International Journal of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

ISSN 0974-2174 Volume 4, Number 1 (2011), pp.75-94

© International Research Publication House
http://www.irphouse.com

Smith Chart and its Applications

Arun Kumar Tiwari

Head of Department, Electronics & Communication Engineering Branch,

Ganeshi Lal Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management, Plot No. 2,
Knowledge Park-III, Greater NOIDA-201306, U.P., India

Abstract

The Smith chart is one of the most useful graphical tools for high frequency
circuit applications. The chart provides a clever way to visualize complex
functions and it continues to endure popularity decades after its original
conception. From a mathematical point of view, the Smith chart is simply a
presentation of all possible complex impedances with respect to coordinates
defined by the reflection coefficient or it can be defined mathematically as one
port scattering parameter S11. The domain of definition of the reflection
coefficient is a circle of radius 1 in the complex plane. This is also the domain
of the Smith chart. A Smith chart is a circular plot with lot of interlaced circles
on it; when used correctly, matching impedances with apparent complicated
structures can be made without any computations. The only effort required is
the reading and following of values along the circles.

Types of Smith Chart

There are mainly two kinds of Smith chart, the impedance or the Z-Smith chart and
the other one admittance or the Y-Smith chart. The superposition of Z or Y-Smith
chart gives the Z-Y Smith chart or the complete smith chart. In matching or in
designing circuits it is convenient to overlay the impedance Z-Smith Chart and
admittance Y- Smith Chart called the Impedance Admittance Z-Y Smith Chart which
is basically the superimposition of the individual Z-Smith Chart and Y-Smith Chart.
The figure below shows a Z-Y Smith Chart. Impedance and admittance charts are
used to calculate the component values needed for device in different parts of the
impedance matching circuit.
76 Arun Kumar Tiwari

Figure B1: A Complete Smith chart.

Development of a Smith Chart

A Smith chart is developed by examining the load where the impedance must be
matched. Instead of considering its impedance directly, you express its reflection
coefficient L, which is used to characterize a load (such as admittance, gain, and
trans conductance). The L is more useful when dealing with RF frequencies. We
know the reflection coefficient is defined as the ratio between the reflected voltage
wave and the incident voltage wave:

Figure B2: Impedance at the load.

The amount of reflected signal from the load is dependent on the degree of
mismatch between the source impedance and the load impedance. Its expression has
been defined as follows:
Smith Ch
harrt and
a d itss App
A pliccatiion
ns 7
77

Beecauusee thhe im mpeedaances aree com

c mpllex x nuum
mbeers, th
he refl
r flecctio
on coe
c effficientt will
w l bee a
coommplex nu um
mberr as w ll. In ord
a wel derr to
o reedu he nu
ucee th umbberr off unk
u knoown n para
p am meteers, itt iss
usefful to freeezze thet e onness th
hatt ap
ppeear offtenn an
nd are com
c mmmon n inn th
he app
a pliccattion
n. He
Here Zo
(tthee chharraccterristtic im o en a co
mpeedaancce) iss ofte onsttan
nt and
a d a rear al ind
i dusttryy norm
n maalizzed d
valu ue, su
uch h ass 50
5 , 75 5 , 100 0 , an nd 60 00 . WeW can n the
t n def d finee a norm maalizzed lo
oad d
mp
im pedancce by y:

With this sim

Wi s mpllifiicattion
n, we
we caan rew
wriite thee reefleecttion
n coe
c efficcieent forrm
mulaa as:
a

Heere wew can seee the t dired ect reelattionnshhip betw weeen th he loaad im mpeedaancce an nd itss
reefleecttion c efficieent.. Unf
n coe U forttun nateely
y, th
he co omp pleex natturre of on is not usef
o thee reelaatio u full
prraccticcallly, so
o we
w can
c n use
u the Sm Smith h chharrt as
a a ty ypee of
o gra
g aphhicaal rep
r ressen ntattion
n of
o the
t e
abbov ve eqquaatioon.
Too buuildd the
t ch harrt, the
t e eq quaatio
on mu ustt bee reew
writtten
n too extr
e racct stan ndaard
d geeommetriccall
fiigu
uress (llikee circ
c cless orr sttray
y linees).

F st, equ
Firs e uatiion
n B.3
B is rev d to giv
verrsed g e

nd
an

Byy seettiing
g th
he rea
r al par
p rts andd th
he im
mag
ginary
y part
p ts of
o equ
e uattion
n B.5
B 5 eq
quaal, wee obta
o ainn
wo indep
tw pen ndeentt, new
n w reelaatio
onsh
hip
ps:
78 A un Ku
Aru uma
ar Tiw
wa
ari

Equaatio
Eq on isi the
t en ma
manippullateed by
y dev
d elo oping eq quaatio
onss B.8
B thhrouugh
h B.1
B 13 inti to the
t e
fiinaal equ
e uatiion n, B.14.. Thi
T is equ
e uattionn is
i a rel r ationshiip in th he forrm
m of a par
p ram mettricc
eqquaatioon (xx-a)) 2 + (y-
( b) 2 = R2 ini the
t e co
ommpleex plaanee ( r,, i) i of
o a circ
c cle ceenteereed at
a the
t e
cooorrdiinattess (r/ +1, 0) an
r/r+ nd hav
h vinng a raadiiuss off 1//1+
+r.

F gurre B3
Fig B giiven
n belo
b oww giivees in
i dep
d pth
h deetaiils..

Figu
F uree B3:
B : The
T po oin
nts sittuated d on
o a circ
c cle aree alla thee immp peddanncess cha
c araccterrized by ya
saam
me rea r al imp
i ped danncee part
p t valu
v ue. Fo or exxam mplle, thee circ
c cle, R = 1, 1 is
i cen
c nteered
d at
a the
t e
cooorrdiinattess (0
0.5, 0)
0 and
a d has r dius of
h a rad o 0.50 5. It
I in des th
ncllud he poi
p int (0 0, 0),
0 wh hich is
i the
t e
reefleecttionn zero
z o poin
p nt (th he loa
l ad is
i ma
match hedd with
w h th he chharaactteriistiic imp
i ped danncee). A shoortt
ciircuuitt, as
a a looad
d, pres
p sen nts a circ
c clee ceenttereed at thee co
oorrdiinaate (0,, 0)) an
nd haas a raadiius off
1. For
F an n ope
o en-ccirccuiit loa
l ad, thee circ
c cle deegeeneerattes to o a sin nglle poi
p int (ccen
nterred
d att 1, 0
annd wiith a rad diu
us of
o 0).
0 Th his co
orreesp
ponndss too a maaxiimu um
m reefleecttion n coe
c fficcieent off 1, att
w ch thee enti
whi e ire inccidden nt wav
w ve is ref
r flecctedd to
otaally
y.
Smith Ch
harrt and
a d itss App
A pliccatiion
ns 7
79

Mov
M vinng on,
o , we
w use
u e equations B.1
B 15 thr
t rough h B.18
8 to o fu
urttherr dev op equattion B.7
d velo B 7 in
nto
o
an
nottheer par
p ram
metrric eq
quaatio
on. Th
his resullts in eq
quattion B.1
B 19.

Aggainn, B.199 iss a para

p am metrric eqquaatio
on off th
he ty
ype (xx-aa)2 + (yy-b))2 = R2 in
n the
t e
coom
mplex pllane ( r, r i) off a ciirclle cen
c ntered d at
a the
t cooorrdin
nattes (1
1, 1/x
1 x) and
a d havi
h ingga
raadiius off 1//x.
F gurre B.4
Fig B 4 giveen bel
b low
w give
g es in dep pthh deta
d ailss

Figu
F uree B4:
B : The
T po oin
nts sittuated
d on
o a circ
c cle aree all
a thee im mppeddanncess cha
c araccterrized byya
saam
me ima
i agiinaary im mpeedaancce par
p rt valu
v ue x. Fo or exam mple, thee circcle x = 1 iss cen
c terred att
cooorrdiinatte (1, 1)) an
nd haas a raadiu
us of 1. Alll circ
c cles (ccon nsttant x)
x innclludde the
t e pooinnt (1, 0).
0
D feriing
Diff g with
w h the reeal paart cirrclees, x caan beb po osittive or
o neg gattivee. Th
his exxplaainns the
t e
duuplicatee mirr
m rorred d ciircless at
a the
t bo ottomm side
s e of o thee com
c mpllex x plan
p ne. AllA thee circc clee
ceentterss are
a plaaceed ono thee vert
v ticaal axi
a is, int
i terssecctin
ng the
t e po oin
nt 1.
1

To
o co
ommpleete ou
ur Sm
Smith h ch harrt, wee su
upeerim
mpposse the
t tw wo cirrclees' fam
milliess. It
I can
c n th
hen
n
be see
s n tha
t t all
a of o the
t e ciirclless off onne fam
miily wiill int
i erssect all
a ofo thee ciircless off th
he oth
herr
faam
mily
y. Kno
K owwing g the
t im mpeedaancce, in n thhe forrm off r + jx, thhe co
orreespponndinng refleectiion
n
80 A un Ku
Aru uma
ar Tiw
wa
ari

cooeffficciennt can
n be
b detd termminnedd. It
I is
i onl
o ly nec
n cesssarry to fin
nd the
t e innterrseectiion
n po
oinnt of
o the
t e
tw
wo cirrcles co orreespon ndin ng to thee valu
v uess r and
a d x.
x
Thhe rev
r versse ope
o eraatioon is als
a so pos
p ssibblee. Kno
K owwing g th
he refflecctio
on cooeffficiien
nt, fin
f nd the
t e
wo circlles intterrsecctin
tw ng at thaat poi
p int annd reaad thee corrresp
ponndiingg valu
v uess r and d x on
o the
t e
ciircless. The
T e prrocced duree for
fo thiis is as
a foll
f lowws:
• DetD term mine the im mppeddannce ass a spo o thee Smi
ot on S ith h ch
harrt.
• FinF nd the
t e reefleectiion
n co
oeffficcien
nt ( ) foor the
t e im
mpeedaancce.
• HavH vin ng the
t e ch harracterristic im
imped dan
ncee annd , finnd the immp peddannce.
• ConC nveert the im mppeddannce to ad dmittaancce.
• FinF nd the
t e eqquivallen nt im
mpped dannce.
• FinF nd the
t e coommponen nt val
v luees for
f thee wan
w nteed refl
r lecctioon coe
c effiicieentt.

Work
Wo kin
ng with
w h Ad
Adm
mitttan
ncce
Thee Sm
T mitth chartt is bu uiltt by con
c nsid derring
g imp
i ped danncee (rresiisto
or and d reac
r ctaancce).. Onc
O ce thet e
Smiith ch hartt iss bu
uillt, it
i can
c n bee useu d tot ana
a alyyze thhesee para
p am meteers in n bo oth
h th
he serriess and
a d
paraalleel wo
w rld ds. Ad ddiing g ellem
men nts in
n a serries iss straaighhtfforwwarrd. New
N w elem men ntss caan bee
adddeed an nd th heirr effe
e ectts deterrmiineed by y sim
s mply y momoving alon ng th he cirrclee tot theirr
reesp
pecctivve valluees. Ho owwevver,, sum mmming g elem
e meentss in i parrallel iss ano a theer maatteer. Th hiss
reequ
uirees co onsiideerinng ad ddittion nall para
p am meteers. Oft
O ten it is eaasier to work w k witw th paaralllell
ellem
men nts in
n th
he adm
a mitttan ncee worl
w ld.
We kno
We k ow thaat, by y deefin nittion
n, Y = 1/Z
1 an nd Z = 1/Y1 Y. The
T e ad dm
mitttance is expreesssed d inn
m os or
mho o -1 -
(in earrlieer tim
t mes it waas expe preesseed as Siem men ns or
o S).
S And, ass Z iss co ommpleex,,
Y mus
m st also
a o be comc mpllex x.
Th
hereefoore,, Y = G + jB B (B.
( 20), wh herre G is caalleed "ccon nduuctaancce"" and
a d B the t e
"ssussceeptaancce" off thhe eleemeentt. It's im mpo ortaantt to
o ex
xerrcisse cau
c utioon,, th
hou ughh. By
B follo owiing g
th
he log gical asssum mptio on, wee can co onccludde thaat G = 1/R
1 R an nd B = 1/X X. Th his,, ho
owwev ver,, iss
not thee caasee. If
I thhiss asssuump ptioon is useed,, th
he resu
r ultts will
w l be in ncoorrrectt.
When
Wh n wor
w rkiing g with
w h ad dmmitttance,, th he first thi
t ng th hat wee mum st do is no ormmallizee y =
Y Yo. Th
Y/Y his reesullts in n y = g + jb. j So o, whhat haapp penns tot thee reeflecttion n coe
c effiicieentt? ByBy
w rkin
wor ng thrrou ughh thhe fol
f low win ng:

It tur
t rns ou
ut tha
t at th
he ex
xpresssion
n for
f G is th
he opp
o possitee, in
i sig
s gn, off z, an
nd (y)
( =-
(zz).
If wee know z, wee can in nveert the
t e siignns of
o and find
f d a poin
p nt situ
s uatted he sam
d att th mee
distaancce fro
om (0
0, 0),
0 but
b t in
n th
he opp
o positee dire
d ectiionn. Thi
T is sam
s me ressultt caan bee ob
btaaineed by
y
otaatin
ro ng an
a anglee 180° arou
a und d th
he cennteer poi
p int (seee Fig
F gurre B.5
B 5).
Smith Ch
harrt and
a d itss App
A pliccatiion
ns 8
81

F gurre B5
Fig B : Res
R sultts of
o the
t e 18
80°° ro
otaatio
on.

Off coourrsee, wh
whilee Z and 1//Z do o rep
r pressen
nt the me comp
t e saam ponnennt, the newn w pointt
apppeearrs as
a a diffferren nt imp
i ped dan
ncee (tthee neew
w valuue haas a diff
d fereentt pooinnt in
i thee Sm
S ith h
chharrt and
a d a diffeeren nt ref
r flecctio
on valuee, and
a d soo fort
fo th).. This
T s occuurss beecaausse the
t e pllot is ann
im
mp pedancce plo ot. Bu ut the
t e neew po oin
nt iss, in
i fac
f ct, an
a admiittaance. Th
Thereefo ore,, th
he val
v luee reead
d
on the
t e chharrt has
h s to o beb rea
r ad as mho
m s. Alltho ouggh thiis meethod is suuffiicieentt fo
or maakiingg
coonvverrsio
onss, it
i doesn n't work f deeteerm
k for mining g circ
c cuit reso
r olu
utioon wh henn dea
d alinng with h
ellem
men nts in
n paaraalleel.

T e Ad
The Adm
mitttan
ncce Sm
Smitth Ch
haartt
In
n thhe preeviiou
us disc
d cusssioon, we
w saws w that
t t everry pointt on n th
he im
mpeedaance Sm Smith
h chharrt can
c n
be con
c nveerteed innto itss adm
a mitttanncee coounnteerpaartt by
y tak
t king 1 0° rottatiion
g a 180 n arou
a und d the
t e
orrig
gin off thhe comc mp plexx plan
p ne.. Thu
T us, an n addmmittancce Sm mitth cha
c art caan beb ob btaineed by y
ro
otaatin
ng the
t e who
w ole immpeedancee SmiS ith h ch
harrt by
b 1801 0°. Th his is ex
xtreemmely y co
onvven
nieent,, ass itt
ellim
minnatees thee nec
n esssityy of
o bui
b ildiing
g ano
a otheer chartt. The
T e in nteerseectting
g poi
p nt off alll the
t e
nsttant con
ciircless (ccon c ndu uctaanccess and c nstaant su
a d con usccep
ptanncees) iss at
a the
t e poin
p nt (-1, 0))
auuto
omaticallly.. Wit
W th th hat pllot, add
a dinng eleem ments in n para
p alleel alsso beeco ommes eaasiier.
M theemaaticcallly, th
Mat he con
c nstrrucctio
on of
o thee addmmitttancce Smmithh cha
c art isi cre
c eateed by:

hen
th n, rev
r erssing
g th
he eq
quaatio
on:
82 Arun Kumar Tiwari

Next, by setting the real and the imaginary parts of equation B.24 equal, we obtain
two new, independent relationships:

By developing equation B.25, we get the following,

which again is a parametric equation of the type (x-a)2 + (y-b)2 = R2 (equation B.33)
in the complex plane ( r, i) of a circle with its coordinates centered at (-g/g+1, 0)
and having a radius of 1/(1+g).
Furthermore, by developing equation B.26, we show that:

which is again a parametric equation of the type (x-a)2 + (y-b)2 = R2 (equation B.38).
Smith Chart and its Applications 83

Facts about Smith Chart

One circuit of the SMITH chart is only half a wavelength:
We remember that the SMITH chart is a polar plot of the complex reflection
coefficient, which represents the ratio of the complex amplitudes of the backward and
forward waves. Imagine the forward wave going past you to a load or reflector, then
traveling back again to you as a reflected wave. The total phase shift in going there
and coming back is twice the phase shift in just going there. Therefore, there is a full
360 degrees or 2 pi radians of phase shift for reflections from a load HALF a
wavelength away. If you now move the reference plane a further HALF wavelength
away from the load, there is an additional 360 degrees or 2 pi radians of phase shift,
representing a further complete circuit of the complex reflection (SMITH) chart. Thus
for a load a whole wavelength away there is a phase shift of 720 degrees or 4 pi
radians, as the round trip is 2 whole wavelengths. Thus in moving back ONE whole
wavelength from the load, the round trip distance is actually increasing by TWO
whole wavelengths, so the SMITH chart is circumnavigated twice.

Smith Chart: graphical representation

Mathematical Basis of the Smith Chart
84 Arun Kumar Tiwari

Smith Chart: Impedance Coordinates

Smith Chart: Admittance Coordinates

Smith Chart: Constant Impedance Phase Angle Circles

Smith Chart and its Applications 85

Smith Chart: Constant VSWR circles

Smith Chart: Constant Impedance Magnitude Circles

Smith Chart: for Multiplication, Division, Squares, and Square Roots

Unary Operators
• squares a 2
• square roots a
• tangents tan Ө
• cotangents cot Ө
• inverse tangents tan-1 a
• inverse cotangents cot-1 a
86 A un Ku
Aru uma
ar Tiw
wa
ari

Binary
B y Op
O era ato
orss
• mu
m ltip
pliccattion
na•b
• div
d isio
on c/aa
• geo
g omeetrric me
meann √ab

Smith
Sm h Ch
Charrt:: A Nom
N mo
og
gra
am
m fo
or Mat
M th C
Calcu
ula
atio
ons

Thhe steereo ogrrapphic repr preesen ntaatio

ons ofo thet e com
c mpllex x plan
p ne arre ob btaiined by y reeall
coonsstru ucttion
ns. InsI steaad,, thet e com mpplex x an nalogue of o th he reeprressentation n off thet e
trrigo
ono ommetrric fuuncttions co ould d be
b use
u ed, inn whicch thee taang gennt of
o an
a anglee iss thhe poi
p int off
innterrseectiion
n off th
he rad
r dius of
o thet un nit cirrclee prrollon
nged tot inte
i ersectt th
he ver
v rticcal tan
ngeentt att
x==1. The
T e basi
b ic rep preesen ntaatio
on ho oldss th
hatt thhe x-p pro
ojecctioon off th
he raddiu
us isi , and
a d
thhat th he y-pro ojeectiionn iss . The
T e comc mp plexx equ
e uiv valeent of this
t s mamapping g nee
n edss a
coommplex an nglle to work k wit
w th, an nd ou ughht to co orreesp
ponnd to th he poolarr ster
s reo ograaphhicc
prrojjecttio
on rat
r therr than
t n the t e centtraal ster
s reo ograaph hicc proj
p jecctio on. Inn th
he foorm
mer caasee, the
t e
m dullus off th
mod he pro
p ojecctio t n Θ / 2 r thaan tan
on is rattheer tan t n Θ , so
s the
t e suugg
gesstedd map
m ppiingg iss
W = taan Θ / 2 . But B Co onsstan nt

affterr in
ntro
odu
uciing
g th
he abb
a breeviaatio
on .
Smith Ch
harrt and
a d itss App
A pliccatiion
ns 8
87

F gurre: co
Fig onto
ourrs of
o geeneeraate a use
u full no
ommog
gram
m, thee Smi
S ith
h Ch
harrt.

Figu
F uree B6:
B : Con
C ntouur plo
p ots forr th
hiss map
m ppin ng coonsttitu
ute no
ommog
gramms wh hicch, affterr haaviing
g
been
n lab
l beleed an nd draw
d wn arti a sticcallly,, are
a knok wn n as
a Sm mitth Chharrts.. The
T ey arre off
co
onssid
deraablle use
u e in
n trranssm
misssionn liinee th
heo
ory, an
nd aree use w thout thee faactor i.
u d wit

Onne greeat ad dvaanttagee ofo thi

t s rep
r ressen ntattion
n is that
t t thhe wh r ght haalf--plaanee, the
holle rig t e
one who
w ose nu um
mbeers haavee pos p sitiive reeal partts, is map
m pped intto thee uniu it circ
c clee, the
t e
im
magin narry axi
a is tak
t king g up
u resr sideencce onn itss circ
c cummfeeren
ncee. Th
T e rea
r l axis
a s map
m ps int i to the
t e
reeal axxiss, but
b t give
g en th hat infin nity
y map
m ps into 1, th he wh holle coord din
natee grid
g d of o lin ness
paraalleel to
t thee real
r l and
a d to o th
he immag gin
nary a s end
y axi e ds up p ass twoo fam
families off mut
m tuaally y
orrth
hog
gon nal cirrclees, alll paasssing
g th
hroouggh 1.

Moviing
Mo g alo
a ong
g thee Sm
Smith
h cha
c art
88 Arun Kumar Tiwari

Figure B 7: Movement along the Smith chart.

Problem solving using Smith chart

Given below are the basic Smith Chart techniques for loss-less transmission lines:
• Given Z(d), Find Γ(d)
• Given Γ(d), Find Z(d)
• Given ΓR and ZR, Find Γ(d) and Z(d)
• Given ΓR and ZR, Find the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
• Given Z(d), Find Y(d)
• Its use for solving line admittances
• Its use in finding Q-factor

Given Z(d), Find Γ(d)

1. Normalize the impedance
Z (d ) R X
z (d ) = = +j = r + jx
Zo Zo Zo

2. Find the circle of constant normalized resistance r

3. Find the arc of constant normalized reactance x
4. The intersection of the two curves indicates the reflection coefficient in the
complex plane.

The chart provides directly the magnitude and the phase angle of Γ(d). Example:
Find Γ(d),
Given Zd=25 +j100 with Z0 =50 Ω
Smith Chart and its Applications 89

Given Γ(d), Find Z(d)

1. Determine the complex point representing the given reflection coefficient G(d)
on the chart.
2. Read the values of the normalized resistance r and of the normalized reactance
x that correspond to the reflection coefficient point.
3. The normalized impedance is z(d) = r + j x and the actual impedance is
Z(d) = Zo. z(d) = Zo.(r + jx) = Zo.r + j Zo.x

Given ΓR and ZR, Find Γ(d) and Z(d)

The magnitude of the reflection coefficient is constant along a loss-less transmission
line terminated by a specified load, since
| Γ(d ) |=| ΓR exp(− j 2 βd ) |=| ΓR |

Therefore, on the complex plane, a circle with center at the origin and radius | R|
represents all possible reflection coefficients found along the transmission line. When
the circle of constant magnitude of the reflection coefficient is drawn on the Smith
chart, one can determine the values of the line impedance at any location. The
graphical step-by-step procedure is:
1. Identify the load reflection coefficient R and the normalized load impedance
ZR on the Smith chart.
2. Draw The magnitude of the reflection coefficient is constant along a the circle
of constant reflection coefficient amplitude | Γ(d)| =| ΓR|.
90 Arun Kumar Tiwari

3. Starting from the point representing the load, travel on the circle
2Π
Θ = 2 βd = 2 d
λ

The new location on the chart corresponds to location d on the transmission line.
Here, the values of Γ(d) and Z(d) can be read from the chart as before.
Example: Given Z R = 25 + j100Ω with Zo = 50Ω find Z(d) and Γ(d) for d = 0.18λ

Given ΓR and ZR, Find the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
The Voltage standing Wave Ratio or VSWR is defined as
V max 1+ | ΓR |
VSWR = =
V min 1− | ΓR |

The normalized impedance at a maximum location of the standing wave pattern is

given by
1 + Γ(d max ) 1+ | ΓR |
z (d max ) = = = VSWR!
1 − Γ(d max ) 1− | ΓR |

This quantity is always real and 1 . The VSWR is simply obtained on the Smith
chart, by reading the value of the (real) normalized impedance, at the location dmax
where i s real and positive.
Smith Chart and its Applications 91

The graphical step-by-step procedure is:

1. Identify the load reflection coefficient R and the normalized load impedance
ZR on the Smith chart.
2. Draw the circle of constant reflection coefficient amplitude | Γ(d)| =| ΓR|.
3. Find the intersection of this circle with the real positive axis for the reflection
coefficient (corresponding to the transmission line location dmax).
4. A circle of constant normalized resistance will also intersect this point. Read
or interpolate the value of the normalized resistance to determine the VSWR.

Example
Find the VSWR for ZR1 = 25 + j100 Ω ; ZR2 = 25 – j100 Ω (Zo = 50 Ω)

Given Z(d), Find Y(d)

The normalized impedance and admittance are defined as
1 + Γ(d )
z (d ) =
1 − Γ(d )
1 − Γ( d )
y (d ) =
1 + Γ( d )
sin ce,
λ
Γ ( d + ) = −Γ ( d )
4
λ
1 + Γ(d + )
λ 4 = 1 − Γ( d ) = y (d )
⇒ z (d + ) =
4 λ 1 + Γ( d )
1 − Γ( d + )
4
92 Arun Kumar Tiwari

λ
It is important to note equality z (d + ) = y (d ) which is valid for normalized
4
impedance and admittance. The actual values are given by
λ λ
Z (d + ) = Zo.z (d + )
4 4
y (d )
Y (d ) = Yo. y (d ) =
Zo

Where, Y0=1 /Z0 is the characteristic admittance of the transmission line.

The graphical step-by-step procedure is:
1. Identify the load reflection coefficient R and the normalized load impedance
ZR on the Smith chart.
2. Draw the circle of constant reflection coefficient amplitude | Γ(d) | = | ΓR |.
3. The normalized admittance is located at a point on the circle of constant | Γ |
which is diametrically opposite to the normalized impedance

Example
Given ZR = 25 + j100 Ω with Zo = 50 Ω, find YR

Calculation of line admittances

By shifting the space reference to the admittance location, one can move on the chart
just reading the numerical values as representing admittances. Let’s review the
impedance-admittance terminology:
Impedance = Resistance + j Reactance, Z = R + jX
Admittance = Conductance + j Susceptance, Y = G + jB
Smith Chart and its Applications 93

On the impedance chart, the correct reflection coefficient is always represented by

the vector corresponding to the normalized impedance. Charts specifically prepared
for admittances are modified to give the correct reflection coefficient in
correspondence of admittance.

Since related impedance and admittance are on opposite sides of the same Smith
chart, the imaginary parts always have different sign. Therefore, a positive (inductive)
reactance corresponds to a negative (inductive) susceptance, while a negative
(capacitive)reactance corresponds to a positive (capacitive) susceptance. Numerically,
we have
z = r + jx
1
y = g + jb =
r + jx
r − jx r − jx
y= = 2
(r + jx)(r − jx) r + x 2
r −x
g= 2 ,b = 2
r +x 2
r + x2

Calculation of Q-factor
After having located the impedance the Q-factor can be directly read off from the
Smith Chart as mentioned below:

If using an impedance Z-Smith Chart

Qn=|x|/r, where, Qn is the nodal quality factor and Z=r+jx is the normalized
impedance.
94 Arun Kumar Tiwari

In order to derive this consider,

So by dividing these two equations we get Qn.

If using the admittance Y-Smith Chart
Qn=|b|/g where, Qn is the nodal quality factor and Y=g+jb is the normalized
admittance.
In order to derive this consider,

So by dividing these two equations we get Qn.

References

[1] Mysteries of the Smith Chart, Stephen D. Stearns, K6OIK,Chief Technologist,

TRW Firestorm Wireless Communication Products, stearns@ieee.org
[2] Electronic Applications of the Smith Chart: In Waveguide, Circuit, and
Component Analysis, by Phillip H. Smith. Hardcover - 263 pages 2nd edition
(October 2000
[3] Advanced Automated Smith Chart, Version 3.0: Software and User's Manual,
by Leonard Schwab (March 1998).
[4] Electronic Applications Of The Smith Chart: In Waveguide, Circuit, And
Component Analysis by Phillip H. Smith
[5] "Smith chart Tutorial," by Dr. Russell P. Jedlicka, Klipsch School of Electrical
and Computer Engineering, New Mexico State University, September 2002

Internet URL’s

[6] http://www.sss-mag.com/smith.html
[7] http://www.microwaves101.com/encylopedia/Smithchart.cfm
[8] http://www.sss-mag.com/smith.html#tutor