ANTENNA & EMI/EMC LAB

“MEASUREMENT OF INPUT
IMPEDANCE OF AN OPEN ENDED
WAVEGUIDE”

RF & Microwave Engineering

Department of Electronics & Electrical Communication Engineering
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KHARAGPUR 721302
 MEASUREMENT OF INPUT IMPEDANCE OF AN OPEN ENDED WAVEGUIDE

INTRODUCTION:

When a transmission line or a waveguide is terminated with a shorted load, the voltage
minima occur at the load end. But when it is terminated with a load of unknown impedance,
then the voltage minima will shift. By measuring the VSWR and the shift in minima we can
determine the unknown impedance using the smith chart.

APPARATUS/COMPONENTS REQUIRED:

1. Gunn power supply: Supplies power to the Gunn Diode to bias it in the negative
resistance and also supplies 6.2 V bias to the PIN diode with 1 KHz modulation.
2. Gunn oscillator: Provided with a sliding short adjustable with a micrometer scale that
adjusts the length of the cavity of the Gunn oscillator to change its frequency of
operation.
3. Isolator: Acts as a one way switch that isolates the source from the load thus
preventing unwanted reflections from the load to reach the source.
4. Pin modulator: Houses the PIN diode with a ceramic package covering that acts as a
switch thus modulating the input microwave frequency to 1 KHz so that VSWR is
compatible.
5. Variable attenuator: A device that attenuates the input signal to a desired level.
Commonly used is a rotary vane attenuator that contains a mica sheet within two
cylindrical waveguides, the rotation of which increases attenuation in either direction.
6. Frequency meter: It is a cavity resonator type frequency meter that consists of a
cylindrical cavity whose length can be varied using a micrometer screw. Depending
upon the coupling to the waveguide it can be transmitting type or absorbing type.
7. Slotted line section: A slotted waveguide structure that has a tapering slot to minimize
losses due to radiation. It houses the detector probe as well as coaxial to waveguide
adapter that covert TE mode to a TEM mode. Also it demodulates the signal with the
help of crystal diode.
8. VSWR meter: It measures the VSWR. It works at a terminal frequency of 1 KHz. It gain is
a high gain, high Q amplifier that gives us a root mean squared value of VSWR.

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP: SORTING PLATE

/OPEN END
GUNN POWER
SUPPLY ATTENUATOR

GUNN ISOLATOR PIN FREQUENCY SLOTTED

OSCILLATOR MODULATOR METER LINE

VSWR
METER
THEORY:

When a transmission line or a waveguide is terminated with a shorted load, the voltage minima
occur at the load end. But when it is terminated with a load of unknown impedance, then the
voltage minima will shift. By measuring the VSWR and the shift in minima we can determine the
unknown impedance using the smith chart. One such application is the method finds a wide
application in determining the complex permittivities of liquid materials. It is based on the reflection
and admittance or impedance measurements from which the properties of the dielectric material
can be known. The technique being accurate and nondestructive, as no interference exists.

CALIBRATION TECHNIQUE USED IN MEASURING THE PERMITTIVITY OF LOSSY LIQUIDS

The following points should be noted about the Smith Chart:

 1. A complete revolution of the Smith Chart represents a movement of λ/2 on the line.
Clockwise movement denotes motion towards the generator (or away from the load)
while anticlockwise motion denotes motion towards the load (or away from the
generator).
2. The point P sc denotes the position of short circuit on the line where r=0 and x=0. The
point P oc denotes the open circuit point where r=x=∞.
3. The Smith Chart is admittance as well as an impedance chart.
4. V max occurs where Z max occurs and V min occurs where Z min occurs

PROCEDURE:

1. Turn on the Gunn power supply and adjust the operating voltage, current and
modulation frequency, amplitude at operating level.
2. The Gunn oscillator is made to operate at the X band of the microwave range as it is
an X band waveguide. The power level is adjusted to a suitable level using the
variable attenuator.
3. The microwave bench should be tuned for that frequency, for that adjust the
micrometer scale at Gunn oscillator.
The modulating amplitude knob has to be adjusted till the VSWR is increased to
maxima. Now modulating frequency is altered till the jitter in the arrow marker dies
out and the VSWR meter reading drops after that. The gain on the VSWR meter is
adjusted till the VSWR reads 1.
4. The probe penetration of the standing wave detector is adjusted so that it does not
load the set up and the vswr is measured.
5. The probe is moved along the slotted line to obtain maximum deflection on the on
the VSWR meter.
6. Adjust the setting of VSWR meter, so that the reading can be taken easily.
7. The gain of VSWR meter is adjusted until the meter indicates 1.0 (rightmost side) for
the maxima.
8. The probe is moved on the slotted line section to get minima. The reading
corresponding to the minima in the VSWR meter gives you the required VSWR.
9. The positions of two successive minima are noted as ‘d1’ and’d2’. Twice the
difference between the two readings gives the guided wavelength, as 2*(d1-d2).
10. Now open the end of microwave bench, then probe is moved on the slotted line of
the VSWR detector to maxima.
11. The gain of VSWR meter is adjusted until the meter indicates 1.0 (rightmost side) for
the maxima.
12. The probe is moved on the slotted line section to get minima. The reading
corresponding to the minima in the VSWR meter gives you the required VSWR and
note the position of probe i.e. ‘d’.
13. Then (d-d1)/λg is calculated where λg is the guided wavelength.
14. A circle corresponding to the measured VSWR is drawn on the smith chart. From the
short i.e. R=0 point on smith chart, we need to move a distance (d-d1)/λg towards
the generator or load, depending upon the selection of d, d1**.
15. Mark the point.
16. A line is drawn from (1+j0) towards the point on the smith chart. The cutting point
on the constant VSWR circle in the smith chart gives the normalized impedance of
open ended waveguide.
 ** Moving a distance of half the wavelength toward the generator is the same as moving
(.5-distance) towards the load.

OBSERVATION & CALCULATION:

SL.NO. FREQUENCY POSTION POISTION UNKNOWN VSWR GUIDE

OF 1ST OF 2ND MINIMA WAVELENGTH
MINIMA MINIMA
1.
2.
3.
4.

The cut off frequency is calculated to be:

Broad wall dimension of the waveguide (a) =0.9”=2.3cm
Velocity of light(c) =3*108 m/s =3*10 10 cm/s

Thus, cut off frequency (f c ) = c/ (2a) = 6.52 GHz.

RESULT:
Normalized Input impedance (in ohm) =

DISCUSSION: *In this you should write your experiences, additional information and special
remarks related to experiment*.

REFERENCES:
1. Constantine A. Balanis,”Antenna Theory Analysis and Design”, second edition.
2. David M. Pozar. ”Microwave Engineering”, third edition.
3. Matthew N.O.Sadiku, ”Elements Of Electromagnetics”, Third edition
4. Y. Wang and M. N. Afsar “MEASUREMENT OF COMPLEX PERMITTIVITY OF LIQUIDS
USING WAVEGUIDE TECHNIQUES”, Tufts University, Medford, USA.
5. S.Bakhtiari, S.I.Ganchev and R.Zoughi ,”Open-ended rectangular waveguide for
nondestructive thickness measurement and variation detection of lossy dielectric
slabs backed by a conducting plane,IEEE Trans.Instrum. Measurement
vol.42.no.1.pp19-24,Feb.1993