Transmission Lines

Impedance Matching
A number of techniques can be used to eliminate reflections when the characteristic impedance of the line and the load impedance are mismatched. Impedance matching techniques can be designed to be effective for a specific frequency of operation (narrow band techniques) or for a given frequency spectrum (broadband techniques). A common method of impedance matching involves the insertion of an impedance transformer between line and load

Z0

Impedance Transformer

ZR

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

141

Transmission Lines

An impedance transformer may be realized by inserting a section of a different transmission line with appropriate characteristic impedance. A widely used approach realizes the transformer with a line of length 4 . The quarter-wavelength transformer provides narrow-band impedance matching. The design goal is to obtain zero reflection coefficient exactly at the frequency of operation.
/4 Z0 Z/4 Z0
||

ZR
f0

The length of the transformer is fixed at 4 for design convenience, but is also possible to realize generalized transformer lines for which the length of the transformer is a design outcome.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 142

Transmission Lines

A broadband design may be obtained by a cascade of 4 line sections of gradually varying characteristic impedance.

/4 Z0 Z1

/4 Z2

/4 Z3

/4 Z4 Z0

||

ZR

||max

f0

It is not possible to obtain exactly zero reflection coefficient for all frequencies in the desired band. Therefore, available design approaches specify a maximum reflection coefficient (or maximum VSWR) which can be tolerated in the frequency band of operation.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 143

Transmission Lines

Another broadband matching approach may use a tapered line transformer with continously varying characteristic impedance along its length. In this case, the design obtains reflection coefficients lower than a specified tolerance at frequencies exceeding a minimum value.

Z0(x)

||

||max
x

fmin

Various taper designs are available, including linear, exponential, and raised-cosine impedance profiles. An optimal design (due to Klopfenstein) involves discontinuity of the impedance at the transformer ends.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 144

Transmission Lines

Another narrow-band approach involves the insertion of a shunt imaginary admittance on the line. Often, the admittance is realized with a section (or stub) of transmission line and the technique is commonly known as stub matching. The end of the stub line is short-circuited or open-circuited, in order to realize an imaginary admittance. Designs are also available for two or three shunt admittances placed at specified locations on the line. Other narrow-band examples involve the insertion of a series impedance (stub) along the line, and the insertion of a series and a shunt element in L-configuration.

ZR

ZR

ZR

The theory for several basic narrow-band matching techniques is detailed in the following. Note that the effect of loss in the transmission lines is always neglected.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 145

Transmission Lines

Matching I: Impedance Transformers Quarter Wavelength Transformer A simple narrow band

impedance transformer consists of a transmission line section of length 4

ZB

ZA

Z01

Z02

Z01

ZR

/4

dmax or dmin

The impedance transformer is positioned so that it is connected to a real impedance ZA. This is always possible if a location of maximum or minimum voltage standing wave pattern is selected.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 146

Transmission Lines

Consider a general load impedance with its corresponding load reflection coefficient

ZR = RR + jX R ;

ZR Z01 R = = R exp ( j ) ZR + Z01

If the transformer is inserted at a location of voltage maximum dmax

1 + (d) 1 + R = Z01 ZA = Z01 1 (d) 1 R

If it is inserted instead at a location of voltage minimum dmin

1 + (d) 1 R = Z01 ZA = Z01 1 (d) 1 + R

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 147

Transmission Lines

Consider now the input impedance of a line of length 4

Zin

Z0
L = /4

ZA

Since:

1 + (d) 1 R = Z01 ZA = Z01 1 (d) 1 + R

lim ZA + jZ0 tan( L) Z0 jZA tan( L) + Z0
2 Z0 ZA

we have

Zin =

tan( L )

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

148

Transmission Lines

Note that if the load is real, the voltage standing wave pattern at the load is maximum when ZR > Z01 or minimum when ZR < Z01 . The transformer can be connected directly at the load location or at a distance from the load corresponding to a multiple of 4 .

ZB

ZA=Real

Z01

Z02

Z01
d1

ZR=Real

/4
n /4 ; n=0,1,2

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

149

Transmission Lines

If the load impedance is real and the transformer is inserted at a distance from the load equal to an even multiple of 4 , then

ZA = ZR ;

d1 = 2 n = n 4 2

but if the distance from the load is an odd multiple of 4

2 Z01 ZA = ZR

d1 = (2 n + 1) = n + 4 2 4

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

150

Transmission Lines

The input impedance of the impedance transformer after inclusion in the circuit is given by

2 Z02 ZB = ZA
For impedance matching we need

2 Z02 Z01 = ZA

Z02 = Z01 ZA

The characteristic impedance of the transformer is simply the geometric average between the characteristic impedance of the original line and the load seen by the transformer. Lets now review some simple examples.

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

151

Transmission Lines

Real Load Impedance

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 50

Z02 = ?

RR = 100

/4
2 Z02 ZB = = Z01 Z02 = Z01 RR = 50 100 70.71 RR

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

152

Transmission Lines

Note that an identical result is obtained by switching Z01 and RR

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 100

Z02 = ?

RR = 50

/4
2 Z02 ZB = = Z01 Z02 = Z01 RR = 100 50 70.71 RR

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

153

Transmission Lines

Another real load case

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 75

Z02 = ?

RR = 300

/4
2 Z02 ZB = = Z01 Z02 = Z01 RR = 75 300 = 150 RR

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

154

Transmission Lines

Same impedances as before, but now the transformer is inserted at a distance 4 from the load (voltage minimum in this case)

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 75

Z02

Z01

RR = 300

2 Z01 752 ZA = = = 18.75 RR 300

/4

/4

2 Z02 ZB = = Z01 Z02 = Z01 ZA = 75 18.75 = 37.5 ZA

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 155

Transmission Lines

Complex Load Impedance Transformer at voltage maximum

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 50

Z02

Z01

ZR = 100 + j 100

/4

dmax

100 + j100 50 R = 0.62 100 + j100 + 50 1 + R 213.28 ZA = Z0 1 R Z02 = Z01 ZA = 50 213.28 = 103.27
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 156

Transmission Lines

Complex Load Impedance Transformer at voltage minimum

ZB

ZA

Z01 = 50

Z02

Z01

ZR = 100 + j 100

/4

dmin

100 + j100 50 R = 0.62 100 + j100 + 50 1 R ZA = Z0 11.72 1 + R Z02 = Z01 ZA = 50 11.72 = 24.21
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 157

Transmission Lines

Generalized Transformer If it is not important to realize the impedance transformer with a quarter wavelength line, one may try to select a transmission line with appropriate length and characteristic impedance, such that the input impedance is the required real value

ZA

Z01

Z02

ZR = RR + jXR

RR + jX R + jZ02 tan( L) Z01 = ZA = Z02 Z02 + j ( RR + jX R ) tan( L)

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 158

Transmission Lines

After separation of real and imaginary parts we obtain the equations

Z 02 ( Z 01 RR ) = Z 01 X R tan( L) tan( L) =
with final solution

2 Z 01RR Z 02

Z 02 X R

Z 02 =

2 2 XR Z 01RR RR

1 RR / Z 01

tan ( L ) =

2 2 R Z Z R R X 1 / ( 01 ) 01 R R R R

XR
Z02 is real.

The transformer can be realized as long as the result for Note that this is also a narrow band approach.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

159

Transmission Lines

Matching II Shunt Admittance

We wish to insert a parallel (shunt) reactance on the transmission line to obtain impedance matching. Since the design involves a parallel circuit, it is more convenient to consider admittances: Y1 Y1 Z0 jX ds ZR Y0 = 1/Z0 jB ds YR = 1/ZR

The shunt may be inserted at locations ds where the real part of the line admittance is equal to the characteristic admittance Y0

Y1' = Y0 + jB

Matching is obtained by using a shunt susceptance jB so that

Y1 = [ Z (d s )]1 jB = Y1' jB = Y0
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 160

Transmission Lines

To solve this design problem, we need to find the suitable locations ds (where the real part of the line admittance is equal to Y0) and the corresponding values of the shunt susceptance B. The shunt element may be also realized by inserting a segment of transmission line of appropriate length, called a stub. In order to obtain a pure susceptance, the stub element may consist of a short-circuited or an open-circuited transmission line with input admittance jB. Y1 Y1 Y0 jB ds YR Y0 jB ds Y1 Y1 YR

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

161

Transmission Lines

The line admittance at location ds can be expressed as a function of reflection coefficient

Y1' = Y0 + jB = Z 0

1 + (d s ) 1 (d s )

1 (d s ) = Y0 1 + (d s )

For more general results, we introduce normalization:

1 (d s ) Y1' ' = y1 = 1 + jb = = normalized admittance Y0 1 + (d s ) b = normalized susceptance

Then, the line reflection coefficient can be expressed in terms of b

1 (d s ) 1 ' y1 = (d s ) = 1 + (d s ) 1+
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

' 1 (1 + jb) y1 jb = = ' y1 1 + 1 jb 2 + jb

162

Transmission Lines

Since we know that

(d s ) = R exp( j 2 d s ) jb R = R exp ( j ) = exp( j 2 d s ) 2 + jb

b 4 + b2

exp ( j 2 tan 1 ( b 2 ) ) exp( j 2 d s + j 2n ) + for b < 0

2 2
Added to account for periodic behavior

for b > 0;

The absolute value of the load reflection coefficient provides b

R =

b 4 + b2

b2 =

4 R

1 R

b=

2 R
2

1 R B = b Y0 = b / Z 0
163

Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series

Transmission Lines

Finally, the phase of the load reflection coefficient yields ds

R = = 2 + 2 d s tan 1 ( b 2 ) + 2 n 4 2 ds = d s = 2 tan 1 ( b 2 ) 2 n ds = ( 2 + tan 1 ( b 2 ) 2 n ) 4 + for b > 0; for b < 0

The last term accounting for periodic behavior of the solution gives

2n = n 4 2
indicating that the solutions repeat every 2 along the line.
Amanogawa, 2006 Digital Maestro Series 164