EXP NO: 7 STUDY OF FIELD PATTERNS OF VARIOUS MODES INSIDE A

RECTANGULAR WAVEGUIDE

7.1.1 OBJECTIVE
Study of field patterns of various modes inside a rectangular waveguide.
7.1.2 REQUIREMENT:
You have to install a LabVIEW Run time Engine on your computer to run the exe file in
order to perform the experiment. The Run Time Engine can be downloaded from the following
link: http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1101/lang/en

7.1.3 INTRODUCTION:
This experiment provides the field patterns of various modes inside a rectangular
waveguide. This gives the basic idea of the change in the field pattern; that is, electric and
magnetic field patterns with the change in modes inside a rectangular waveguide. One can
observe the field patterns of various modes in xy, xz and yz planes for different frequency
bands. Surface current density can also be observed on the walls of a rectangular waveguide.

Fig.1 Rectangular Waveguide

Electromagnetic waves propagating in open space travel out in all directions. The power
intensity of these waves decreases as the distance increases - it is proportional to the power of the
source divided by the square of the distance. The waveguide operates by confining the
electromagnetic wave inside a metallic structure so that it does not spread out, and losses
resulting from this effect are eliminated. In electromagnetics, the term waveguide may refer to
any linear structure that guides electromagnetic waves between two endpoints.

Typically a waveguide is thought of as a transmission line comprising a hollow

conducting tube, which may be rectangular or circular within which electromagnetic waves are
propagated. Unlike coaxial cable, there is no centre conductor within the waveguide. Signals
propagate within the confines of the metallic walls that act as boundaries. The signal is confined
by total internal reflection from the walls of the waveguide. Waveguides are used principally at
frequencies in the microwave range. Waveguides will only carry or propagate signals above a
certain frequency, known as the cut-off frequency. Below this the waveguide is not able to carry
the signals. The cut-off frequency of the waveguide depends upon its dimensions.
Rectangular Waveguide
A rectangular waveguide is a hollow metallic tube with a rectangular cross section. The
conducting walls of the waveguide confine the electromagnetic fields and thereby guide the
electromagnetic wave. The rectangular waveguide is basically characterized by its dimensions
i.e., length ‘a’ and breadth ‘b’

Fig. 2 Waveguide structure with dimension ‘a’ and ‘b’

Modes: Electromagnetic waveguides are analyzed by solving Maxwell's equations, or their

reduced form, the electromagnetic wave equation, with boundary conditions determined by the
properties of the materials and their interfaces. These equations have multiple solutions, or
modes, which are eigen functions of the equation system. Each mode is therefore characterized
by an eigenvalue, which corresponds to a cutoff frequency below which the mode cannot exist
in the guide

Waveguide propagation modes depend on the operating wavelength and polarization and the
shape and size of the guide. The modes of the waveguide are typically classified into following
types:

• TE modes (Transverse Electric) have no electric field component in the direction of

propagation.
• TM modes (Transverse Magnetic) have no magnetic field component in the direction of
propagation.
• TEM modes (Transverse Electromagnetic) have neither electric nor magnetic field
component in the direction of propagation.

Field Theory: As we know, an electromagnetic field is comprised of electric and magnetic

fields which are perpendicular to each other. These fields have different patterns for each mode.
These patterns depend upon the mode numbers (m and n) and the dimensions (‘a’ and ‘b’) of
the waveguide. The electric field and magnetic field pattern are different for various modes in
different waveguides. The electric field component of an EM wave is characterized by Ex, Ey
and Ez components of the wave. Similarly, the magnetic field component of an EM wave is
characterized by Hx, Hy and Hz components of the wave. These components are usually plotted
on an XY plane which shows the field pattern for both the fields.
Field Equations: For TEmn mode, the field equations for a rectangular wave guide are:

For TEmn mode, the field equations for a rectangular waveguide are:

7.1.4 Procedure:
• Download the run time engine from this link
http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1101/lang/en
• Click to begin experiment
Step 1: Select the frequency band in which you wish to see the field pattern.
Step 2: Select the type of mode, i.e. either Transverse Electric (TE) or Transverse
magnetic (TM). Step 3: Select pattern:
❖ Electric Field: Select this to view the electric field pattern of the given mode.
 ❖ Magnetic Field: Select this to view the magnetic field pattern of the given mode.
❖ Surface Current: Select this option to view the surface current density for TE10mode.

Step 4: Enter the values of m and n to obtain the field pattern, where m stands for number of half
waves of electric or magnetic intensity in the X- direction, and n stands for number of half
waves in the y direction if the propagation of wave is in z direction.

Step 5: Run the VI up to see the desired field pattern in XY, YZ and XZ planes. In case, you
wish to see the other field pattern then click stop and repeat steps 1-4 before running the program
again.

Step 5: View Pattern

Observations
1. Plot the electric and magnetic field patterns for TE11 mode in X-band inside a
rectangular waveguide. Observe and explain the field patterns with proper reasons.
2. Plot the electric and magnetic field patterns for TM11 mode and also check for TM10
mode and check if the mode exists.
7.1.5 Pre Lab Questions
1. Which mode is dominant in rectangular waveguide (x > y)?
2. A waveguide section in a microwave circuit will act as a ___________ filter.
3. Degenerate modes in a waveguide are characterized by __________cut off frequencies
and field distributions
4. The cut-off frequencies of the dominant mode and the next higher order mode in a
designated waveguide are fc1 and fc2 respectively. The typical operating frequency range
for this waveguide is _______< f < _______
5. What is the cut off wavelength for TE20 mode for a standard rectangular waveguide?

7.1.6 Post Lab Questions

1. Which of the following modes is not present in a rectangular waveguide (x > y)?
2. With the change in the frequency band, dimensions of the waveguide will _________
3. In a rectangular waveguide, for TMm1 mode where m ≠ 0, the number of contours in
magnetic field pattern in xy plane is _________ to the value of m.
4. In a rectangular waveguide, for TE20 mode electric field and magnetic field components
are perpendicular in _____ planes.
5. If in a rectangular waveguide for which a = 2b, the cut-off frequency for TE02 mode is
12 GHz. Calculate the cut-off frequency for TM11 mode.

7.1.7 Result
From the experiment, we can observe the field patterns of various modes inside a rectangular
Wave guide in xy, yz and zx planes. This also shows the current density variation inTE10mode in
all three planes. Here, one can observe the field patterns for various frequency bands. One can
correlate the above mentioned field equations with the field patterns of various modes and can
develop better understanding of the modes of the rectangular waveguides.
 EXP NO: 7.2 ANALYSIS OF FIELD PATTERNS OF VARIOUS MODES
INSIDE A RECTANGULAR CAVITY

7.2.1 OBJECTIVE
Study of field patterns of various modes inside a rectangular cavity
7.2.2 REQUIREMENT:
You have to install a LabVIEW Run time Engine on your computer to run the exe file in
order to perform the experiment. The Run Time Engine can be downloaded from the following
link: http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1101/lang/en

7.2.3 INTRODUCTION:
This gives the basic idea of the field pattern; that is, electric and magnetic field patterns for
various modes inside a rectangular cavity resonator. One can observe the field patterns of
various modes in xy, xz and yz planes for different frequency bands. Surface current density can
also be observed on the walls of a rectangular cavity resonator.

Field Pattern for dominant mode (TE101) along xy plane

 About the experiment:
This experiment provides the field patterns of various modes inside a rectangular cavity.
The conducting walls of the cavity confine the electromagnetic fields inside the structure and
hence the cavity acts as a resonator. A number of distinct field configurations or modes can
exist in cavities. In rectangular cavity, modes are designated as TEmnp or TMmnp , where m, n,
p are the number of half wave variations in x, y, z directions respectively. In this experiment,
you can get better understanding of how the field patterns vary with the parameters m, n and p
for Transverse Electric (TE) and Transverse Magnetic (TM) modes in xy, yz and xz planes for
different frequency bands. The surface current density plot for the TE and TM modes can also
be observed on the walls of the rectangular cavity. The figure below shows the planes of a
rectangular cavity

In this experiment, a rectangular cavity of dimension x=a, y =b and z=d has been considered.
The dimensions of the cavity depend on the frequency band in which we are observing the field
pattern. For example, in X Band (8-12GHz), the U.S. standard waveguide WR-90 has inner
width of 2.286 cm ('a'), an inner height of 1.106 cm ('b') and the dimension in z direction, d is
usually an odd multiple of the guide wavelength (λg).
Electromagnetic waves propagating in open space travel out in all directions. As we know the
waveguide operates by confining the electromagnetic wave inside a metallic structure so that it
does not spread out, and losses resulting from this effect are eliminated. By definition, a
resonant cavity is any space completely enclosed by conducting walls that can contain
oscillating electromagnetic fields and possess resonant properties. Signals propagate within the
confines of the metallic walls that act as boundaries. The signal is confined by total internal
reflection from the walls of the cavity. Resonant cavities have a very high Q and can be built to
handle relatively large amounts of power. They are used principally at frequencies in the
microwave range and can act as a resonator above a certain frequency, known as the cut-off
frequency. This cut-off frequency of the cavity depends upon its dimensions.
Rectangular Cavity
A rectangular cavity is a hollow metallic tube with a rectangular cross section. It can be
simply described as a rectangular waveguide which is shorted at both ends. The conducting
walls of the waveguide confine the electromagnetic fields and hence standing waves are created
which leads to resonant phenomenon. The rectangular cavity is basically characterized by its
dimensions i.e., length d, breadth a and height b.
Modes: Like waveguides, cavities are also analyzed by solving Maxwell's equations, or their
reduced form, the electromagnetic wave equation, with boundary conditions determined by the
properties of the materials and their interfaces. These equations have multiple solutions, or
modes, which are eigen- functions of the equation system. Each mode is therefore characterized
by an eigen-value, which corresponds to a cutoff frequency below which the mode cannot exist
in the guide.

These resonant modes depend on the operating wavelength and the shape and size of the cavity.
The modes of the cavity are typically classified into following types:
TE modes (Transverse Electric) have no electric field component in the direction of propagation.
TM modes (Transverse Magnetic) have no magnetic field component in the direction of
propagation.

Field Theory
As we know, an electromagnetic field is comprised of electric and magnetic fields which are
perpendicular to each other. These fields have different patterns for each mode. These patterns
depend upon the mode numbers (m, n and p) and the dimensions (a, b and d) of the cavity. The
electric field and magnetic field pattern are different for various modes in different cavities .The
electric field component of an EM wave is characterized by Ex, Ey and Ez components of the
wave. Similarly the magnetic field component of an EM wave is characterized by Hx, Hy and Hz
components of the wave.
For TEmnp mode, the field equations for a rectangular cavity are:
7.2.4 Procedure
Step 1: Select the frequency band in which you wish to see the field pattern.
Enter the frequency in GHz

Step 2: Select the type of mode, i.e., either Transverse Electric (TE) or Transverse Magnetic
(TM).

Select Mode (TE/TM)

Step 3: Select Pattern:

i) Electric Field: Select this to view the electric field pattern of the given mode.
ii) Magnetic Field: Select this to view the magnetic field pattern of the given mode.
iii) Surface Current: Select this option to view the surface current density for TE10mode.

Select pattern

Step 4: Enter the values of m, n and p to obtain the field pattern, where m stands for no. of half
waves of electric or magnetic intensity in the X- direction, n stands for number of half waves in
the y direction and p stands for number of half waves in the z direction.

Step 5: Run the VI up to see the desired field pattern in XY, YZ and XZ planes. In case, you
wish to see the other field pattern then click stop and repeat steps 1-4 before running the
program again.

You may see the following example for your reference, where appropriate buttons are selected in
order to observe the electric field pattern of TE101 mode in X-band:
7.2.5 Prelab Questions

1. Mention the uses of rectangular waveguides

2. What are the various modes of propagation in rectangular waveguides?
3. Express the wave equation that a wave should obey inside a rectangular waveguide.
4. Define dominant mode
5. Write the formula to determine the cutoff frequency.

7.2.6 Post lab Questions

6. Discuss the working of TE mode
7. Explain the wave propagation in TM mode
8. Discuss on attenuation in lossy waveguide
9. What is the principle of waveguide cavities?
10. What do you mean by resonant frequency?

7.2.7 Result:
From the experiment, we can observe the field patterns of various modes inside a
rectangular waveguide in xy, yz and zx planes.