the load; and (c) the VSWR. Use Smith chart

2. The characteristic impedance of a transmission line is 100 ohms. When the line is terminated in
an unknown load, SWR= 2 was measured. When the line is terminated by short circuit load, the
minima shift 1.15𝜆 toward the load. Determine the load impedance.

3. A lossless line of characteristic impedance 𝑍0 = 50 Ω is to be matched to a load 𝑍𝐿 = 5.58 −

𝑗10.41 Ω by means of a lossless short-circuited stub. The characteristic impedance of the stub is
same as that of the main transmission line. Determine (a) distances at which the stub can be
placed; and (b) lengths of the stub. What is the VSWR on the main transmission line before stub
is placed? What is the VSWR on the stub?

4. A phased-array radar has 10 antenna elements that are matched to their feed lines as sketched
in Figure 6.1. All transmission lines are 50 ohm coaxial lines. For the short-circuited stub on the
main line, find the position(s) and length(s) that will maximize power to the antenna array. The
operating frequency is 1 GHz.

Figure 6.1: See problem 4

5. If the load impedance of a transmission line is purely reactive, that is, ̅̅̅
𝑍𝐿 = 𝑗𝑎, where 𝑎 is a real
number, can it be matched by adding a shunt susceptance somewhere in the line? Why? Use
impedance transformation formula and/or Smith chart to explain your reasoning.
 6. A lossless transmission line of characteristic impedance is used to measure unknown load
impedances. When the line is loaded, the voltage minima are recorded at 𝑧 =
0.72, 2.72, and 4.72 cm on the arbitrarily placed slotted line scale as shown in Figure 6.2. The SWR
is measured to be 1.5. When the load is shorted, the voltage minima are measured at 𝑧 =
0.2, 2.2, and 4.2 cm. Find the load impedance.

Figure 6.2: See problem 6

SOLUTION

1. For a normalized load impedance ̅̅̅ 𝑍𝐿 = 1 − 𝑗1 and an operating wavelength 𝜆 = 5 cm,

determine (a) the first 𝑽𝑚𝑎𝑥 ; (b) the first 𝑽𝑚𝑖𝑛 from the load; and (c) the VSWR. Use Smith chart

Solution:

Normalized Load impedance ̅̅̅

𝑍𝐿 = 1 − 𝑗1

Marking this impedance as point P on Smith Chart and VSWR curve corresponding to this load
impedance is shown in Fig 6.3.
a) Point S indicate the location of 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 as shown in Fig 6.3 Point P’ is at 0.338𝜆 and Point S’ is at
0.25𝜆 on the WTG scale of the Smith chart. Moving 0.412𝜆 from the load starting from
point P’ we obtain point S’ on WTL scale line. Hence , 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 is 0.412𝜆 = 0.412 × 5 = 2.06 𝑐𝑚
away from load.

b) Point T indicate the location of 𝑉𝑚𝑖𝑛 as shown in Fig 6.3 Point T’ is at 0.5𝜆 on the WTG scale
of the Smith chart. Moving 0.162𝜆 from the load starting from point P’ we obtain point T’ on
WTL scale line. Hence , 𝑉𝑚𝑖𝑛 is 0.162𝜆 = 0.162 × 5 = 0.81 𝑐𝑚 away from load.

c) VSWR = 2.6 it is located on the horizontal axis to the right of the origin.
`

Figure 6.3: Smith Chart

 2. The characteristic impedance of a transmission line is 100 ohms. When the line is terminated in
an unknown load, SWR= 2 was measured. When the line is terminated by short circuit load, the
minima shift 1.15𝜆 toward the load. Determine the load impedance.

Solution:

Given SWR=2
Draw a constant s-circle with s=2

When line is terminated with short circuit

Normalized impedance ,z=0+j0

So ,marking point P on Smith chart.

Clearly first minima occur at load i.e. point P

Moving 1.15𝜆 wavelength toward the load starting from point P we obtain point R on WTL scale
line OR intersect constant s-circle at point Q .

We obtain Normalized unknown impedance at point Q

zL=0.98-j0.7

ZL=98-j70 Ω
 Figure 6.4: Smith chart for problem 2

3. A lossless line of characteristic impedance 𝑍0 = 50 Ω is to be matched to a load 𝑍𝐿 = 5.58 −

𝑗10.41 Ω by means of a lossless short-circuited stub. The characteristic impedance of the stub is
same as that of the main transmission line. Determine (a) distances at which the stub can be
placed; and (b) lengths of the stub. What is the VSWR on the main transmission line before stub
is placed? What is the VSWR on the stub?

Solution:
Given that the characteristic impedance of main is same as the characteristic impedance of the
stub. i.e., 𝑍0 = 𝑍0𝑠 = 50𝛺 𝑎𝑛𝑑 Load impedance 𝑍𝐿 = 5.58 − 𝑗10.41 𝛺.
𝑍
Normalized Impedance 𝑧𝐿 = 𝑍𝐿 = 0.1116 − 𝑗0.2082 𝛺
0
Locate 𝑧𝐿 on the Smith chart as in Figure 6.5 and from this draw the s-circle so that 𝑦𝐿 can be
located diametrically opposite 𝑧𝐿 . Thus 𝑦𝐿 =2 + 𝑗3.73 S
Draw constant Radius =1 circle on the smith chart. Using smith chart, 𝑌𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑏 is obtained at B as -
j2.6, it should be cancelled so that we need at A as +j2.6 is added to make 𝑦𝐼𝑁 = 1 − 𝑗2.6 + 𝑗2.6 =
1 for matching.
a) Distance at which the stub can be placed or simply the position of the stub can be given as
𝑑𝑠 = 𝑙4 − 𝑙2 = 0.3020𝜆 − 0.2170𝜆 = 0.085𝜆

b) length of the stub is distance from point c (short circuit end) to point 𝑙3 towards generator is
given as 𝑙𝑠 = 0.25𝜆 + 0.1918𝜆 = 0.4418𝜆

From smith chart, The VSWR on the main transmission line before stub is placed is 9 and VSWR
on the stub is ∝.

Figure 6.5 Smith chart

 4. A phased-array radar has 10 antenna elements that are matched to their feed lines as sketched
in Figure 6.1. All transmission lines are 50 ohm coaxial lines. For the short-circuited stub on the
main line, find the position(s) and length(s) that will maximize power to the antenna array. The
operating frequency is 1 GHz.

Figure 6.1: See problem 4

Solution:

Here, antenna element modelled as a load of 𝑍0 Ω. Therefore,

𝑍𝐿 = 𝑍0 = 50 Ω
Operating frequency is given as,
𝑐
𝑓 = 1 𝐺𝐻𝑧 𝑜𝑟 𝜆 = 𝑓 = 0.3𝑚
The input impedance of each feed line is,
𝑍0 = 50Ω

Load impedance of main feed line (𝑍𝐿 ) = Total input impedance of ten feed lines (𝑍𝑇𝑖𝑛 )

𝑍
𝑍𝐿 = 𝑍𝑇𝑖𝑛 = 100 = 5 Ω
Normalized load impedance,
𝑍 5
𝓏𝐿 = 𝑍𝐿 = 50 = 0.1
0

For parallel stub matching,

1
𝑌𝐿 = 𝒵 = 10
𝐿

The position of stub (ℓ1 ) is found using smith chart in fig.6.6.

ℓ1 = 0.297𝜆 − 0.25𝜆 = 0.047𝜆 = 0.0141𝑚

Using smith chart, 𝑎𝑡 𝑌𝐴 point, 𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑏 is obtained as −𝑗3 . It has to be cancelled we need 𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑏 =
+𝑗3 at point 𝑌𝐵 .
We move from short circuited towards generator. Therefore, we have to travel along the way till
where the line which joins centre of smith chart crossing +𝑗3. The length of stub is obtained as,

ℓ2 = 0.25𝜆 + 0.1982𝜆 = 0.4482𝜆 = 0.1345𝑚

Fig.6.6 Smith chart

 5. If the load impedance of a transmission line is purely reactive, that is, ̅̅̅
𝑍𝐿 = 𝑗𝑎, where 𝑎 is a real
number, can it be matched by adding a shunt susceptance somewhere in the line? Why? Use
impedance transformation formula and/or Smith chart to explain your reasoning.

Solution:

We know that for stub matching, first we move a distance ‘l’ from the load towards the generator to
make the normalized impedance in the form of 1+jX.

Now the load impedance given to us is of the from ̅̅̅𝑍𝐿 = 𝑗𝑎 where 𝑎 is a real number. Let us try to
calculate the impedance at an arbitrary distance ‘l’ from the load towards the generator.
̅̅̅
𝑍𝐿 + 𝑗 tan 𝛽𝑙 𝑗𝑎 + 𝑗 tan 𝛽𝑙 𝑎 + tan 𝛽𝑙
̅̅̅̅
𝑍𝑖𝑛 = = = 𝑗( )
̅̅̅
1 + 𝑗𝑍𝐿 tan 𝛽𝑙 1 + 𝑗(𝑗𝑎) tan 𝛽𝑙 1 − 𝑎 tan 𝛽𝑙
As we can see, the impedance at an arbitrary distance ‘l’ is purely imaginary. So, the impedance will
never be of the form 1+jX. So, it will not be possible to match the impedance by adding a shunt
anywhere in the line.

6. A lossless transmission line of characteristic impedance is used to measure unknown load

impedances. When the line is loaded, the voltage minima are recorded at 𝑧 =
0.72, 2.72, and 4.72 cm on the arbitrarily placed slotted line scale as shown in Figure 6.2. The SWR
is measured to be 1.5. When the load is shorted, the voltage minima are measured at 𝑧 =
0.2, 2.2, and 4.2 cm. Find the load impedance.

Figure 6.2: See problem 6

Solution:

Consider the standing wave patterns as in Figure 6.7. From this, we observe that
𝜆
= 2.72 − 0.72 = 2 cm or λ = 4 cm
2
The load can be located at 0.2 cm or 2.2 cm. If we assume that the load is at 2.2 cm, the load is at a
distance 𝑙 ′ from 𝑉𝑚𝑖𝑛 , where
1.48
𝑙 ′ = 2.20 − 0.72 = 1.48 cm = 𝜆 = 0.37𝜆
4
𝑙 ′ is the distance of 𝑉𝑚𝑖𝑛 toward the generator.

𝑠 = 1.5 circle is drawn as in smith chart of Figure. 6.8. By starting at the location 𝑃′ and moving 0.37𝜆
toward the generator (clockwise) on the WTL scale, we reach the location 𝑄 ′ . The point 𝑄 thus gives

𝑧𝐿 = 0.95 + 0.4𝑗
𝑍𝐿 = 𝑍0 𝑧𝐿 = 47.5 + 20𝑗

0.2 2.2 4.2

0.72 2.72 4.72

𝑙′

𝑍𝐿
Figure 6.7: Wave pattern
Figure 6.8: Smith Chart