Transmission Lines

Reflection & Transmission

Reflection Coefficient ()

Definition : Voltage reflection coefficient at a point on a line is defined as the ratio of reflected
voltage wave to incident wave at that point.

Reflected voltage at a point

 (at a po int) =
Incident voltage at that point

Current reflection coefficient at any point on a line is defined as the ratio of reflected current
wave to incident wave at that point.

➢  at the Load

Transmission line equations : V (z) = V+ e–z + V– e+z (1a)

I (z) = I+ e–z + I– e+z (1b)

From (1a) & (1b) V (z = 0) = V+ + V– = VL (2a)

I (z = 0) = I+ + I– = IL or V+ – V– = Z0 IL (2b)

where V+ & V– are the incident & reflected voltage waves at z = 0 i.e. at the load.

From 2(a) & 2(b) V+ = (VL + Z0 IL) / 2 V– = (VL – Z0 IL) / 2

Then, Voltage reflection coefficient at the load point or z = 0,

V − VL − Z0 IL VL /IL − Z0 ZL − Z0 ZL − Z0
L = + = = = or L =
V VL +Z0 IL VL / I L +Z0 ZL + Z0 ZL + Z0

Thus, the ratio of the reflected & incident waves is determined by the Load impedance only.

|ZL − Z0 | 1 |ZL − Z0 |

L = = (1 − 2 ) = LL = Le jL
|ZL + Z0 | 2 |ZL + Z0 |
where,
Z L − Z0
L =|  L |= = Magnitude of reflection coefficient at the load.
Z L + Z0
L = phase of reflection coefficient (L) at the load (z = 0),
= phase difference between reflected and incident voltages

Class Note by Santanu Das 1

 Transmission Lines

ZL − Z0 ZL − 1
L = = → in terms of normalized load
ZL + Z0 ZL + 1

1 + L ZL 1 +  L
Then, ZL = Z0 and Normalized load impedance =
1 − L Z0 1 − L

Current reflection coefficient LI at the load point is

 LI = +=
( −
I − − V / Z0
=
)
−V − Z − ZL
= − L = 0 since Z0 =
V+
= −
V−
I +
V / Z0 V +
Z L + Z0 I+ I−

Thus, the current reflection coefficient at the load point is negative of the voltage reflection
coefficient at that point, i.e., LI = – L

• For ZL = 0 (short circuit or short load) : E = 0, VL = 0

L = –1 = 1ej = L ejL  L = 1, L = 

V+ + V– = 0  V– = –V+

Thus, the reflected voltage is equal to the incident voltage in magnitude but 1800 out of phase
with the incident voltage.

• For ZL =  (open circuit or open load) : H = 0, IL = 0

L = 1 = 1ej0 = L ejL  L = 1, L = 00

I+ + I– = 0

or V+ – V– = 0  V– = +V+

Thus, the reflected voltage is equal to the incident voltage in both magnitude and phase.

• If ZL = Z0 (characteristic impedance of the line) :

L = 0  V– = 0

The reflection coefficient is zero, i.e. reflected voltage = 0.

In this case all the power in the incident wave is transmitted to (or absorbed by) the load and
none of it is reflected back toward the generator.

The load is said to be MATCHED to the transmission line.

Class Note by Santanu Das 2

 Transmission Lines

➢  at the Source
V − e+z V − +2 z
(z) = Reflection coefficient at a distance z, ( z ) = + −z
= +e =  Le+2 z
V e V

Voltage reflection coefficient at a distance l from the load or at z = –l distance, i.e. at the
source end,
V − e−l V −
(l ) = + +l = + e−2 l =  L e−2 l or (l ) =  Le−2l
V e V

 | (l) | = | L e–2l | = | L e–2l – j2l | = e–2l | L | and  (l) = L e–2l

It is evident that as l is increased, the magnitude of (l) decreases exponentially until it

essentially vanishes for large l.
This means that there is no reflected wave far from the load for lossy line.

•  in terms of Zin

Conditions : At z = – l, V (z = – l) = VS I (z = – l) = IS

Therefore from (1a) & (1b) V (z = – l) = V+ e+l + V– e–l = VS (3a)

I (z = – l) = I+ e+l + I– e–l = IS
V + +l V − −l
or e − e = IS or V+ e+l – V– e–l = Z0 IS (3b)
Z0 Z0

1 1
(3a) + (3c) gives V + e +l = (VS + Z 0 I S ) or V+ = (VS + Z 0 I S ) e−l (4a)
2 2
1 1
(3a) – (3c) gives V − e−l = (VS − Z 0 I S ) or V− = (VS − Z 0 I S ) e +l (4b)
2 2

where V+ & V– are the incident & reflected voltage waves at z = 0 i.e. at the load,
V+ e+l and V– e–l are the incident & reflected voltage waves at z = – l i.e. at the
source end.
Class Note by Santanu Das 3
 Transmission Lines

1
− −l
V e (VS − Z0 I S ) V − Z I V / I − Z Z − Z
From (4a) and (4b), ( l ) = = 2 = S 0 S
= S S 0
= in 0
V + e+l 1 +
(VS + Z0 I S ) S 0 S S S 0 in 0
V Z I V / I + Z Z + Z
2
Zin − Z0
or ( l ) =
Zin + Z0

1 + ( l ) Z 1 + ( l )
From this, Input imp. Z in = Z 0 & Normalized Input imp. Zin = in =
1 − ( l ) Z 0 1 − ( l )

For a Loss-Less Line (or Low-Loss High Frequency Line)

 = 0 + j

Voltage reflection coefficient at a distance l from the load or at z = –l distance,

V − e− jl V − −2 jl
( l ) = + + jl
= +e =  Le− j2l
V e V
V−
where  L = + denotes the reflection coefficient of the load.
V

Thus, the phase between (l) and L changes by TWICE the electrical length (2l) between
the load and observation point where (l) is measured.
(l) lags behind L by 2l. [Since the path difference between the reflected and
incident waves is 2l (l, to the right direction to the load, plus l, to the left direction from the
load)]

Again (l) = L e–j2l = | L | ej e–j2l = | L | ej( – 2l)

where  = the phase angle of L

= phase difference between reflected and incident waves at the load

Therefore, the Phase difference between the reflected and incident voltages at a distance l
from the load is → ( – 2l)

Furthermore, | (l) | = | L e–j2l | = | L | = 

So, the magnitude of reflection coefficient () is the SAME all along the line, i.e., (l) = L
for a loss-less line or low-loss high frequency line.

Class Note by Santanu Das 4

 Transmission Lines

Transmission Coefficient (T)

Definition : Voltage transmission coefficient (T) at any point on a line is the ratio of
transmitted voltage wave to incident wave at that point.
Transmitted voltage at a point
T (at a po int) =
Incident voltage at the same point

Current transmission coefficient at any point on a line is the ratio of transmitted current wave
to incident wave at that point.

V+ + V– = VL across the load,

VL = Transmitted voltage (to the next section of the line)

VL V + + V −
Hence, Voltage transmission coefficient at the load, TL = = = 1 + L
V+ V+
 TL = (1 + L) and VL = TL V+= (1 + L) V+

IL I+ + I− I−
Current transmission coefficient, TLI = = = 1 + = 1 +  LI = 1 −  L
I+ I+ I+
 TLI = 1 – L = 1 – (TL – 1) = 2 – TL

• For ZL = 0 (short circuit or short load), E = 0, VL = 0

L = –1  TL = 1 + L = 0

Thus, the incident voltage is fully reflected back, there is no transmitted voltage.

L = –1  LI = –L = 1 and I– = I+

 TLI = 1 – L = 2 and IL = 2I+

Thus, the incident current is fully reflected back, and the magnitude of the transmitted current
gets Doubled the magnitude of incident current.
Transmitted power PL = VL IL = 0

• For ZL =  (open circuit or open load), H = 0, IL = 0

L = 1  TL = 1 + L = 2  VL = 2V+

Thus, the incident voltage is fully reflected back, and the magnitude of the transmitted voltage
becomes Twice the magnitude of incident voltage.
Class Note by Santanu Das 5
 Transmission Lines

L = 1  LI = –L = –1 and I– = –I+

 TLI = 1 – L = 0 and IL = 0

So, the incident current is fully reflected back with a phase reversal, and there is no
transmitted current.
Transmitted power PL = VL IL = 0

• If ZL = Z0 (characteristic impedance of the line)

L = 0  TL = 1 + L = 1  VL = V+
 LI = –L = 0 and I– = 0
 TLI = 1 – L = 1 and IL = I+

The reflection coefficient is zero. All the power in the incident wave is transmitted to the load
and none of it is reflected back toward the generator.
Transmitted power PL = VL IL = V+ I+ = Incident power

Under this condition (ZL = Z0 and L = 0) the load is said to be MATCHED to the line.

Class Note by Santanu Das 6