UNIT 1

MICROWAVE GENERATORS AND DEVICES

Magic Tee and Attenuator
 Session Meta Data

Author Dr. S. Ramprabhu

Version No 1.0
Release Date 28-07-2021
Reviewer
 Revision History

Date of Revision Details Version Number

28-07-2021 1.0
 Session Objectives
 To study and analyze the working of Magic Tee and
Attenuator
 Session Outcomes
 At the end of the session, students will be able to
 Understand the working of Magic Tee and
Attenuator
 Outline
 Magic Tee Principle

 Application

 Attenuator

 Attenuator Types
Magic Tee
Magic Tee
 Magic Tee Application
• Magic Tee is commonly used for mixing, duplexing and
impedance measurements.
• A particular application requires twice more input power to
an antenna than either transmitter can deliver.
• A magic tee may be used to couple the two transmitters to
the antenna in such a way that the transmitters do not load
each other.
• The two transmitters should be connected to ports 3 and 4
respectively.
• Transmitter 1, connected to port 3, causes a wave to
emanate from port 1 and another to emanate from port 2:
these waves are equal in magnitude but opposite in phase.
 Magic Tee Application
• Similarly, transmitter 2, connected to port 4, gives rise to a
wave at port 1 and another at port 2, both equal in magnitude
and in phase.
• At port 1 the two opposite waves cancel each other.
• At port 2 the two in-phase waves add together; so double
output power at port 2 is obtained for the antenna.

Magic Tee Coupled Transmitters To Antenna

 Attenuator
• Attenuators are passive devices used to control
power levels in a microwave system by partially
absorbing the transmitted signal wave.

• Both fixed and variable attenuators are designed

using resistive films.
 Fixed Attenuator
• A coaxial fixed attenuator uses a film with losses on
the centre conductor to absorb some of the power.

• The fixed waveguide type consists of a thin dielectric

strip coated with resistive film and placed at the
centre of the waveguide parallel to the maximum E –
Field.

• Induced current on the resistive film due to the

incident wave results in power dissipation, leading to
attenuation of microwave energy.
Attenuator
 Variable Attenuator
A variable type attenuator can be constructed by

 Moving the resistive vane by means of micrometer

screw from one side of the narrow wall to the centre
where the E-field is maximum
 By changing the depth of insertion of a resistive vane
at an E –field maximum through a longitudinal slot at
the middle of the broad wall.

A maximum of 90 dB attenuation is possible with

VSWR of 1.05.
The resistive card can be shaped to a linear variation of
attenuation with the depth of insertion.
 Precision Type Attenuator
• It makes use of a circular waveguide section containing a
very thin tapered resistive card (R2), to both sides of which
are connected axisymmetric sections of circular to
rectangular waveguide tapered transitions (RC1 and RC2).
• The center circular section with the resistive card can be
precisely rotated by 360˚ with respect to the two fixed
sections of circular to rectangular waveguide transitions.
• Induced current on the resistive card R2 due to the incident
signal is dissipated as heat producing the attenuation.
• Incident TE10 dominant wave in the rectangular waveguide
is converted to a dominant TE11 mode in the circular
waveguide.
Precision Type Attenuator
 Attenuation
• Attenuation of the incident wave is
or

• The precision rotary attenuator produces attenuation which

depends only on the angle of rotation of the resistive card
with respect to the incident wave polarization.
• Attenuators are normally matched reciprocal devices, so that
and
where the VSWR is measured at the port concerned.
• The S – matrix of an ideal precision rotary attenuator is
 Summary
 Working principles of Magic Tee and Attenuator
 Test Your Understanding
• Explain the different types of attenuators
 References
1.Annapurna Das, Sisir K. Das, "Microwave
Engineering", McGraw Hill, 2nd Edition, 2009.

2. Samuel Y Liao, “Microwave Devices and Circuits”,

Prentice Hall, 3rd Edition, 2000.