School of Electronics Engineering, KIIT University

School of Electronics Engineering, KIIT-DU

EC 3015 Microwave Engineering 5th Semester (ETC)

Question Bank
Sl. No. Questions
1. What are the frequency ranges of microwave L-band, X-band and Ku-band? Write one
application for each of the above bands for microwave communication.
2. What are the different microwave frequency bands between 1GHz and 30 GHz.
3. What are the frequency ranges of UHF, VHF, Microwave and Millimeterwave? Write
one example of communication for each of the above bands.
4. Draw the field components for propagating Non-TEM mode, TEM mode, TE mode
and TM mode, considering z-direction as the direction of propagation.
5. Draw the diagram of a rectangular waveguide and write the boundary conditions
applied to determine the field solutions inside the guide for TE and TM modes of
propagation.
6. What are the dominant TE and TM modes in a rectangular waveguide? Draw electric
and magnetic field configurations for those dominant modes.
7. Derive the field expressions for a rectangular waveguide for TM modes of
propagation.
8. What are cut-off wavelength and guided wavelength in a waveguide? Establish a
relation between cut-off wavelength and guided wavelength in a waveguide.
9. Prove that in a waveguide phase velocity (vp) and group velocity(vg) are related with
velocity of light (c) by the expression vp x vg = c2.
10. What is cut-off frequency in a waveguide? In a rectangular waveguide from the
expression of phase constant (β), obtain the expression of cut-off frequency.
11. A rectangular waveguide of dimensions 5 cm X 2 cm is used to propagate TM 11 mode
at 10 GHz. Determine the cut-off wavelength and wave impedance.
12. Starting from the electric and magnetic field expressions in a rectangular waveguide,
determine wave impedances at TM mode and TE mode.
13. A rectangular waveguide is filled with a dielectric having dielectric constant of 4. In a
certain mode of propagation for z-directed wave
Ez = 0 and Hx = 3Sin(πx/2b) Cos(3πy/b) Sin (π 10 11t- βz) A/m.
Identify the mode and calculate cut-off frequency of this mode, if b=7.5 mm.
14. What are degenerate modes in a waveguide?
15. An air-filled RWG has dimensions, a=5cm and b=4cm. Calculate two TM modes and
 two TE modes which can propagate through the guide at frequencies below 8 GHz.
16. Derive the expression for phase velocity in a RWG. Draw the variation of phase
velocity with frequency and explain the graph.
17. Draw the diagram of a circular (cylindrical) waveguide (CWG). What are dominant
TE mode and TM mode in a CWG?
18. Draw electric and magnetic field configurations in a circular waveguide for dominant
TE and TM modes.
19. What is an electromagnetic resonator (cavity)? What are the dominant TE and TM
modes in a rectangular cavity?
20. Derive the field expressions for a rectangular waveguide for TE modes of propagation.
21. Determine cut-off frequency, guided wavelength, phase velocity and group velocity
for TE11 mode for 6 GHz signal, propagating through a RWG of dimension 4cmX3cm.
22. A rectangular cavity has dimensions 6cm, 5cm and 4cm along x, y and z axes
respectively. Calculate resonance frequencies for dominant TE and TM modes in the
cavity.
23. Write applications of waveguide and electromagnetic resonator.
24. How quality factor of a rectangular cavity can be estimated?
25. Determine cut-off wavelength, guided wavelength, phase velocity and group velocity
for dominant TE10 mode for 2.5 GHz signal, propagating through a RWG of
dimension 10cmX8cm.
26. A rectangular cavity has dimensions 6cm, 5cm and 4cm along x, y and z axes
respectively. Calculate resonance frequencies for dominant TE and TM modes in the
cavity.
27. What is an electromagnetic resonator (cavity)? What are the dominant TE and TM
modes in a rectangular cavity?
28. Explain in brief the high-frequency limitations of conventional vacuum tubes.
29. What is the limitation of conventional vacuum tubes due to transit time effect?
30. What is a re-entrant cavity?
31. What is Backward Wave Oscillator (BWO)?
32. What are mode jumping and strapping in a Magnetron?
33. Why two-cavity Klystron oscillator is usually not constructed?
34. Explain gain-bandwidth product limitation in conventional vacuum tubes.
35. Explain the working principle of a 2-cavity Klystron amplifier.
36. Obtain the expression for Beam-coupling coefficient for a 2-cavity Klystron amplifier.
37. What is velocity modulation in a Klystron amplifier? Obtain the expression for
bunching parameter in Klystron amplifier.
38. Define gap transit time, gap transit angle, d. c. transit time, d. c. transit angle and depth
of velocity modulation in a Klystron amplifier.
39. A two cavity Klystron operates at 4 GHz with V0 = 1 kV, I0 = 22 mA, cavity gap (L)
of 1 mm and drift space (d) of 3 cm. Find out gap transit angle (θ g), beam coupling
 coefficient (βi) and d.c. transit angle (θ0).
40. Explain velocity modulation in a Reflex Klystron? How condition of oscillation in a
Reflex Klystron can be explained using electronic admittance spiral?
41. What is a multi-cavity Klystron amplifier?
42. A two-cavity Klystron amplifier with separation between buncher and catcher cavities
of 4 cm is operating at 10GHz under d.c. anode voltage of 500V. If r.f. voltage inside
the buncher cavity of gap spacing 2 mm is 2Sinωt Volt and beam coupling coefficient
is 0.95, then calculate d.c. transit angle between the cavities and bunching parameter
of the Klystron.
43. Explain velocity modulation in a Reflex Klystron with the help of Applegate diagram?
How condition of oscillation in a Reflex Klystron can be obtained using electronic
admittance spiral?
44. Explain velocity modulation in a Reflex Klystron with the help of Applegate diagram.
45. Without derivation explain physically and using appropriate diagram that how
oscillation in a Reflex Klystron can be explained using Electronic admittance spiral.
46. Explain the principle of operation of a Magnetron Oscillator. Derive HULL cut-off
magnetic field equation. What are mode jumping and strapping in a Magnetron?
47. An eight cavity Magnetron oscillator of anode radius ‘a’ and cathode radius ‘b’ is
operated at π-mode. Derive the expression for cyclotron frequency and find out the
mode number of oscillation.
48. What is π-mode in a Magnetron? Find out the mode number for a Magnetron
operating at π-mode.
49. What do you mean by ‘Strapping’ in a Magnetron Oscillator?
50. A magnetron oscillator having cathode radius of 5 cm and vane edge to centre radius
of 10 cm operates with anode voltage of 26 KV, beam current of 27 Amp and
magnetic flux density of 0.336 Wb/m2. Calculate cyclotron angular frequency, cut-off
voltage and cut-off magnetic flux density.
51. What are slow wave structures? Explain the working principle of travelling wave tube
(TWT).
52. How a backward wave oscillator (BWO) operates? Why is it called ‘backward wave’?
53. What is negative differential mobility in transferred electron devices (TEDs)?
54. Explain current control mode and voltage controlled mode in a transferred electron
device (TED).
55. What is Gunn effect? Describe the two-valley model theory for n-type GaAs and
derive the condition for negative resistance.
56. What are the different modes of operation of Gunn diode?
57. Describe with diagram the working principle of IMPATT Diode.
58. Explain principle of operation of a PIN diode. Why ‘I’ region is used in a PIN diode?
59. Explain the construction and principle of operation of Bolometer?
60. Define S-parameters for a 2-port microwave network.
61. Explain the principle of operation of E-plane Tee and H-plane Tee.
62. Write down the scattering matrix of a Magic Tee with suitable diagram.
63. What is a phase shifter?
64. Explain the design principle of a waveguide directional coupler. A 2 Watt power
source is connected with the input of a directional coupler with coupling factor 15 dB
and Dirdctivity 35 dB. Find the output powers in dBm at the through, coupled and
isolated ports. Assume all the ports are matched.
65. What is a waveguide directional coupler ? Derive the S-matrix of the directional
coupler. In a waveguide directional coupler, during measurement, it is found that
power measured in VSWR meter at the input port is -30dB, at the output port is -
32.5dB and at the coupled port is -40dB. Find out insertion loss and coupling factor.
66. Describe the working principle of a variable attenuator.
67. What is a crystal detector?
68. What is a matched termination?
69. Explain working principle of 3-port circulator. What are its applications?
70. Find out S-matrix of a 3-port circulator.
71. How a Rat race ring power divider works?
72. Write down the scattering matrix of E-plane and H-plane Tees with suitable diagrams.
73. What is Magic Tee? Write down S-matrix for a Magic Tee.
74. What is Faraday rotation? Explain with necessary diagram the design principle of an
Isolator.
75. Find out the scattering matrix of a Rat race ring power divider?
76. Describe the Memhod of measurement of antenna radiation pattern.
77. What are the different methods of measuring microwave power?
78. How unknown microwave frequency can be measured?
79. Explain any method of measuring unknown impedance.
80. How unknown frequency can be measured using direct reading frequency meter
(DRFM)?

JS Roy
Course Coordinator