RF Fundamentals Seminar

Part 2: RF Transmission Characteristics

RF Transmission Characteristics
► Topics
 Transmission Lines
 Wavelength
 Impedance

2 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

What is RF?
► RF: Radio Frequency
► Frequencies from ~3 kHz to ~300 GHz (according to Wikipedia)
► Some commonly used terms:
 RF: < 6 GHz
 Microwave: 6 GHz - 30 GHz
 mmWave: > 30 GHz

3 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

RF Transmission

► Transmission A B

► RF (Radio Frequency) A B

B
► Circuit  Transmission Line
A

4 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Lines?
► Transmission line is a physical path that is designed to handle RF signals.

► Would a clip lead work for connecting RF signals?

 Maybe, if the wavelength of RF signal is long in
comparison to the length of the wires, then it could work.
Wavelength > wire length = OK

 If the wavelength is short in comparison to line length, then

we can’t use clip lead but must use a ‘transmission lines.’
Wavelength < wire length = Transmission Line

5 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Lines
 Low Frequency  High Bandwidth Why Different type?
 Low Cost  Easy to use
Cost
-Material
-Construction
-Assembly
Twisted-pair Coax

Power Handling
-Voltage or Current
Microstrip Waveguide -Power Loss

Frequency
-Frequency Range
 High Bandwidth  High Frequency -Bandwidth
 Small Size  High Power -Isolation
 Easy to create  Low Bandwidth

6 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Line – Basics

+ +

Transmission
Source Load
Line
-- --
Twisted-pair
Where does the current travel?
Current travels on the Surface
Coaxial Cable of the Conductors

Search ‘Skin Depth’

for more information

Microstrip

7 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Frequency and Wavelength
Application Frequency (Hz) Wavelength (meters) 1/4 Wavelength (meters)
Electrical outlet AC 60 5,000,000 (3107 miles) 1,250,000 (776.75 miles)
Human Voice 2,000 152,500 38,125
AM Radio 530,000 566 141.5 Car Antenna
VHF Television 54,000,000 5 1.25
FM Radio 88,000,000 3 Wi-Fi Router Older Cell Phone Antenna
0.75
Cell Phone 824,000,000 0.3 (30 cm) 0.075 (7.5 cm)
Wi-Fi 2.4 2,400,000,000 0.13 (13 cm)
0.0325 (3.25 cm)
Satellite TV 11,750,000,000 0.02 (2 cm)
0.005 (5 mm)
Wi-Fi USB Adapters
300 kHz 1000 m 250 m
f = c / l > l = c / f 3 MHz 100 m 25 m
30 MHz 10 m 2.5 m
300 MHz 1m 25 cm
1 GHz 30 cm
Antenna:
7.5 cm
3 GHz 10 cm ¼ Wavelength
2.5 cm
30 GHz 1 cm 10 mm

8 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Line – Wavelength
Wavelength l
¼l?
Transmission Lines
close to ¼ l
Make great antennas

Distance (x)

Rule of thumb:
Use transmission line theory
when line length is more than
~10% of wavelength

RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Line – Wavelength vs Line Length
Low Frequency – Large wavelength High Frequency – Small wavelength

Source Load

Line Length X

Low Frequency High Frequency

Wavelength >> wire length Wavelength ≤ length of transmission line
- Measured voltage not dependent on position - Measured voltage dependent on position along line
along the wire. - The Transmission lines Impedance (Zo) is important
- Voltage travels down wires easily for efficient match to get a low reflection and maximum power
power transmission. transfer.

10 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

What Defines Transmission Lines?
► Main feature of a transmission line is characteristic
impedance, Z0

Z0 = R + jX
► The characteristic impedance is that it is uniform
R  jL
along the length of the line. Z0 
G  jC

► Capacitance and inductance determine the

transmission line’s characteristic impedance, Z0 L
Z0 
C

11 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Impedance
Capacitor

1 (−𝑗)
Z = R + jX Z = Xc = =
𝑗ω𝐶 ω𝐶
Z = Impedance (ratio of Voltage/Current) Reminder   2 p f

R = Resistance (real) Inductor

X = Reactance (imaginary)
Z = XL = jL
Mathemeticians use i for −1

Engineers use j because i is for current!

12 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Resistance vs Reactance
The current through a resistor is
proportional to the voltage across it,
V0 I(t) V(t) and the voltage across it is
proportional to the current through it

Capacitors resist any instantaneous

V0 I(t) V(t) changes in voltage.

Inductors resist any instantaneous

V0 I(t) V(t) changes in current.

13 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Reactance and Sinusoidal Signals

V I(t) V(t) V I(t) V(t) I(t) V(t)

14 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Resistance and Reactance vs Frequency

Resistance 
Resistance
The voltage/current ratio is
independent of frequency
V0 I(t) V(t)

Freq 

Reactance 
Capacitance
The higher the frequency, the lower
the voltage, thus higher current. In
V0 I(t) V(t) general this means lower impedance.

Freq 

Reactance 
Inductance
The higher the frequency, the lower
V0 I(t) V(t) the current. In general this means
higher impedance.

Freq 
15 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics
Transmission line model (telegraph equation)
𝛥x
For a low loss transmission line:
𝑅 + 𝑗𝜔𝐿′ 𝐺 ′ ≪ 𝑗𝜔𝐿′ 𝐿′
𝑍𝑂 = 𝑍𝑂 =
𝐺 + 𝑗𝜔𝐶′ 𝑅′ ≪ 𝑗𝜔𝐶 ′ 𝐶′

Infinitely small length of line Infinitely long transmission line

R’ R’ R’
L’ L’ L’

C’ C’ C’
G’ G’ G’

𝜟x 𝜟x 𝜟x

16 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission line impedance: Coax Z0
► Z0 determines relationship between voltage and current waves
► Z0 is a function of physical dimensions and dielectric constant, r
► Z0 is typically 50 ohms (75 ohms in CATV systems) Coax

𝐿 1 µ 𝐷 d
𝑍0 = = 𝑙𝑛 D
𝐶 2𝜋 ε 𝑑

17 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Propagation through coaxial mediums
50  is the compromise between low insertion
loss and maximum power handling

Minimum
attenuation
at 77 
1 µ 𝐷 138.2 𝐷
𝑍0 = 𝑙𝑛 = 𝑍𝑂 = log
2𝜋 ε 𝑑 ε𝑟 𝑑

Example 3.5 mm connector

Outer diameter of conductor: Maximum load
𝐷 = 3.50 𝑚𝑚
138.2 3.50 Power at 30 
Inner diameter of conductor:
𝑍𝑂 = log = 50 Ω
𝑑 = 1.52 𝑚𝑚 1 1.52
Dielectric constant of insulator:
ε𝑟 = 1

18 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission line characteristic Impedance

ZL D/d Special Characteristics Application

77 Ω 3.6 min. attenuation TV-receiving-antenna-line
60 Ω 2.72 max. voltage capability No special use

30 Ω 1.65 Best power loading capacity For very high transmitter-power

150 Ω 13 min. capacity per unit length Low capacity test-lines (sensing head)

Universally normed, RF measurement

50 Ω 2.3 Compromise between αmin and Pmax
technique

93 Ω 4.8 Compromise between αmin and Cmin Lines used in data-communications

19 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Line - Effect of dielectric material
Mechanical length of line = 2𝜆
Speed of Light (in vacuum)
Co=3∗108m/s
(300 000 Km/s)

Example
In a vacuum the wave travels at the speed of light:
C = 𝐶𝑂 mechanical length = electrical length
TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡

travelling through a dielectric medium 𝜀𝑟 = 2.25:

𝐶𝑂 2
𝐶= 2.25 = 1.5 =
𝜀𝑟 3

2 2
C = 3 𝐶𝑂 mechanical length = 3 electrical length

Electrical length of line = 2𝜆

RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (SWR)
Forward Voltage Wave Reverse Voltage Wave Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
Incident wave 2.0

1.5
L’
R’ Incident Wave
1.0
C’

ZS G’ ZO
0.5

VOLTAGE (V)

Reflecting medium (mismatch)

0.0
Reflected wave TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡
ZL -0.5
SHORT
-1.0
Reflected Wave
𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 1+𝜞 -1.5

𝑉𝑆𝑊𝑅 = = 𝜆/2
𝑉𝑚𝑖𝑛 1−𝜞 -2.0

Standing Wave 𝜆/4

2.0 Vmax

1.5

For any mismatch a standing VOLTAGE (V)

VSWR
1.0

wave is created by the TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡

0.5
reflecting wave Vmin
0.0

21 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Line terminations and the reflection coefficient

R’
VSWR Reflection Coefficient
L’

C’
5.5 1
ZS G’ ZO
5.0 0.8

ZL 4.5
ZL = ZS 0.6

Reflection Coefficient 
0.4
4.0

𝑍𝐿 − 𝑍0 1+𝜞 0.2

VSWR
3.5
Γ= 𝑉𝑆𝑊𝑅 =
𝑍𝐿 + 𝑍0 1−𝜞 3.0
0

-0.2
2.5
-0.4
Maximum power is achieved when 2.0
-0.6
ZL = ZS
1.5 -0.8
Therefore:
1.0 -1
VSWR = 1 10 20 30 40 50 100 200

=0 Load Impedance ZL(ohms)

22 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Reflections and transmissions – MATCH
Incident wave Forward Voltage Wave Reverse Voltage Wave
2.0

R’
L’

C’

ZS G’ ZO 1.5

Load Termination = MATCH(𝜞=0)

Incident Wave

1.0
Reflected wave ZL
50 0.5

VOLTAGE (V)
𝑍 −𝑍 50−50
Γ = 𝑍𝐿+𝑍0 = 50+50 = 0 0.0
TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡
𝐿 0
-0.5

Perfect travelling wave -1.0

Reflected Wave

No space dependence -1.5

Perfect power transmission -2.0

from source to load

23 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Reflections and transmissions – OPEN
Incident wave Forward Voltage Wave Reverse Voltage Wave
2.0

R’
L’

C’

ZS G’ ZO 1.5

Load Termination = OPEN(𝜞=1)

Incident Wave

1.0
Reflected wave
ZL
OPEN 0.5

VOLTAGE (V)
𝑍 −𝑍 ∞−50
Γ = 𝑍𝐿+𝑍0 = ∞+50 = 1 0.0
TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡
𝐿 0
-0.5

Reactive behavior (V,I=-90°) -1.0

Standing wave Reflected Wave

-1.5

Voltage/current is space dependent

-2.0

Voltage oscillates along the length of

the line

RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

24
Reflections and transmissions – SHORT
Incident wave Forward Voltage Wave Reverse Voltage Wave
2.0

R’
L’

C’
1.5
ZS ZO

Load Termination = SHORT(𝜞=-1)

G’

Incident Wave

1.0
Reflected wave
ZL
SHORT 0.5

VOLTAGE (V)
𝑍 −𝑍 0−50
Γ = 𝑍𝐿+𝑍0 = 0+50 = −1 0.0
TIME/DISTANCE/𝝎𝑡
𝐿 0
-0.5

Reactive behavior (V,I=+90°) -1.0

Standing wave Reflected Wave

-1.5

Voltage/current is space dependent

-2.0

Voltage oscillates along the length of

the line

25 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Transmission Line – Loss
All Transmission Lines have some power loss.
*Unless they are super cool

Heat

Load
Source Incident Wave Transmitted
(ZL)
(Zs)
Transmission
Line (Zo)

Reflected Wave

Delay

26 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

Recap – RF Transmission Characteristic
► Transmission line is a physical path that is designed to handle RF signals

► Transmission lines are a necessary medium to carry signals efficiently at higher

frequencies

► Use transmission line theory when line length is more than ~10% of
wavelength

► Transmission lines are defined by characteristic impedance

► Transmission lines must be terminated with a matching characteristic

impedance at the load for efficiently power transfer.

► Impedance Mismatch will create a Standing wave.

27 RF Fundamentals - Part 2 - RF Transmission Characteristics

 Thank you for Attending

RF Fundamentals:
SIX-PART WEBINAR SERIES
Part 2: RF Transmission Characteristics