Engineering Electromagnetics

Lecture 3-6
Transmission Lines

Hendra J. Tarigan PhD

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 1PhD

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Lumped vs. distributed circuit

Time delay between points

in the circuits is assumed to
be zero.

There is a non-zero time delay

between points in the circuit

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 3PhD

Signal rise time vs. travel time

tr: signal rise time, td= l/v, l: length of the signal path.
v: propagation speed of the EM wave.
In practical design on interconnects between integrated
circuits chips, the signal path can be treated as a lumped
element if tr/td>6. Lumped analysis is not appropriate
for tr/td<2.5. Is a lumped analysis appropriate for
2.5<tr/td<6? It depends on the application and the requirement
for accuracy.
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 4PhD
For applications in high-speed
interconnect circuits:
The on-chip rise time range is:
0.5-2 ns for CMOS technology.
0.02-0.1 ns for GaAs technology.
v within the chip depends on the material used.
Example, v=0.5c for SiO2. c: speed of light.
For on-chip interconnections where l= 1cm,
lumped circuit analysis fails if tr<0.165 ns.
td= l/v=1 cm/0.51c= 0.0653s.
tr/td=0.165/0.0653=2.526.
(Lumped circuit analysis fails if tr/tr<2.5)
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 5PhD
Period vs. travel time

Lumped circuit analysis can be used only if td<<T. When td is comparable

to T, the instantaneous voltage at a certain t further down the line can
be very different from that at the input. For instance for td= 0.5T,
VBB(t)=-VAA(t). In practice td<<0.1T (for a stringent applications: td<<0.01T).
Assuming that the wave propagates at a speed of light, c. For f=60 Hz (T=16.7ms).
0.01T=0.167 ms and c=3x108 m/s give l=50 km where the lumped circuit analysis
can still be used.
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 6PhD
Lumped circuit analysis:
maximum length of transmission line

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 7PhD

Circuit component size vs. λ

I (z,t) changes with time at a fixed position in space

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 8PhD

I (z,t) changes with position at a fixed time t

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan 9PhD

Circuit component size vs. λ
What happens if signals of there different
frequencies are applied across a
2-cm long resistor? (The 2 cm includes
the resistor’s lead).

resistor
For f= 10 GHz, λ=c/f= 3cm. I(z,t) at a fixed time t switches
polarity every λ/2 change in position. Here λ/2=1.5 cm.
The notion of current through the 2-cm long resistor is not
useful because at any given time the polarity of I(z,t) at one
lead of the resistor is different from that of the opposite
end. Even for f=1 GHz, the length of the resistor is only a fraction of
the corresponding wavelength, which is 30 cm. Lumped assumption
is appropriate only for f=100MHz.
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan10PhD
Different categories of electromagnetic
circuits components

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan11PhD

Transmission line equation
Lumped circuit analysis

I(z+Δz,t)

V(z+Δz,t)

z
z+Δz
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan12PhD
Transmission line equations or
telegrapher’s equations

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan13PhD

Step response of infinitely long lossless line R=0, G=0

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan14PhD

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At the load location

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan16PhD

At z=0

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan17PhD

Bounce diagram

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan18PhD

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan19PhD
Step voltage applied to a short-circuited lossless line

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan20PhD

 Rs= Z0/3
= -0.5

=-1

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan21PhD

 Rs=Zo

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan22PhD

 RS=3Z0

= -0.5

=-1

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan23PhD

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan24PhD
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan25PhD
 td

2td
2td 4td
3td
4td

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan26PhD

Open-circuited line
High speed digital logic board
Rs=Z0/4

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan27PhD

President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan28PhD
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan29PhD
President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan30PhD
Single Transmission Line With Resistive Termination

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President University Engineering Electromagnetics 2020-1 Hendra J. Tarigan37PhD