Transmission Line Theory

Voltage and Current Relationships on the Line

A transmission line consists of any system of

conductors that can be used to transmit
electrical energy between two or more points
I

∞
V

Transmission line of infinite length

Considerations
The line maintains a constant cross-section
throughout its length
V
Z 0   Characteristic impedance
I
Any two-port circuit can be replaced
by an equivalent-T circuit
 Z1 Z1

Z0 Z0
Z2

Equivalent-T circuit of a short Transmission line

Z 2 ( Z1  Z 0 )
Z in  Z 0  Z1 
Z1  Z 2  Z 0
2 2
Z  Z  2 Z1 Z 2
0 1
Open - circuit termination : Z 0  
Z oc  Z1  Z 2
Short - circuit termination : Z 0  0
Z1 Z 2
Z sc  Z1 
Z1  Z 2
2
Z  2 Z1 Z 2
 1
Z1  Z 2
 2
Z  Z sc Z oc
0
 Z Z Z Z

Y Y Y Y

R L R L R L
1 1 1
C G C G
C G

Z  R  jL Y  G  j C
 I 𝑍 𝛿𝑥 I  I
I
V 𝑌 𝛿𝑥 V  V

𝑥
Equivalent circuit of a short element of length δz

𝛿𝑉 =− 𝐼𝑍 𝛿 𝑥  𝑑𝑉
=− 𝐼𝑍
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝐼
𝛿 𝐼=−𝑉𝑌 𝛿 𝑥  =−𝑉𝑌
𝑑𝑥
 2
𝑑𝑉 2
2
=𝑍𝑌𝑉 =𝛾 𝑉
𝑑𝑥
2
𝑑 𝐼 2
2
=𝑍𝑌𝐼 =𝛾 𝐼
𝑑𝑥
𝑉 = 𝐴 exp−𝛾 𝑥+𝐵 exp𝛾 𝑥
𝛾
𝐼 = ( 𝐴 exp −𝛾 𝑥 − 𝐵 exp 𝛾 𝑥 )
𝑍
    j  ZY
If the harmonic time dependence
exp jωt is introduced

𝑉=𝐴exp [ −𝛼 𝑥+ 𝑗 ( 𝜔𝑡− 𝛽𝑥 ) ]
is unchanged
dz 
v   f
dt 
  2
 Reflection from the load
𝑉 1 exp−𝛾 𝑥
ZL
𝑉 2 exp𝛾 𝑥
𝑥
l

𝑉 = 𝐴 exp−𝛾 𝑥+𝐵 exp𝛾 𝑥

A  V1 ; B  V2
𝑉 =𝑉 1 exp−𝛾 𝑥+𝑉 2 exp𝛾 𝑥
 A line is matched if :
• It is terminated in a load equal to its
characteristic impedance
• The forward wave is totally absorbed by the load
 No reflected wave, hence V2  0
𝑉 1 exp− 𝛾 𝑥= incident  (forward)  wave
𝑉 2 exp𝛾 𝑥= reflected   wave
 Voltage Reflection Coefficient, 
The  load  is  at  the   position   𝑥=𝑙
𝑉 2 exp 𝛾 𝑥
𝜌=   at   the   load   termination
𝑉 1 exp −𝛾 𝑥
𝑉2
¿ exp2𝛾 𝑥
𝑉1
 is a complex quantity
   exp j
 is angle of reflection coefficient
 𝛾
𝐼= ( 𝑉 1 exp −𝛾 𝑥 −𝑉 2 exp 𝛾 𝑥 )
𝑍
𝐼=
√ (𝑅+ 𝑗 𝜔 𝐿)(𝐺+ 𝑗 𝜔 𝐶 )
(𝑉 exp − 𝛾 𝑥 −𝑉 2 exp𝛾 𝑥 )
1
(𝑅+ 𝑗 𝜔 𝐿)

¿
√ (𝐺+ 𝑗 𝜔 𝐶)
( 𝑉 1 exp −𝛾 𝑥 − 𝑉 2 exp 𝛾 𝑥 )
√ (𝑅+ 𝑗 𝜔 𝐿)
1
¿ ( 𝑉 1 exp−𝛾 𝑥−𝑉 2 exp𝛾 𝑥 )
𝑥=𝑙 𝑍0
ZL 
VL
 Z0
V1 exp l  V2 exp l 
IL V1 exp l  V2 exp l 
VL  V1 exp l  V2 exp l
1
IL  V1 exp l  V2 exp l 
Z0

ZL 
VL
 Z0
V1 exp l  V2 exp l 
IL V1 exp l  V2 exp l 
 V2 exp l 
1  
 V1 exp l 
 Z0
 V2 exp l 
1  
 V1 exp l 
Z L  Z0
1  
1   

Z L  Z0 
Z L  Z 0 
Consider the following cases:
(1) Short - circuit load, Z L  0
  1 :   1 and   

(2) Open - circuit load, Z L  

  1 :   1 and   0
  Z L  Z 0 tanh l 
Z in  Z 0  
 Z L tanh l  Z 0 
Normalised impedance :
ZL Z in
zL  , zin 
Z0 Z0
z L  tanh l
zin 
1  z L tanh l
 Lossless Lines
    j
  j (  0)
tanh jl  j tan l
 Z L  jZ 0 tan  l 
Z in  Z 0  
 Z 0  jZ L tan  l 
z L  j tan l
zin 
1  jz L tan  l
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
Vmax
Vmin

Vmax
VSWR  S 
Vmin
Vmax  V1  V2 Vmin  V1  V2
 V
1 2
V1  V2 V1
S 
V1  V2 V2
1
V1
1 

1 
The Smith Chart
Examples

A lossless transmission line of characteristic

Impedance 50Ω is terminated in a load of
150 + j75Ω. Find the reflection coefficient,
the load admittance, the VSWR, the distance
between the load and the nearest Voltage
minimum to it, and the input impedance, if the
line is 92cm long and the Wavelength of the
signal on the line is 40 cm.
An outdoor sensing system is connected
to a control centre with a coaxial cable
(length (l )  25m, Z 0  50). For
f  750 MHz, determine the input
impedance at the control centre end of the
coaxial cable if the load impedance of the
outdoor system is Z L  25  j150
A communication system is connected to an
antenna unit with a probe ( Z 0  50,
length (l )  13.5m).
If the operating frequency f  500 MHz
and the input impedance at the communication
system Z in  (50  j100), determine the load
impedance Z L of the antenna unit