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H63MCM Microwave Communications

Unit 2 Transmission Line Theory


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K.T. Selvan
Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
Unit Objectives
To discuss
Transmission line fundamentals
Lossless lines
Special cases
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Special cases
Low-loss lines
Distortion
Transmission Lines
When to bother?
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Consider transmission line effects for / 0.01 l
Reflection, power loss, dispersion, distortion
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Lumped-Element Model
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Figure 2.1 (p. 50)
Voltage and current definitions and equivalent circuit for an incremental
length of transmission line. (a) Voltage and current definitions. (b)
Lumped-element equivalent circuit.
Wave Propagation on a Transmission Line
The traveling wave solutions are
( )
z z
o o
z V e V e
+
= + V
( )
z z
o o
z I e I e
+
= + I
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The complex propagation constant is
( )( ) j R j L G j C = + = + +
The characteristic impedance Z
o
is:
The wavelength on the line is:
o
R j L R j L
Z
G j C


+ +
= =
+
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The phase velocity is:
2

=
p
v f

= =
The Lossless Line
Condition:
One gets
0, LC = =
0 R G = =
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The other parameters are:
o
L
Z
C
=
2 2
LC


= =
1
p
v
LC

= =
The voltage reflection coefficient at the load
Terminated Lossless Line
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The voltage reflection coefficient at the load
is:
/ 1
/ 1
o L o L o
L o L o
o
V Z Z Z Z
Z Z Z Z
V

+

= = =
+ +
l j
e l
2
) 0 ( ) (

=
Power flow:
Return loss:
2
2
o
i
av
o
V
P
Z
+
=
2
2
r i
av av
P P =
2
2
1
2
o
av
o
V
P
Z
+
(
=

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Standing wave ratio (SWR) is defined as
max
min
1
1
V
S
V
+
= =

RL 20log dB =
The input impedance of a length of
transmission line with an arbitrary load
impedance is:
in
cos sin
cos sin
L o
o
o L
Z l jZ l
Z Z
Z l jZ l


( +
=
(
+

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Special Cases of Lossless Terminated Lines
Half-wave line
In this case,
/ 2 l m =
2
( 0,1, 2,...)
m
l m m

= = =
12
Then:
Implication?
2
( 0,1, 2,...)
2
m
l m m

= = =
( / 2)
in L
Z l m Z = =
Quarter-wave transformer
For this case, then,
2
(2 1) (2 1) ( 0,1, 2,...)
4 2
l m m m

= + = + =
2
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Can be used for matching two impedances
Z
o1
and Z
o3
, when the transformer has an
impedance
2
in
( / 4)
o
L
Z
Z l
Z
= =
2 1 3 o o o
Z Z Z =
Short-circuited line
0
L
Z =
1 =
s =
in
tan
o
Z jZ l =
(Purely reactive input impedance)
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Inductive for
Application in microwave and high-speed ICs
tan 0: tan
eq o
l j L jZ l > =
eq
1
tan 0: tan
o
l jZ l
j C

< = Capacitive for


Open-circuited line
L
Z =
1 =
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s =
in
cot
o
Z jZ l =
The Low-Loss Line
We can assume R << L and G << C
To deduce attenuation and phase constants,
let us start with propagation constant:
( )( ) j R j L G j C = + = + +
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Rearranging,
( )( ) 1 1
R G
j L j C
j L j C


| || |
= + +
| |
\ \
Since for a low-loss line RG <<
2
LC
2
1
R G RG
j LC j
L C
LC



| |
= +
|
\
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1
R G
j LC j
L C


| |
= +
|
\
1
2
j R G
j LC
L C


(
| |
+
|
(
\

Therefore:
1 1
2 2
o
o
C L R
R G GZ
L C Z

| |
| |
+ = +
|
|
\
\
LC
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By the same order of approximation:
Thus Z
o
and for low-loss lines can be
closely approximated to that of lossless lines
o
L
Z
C

The Dispersionless Line


in general not a linear function of frequency
(when loss is present)
This means various frequency components
travel with different phase velocities
This leads to dispersion.
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This leads to dispersion.
In turn, dispersion leads to the concept of
group velocity
Consider a lossy line satisfying the relation:
Under this condition:
R G
L C
=
C
R j LC j
L
= + = +
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Thus, though a constant attenuation is present, is
a linear function of frequency. Hence no dispersion!
Realizing this condition requires L to be increased
by loading series loading coils along the line
R j LC j
L
= + = +
Summary
Fundamental equations for characterizing
transmission lines
Lossless lines
Reflection at discontinuities
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Special cases of transmission lines
Low-loss lines
Dispersionless lines

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