Microwave Design

Principles

Dr. H. Rahaman, Associate Professor

Department of Electronics and Communication, BKBIET Pilani
 Objective

 Microwave impedance.
 Microwave filters.
 Microwave Oscillators.
 Microwave Antennas.
 Impedance Matching
It is necessary in rf and µwave to have matching network in circuit network
to minimize signal loss, maximize power handling capacity and provide
best performance of the circuit.
 Maximum power is delivered, when the load is matched to the line, and
power loss is minimize.
 Impedance matching improves signal to noise ratio.
 Impedance matching in power distribution network improves
amplitude and phase errors.

There are different techniques of matching.

1. Matching with lumped element (L section/ L network).
2. Stub tuning of transmission line (single stub and double stub).
3. Quarter wave transformer matching of transmission line.
 Lumped Elements Matching
L – Section Network (Matching with lumped elements)
It is the simplest type of matching network, which uses two reactive
elements to match an arbitrary load impedance to a transmission line.
There are two possible configurations as shown in the diagram.

Network for zl inside the

1+jx circle

Network for zl outside the

1+jx circle
 Lumped Elements Matching
L – Section Network (Matching with lumped elements)
The zl (=Zl/Z0) is the normalized impedance in the smith chart. If it is
inside the 1+jx circle, implies RL > Z0. For matching condition

Separating the imaginary and real part and solve them.

After solving X and B values are

For the other circuit RL < Z0.

 Lumped Elements Matching

𝑥𝑍0
+ve X implies inductor 𝐿=
2𝜋𝑓
1
-ve X implies capacitor 𝐶=−
2𝜋𝑓𝑥𝑍0

+ve B implies capacitor 𝑏

𝐶=
2𝜋𝑓𝑍0

-ve B implies inductor 𝑍0

𝐿=−
2𝜋𝑓𝑏

One can find a network to match the given transmission line of

impedance Z0 with the load impedance Zl.
 Stub Matching
Another popular matching technique uses open circuited or short circuited
length of transmission line connected either in parallel or in series with the
transmission feed line at a certain distance from the load. There are two
types of stub tuning: a) Single stub, b) Double stub

Single stub
Such stub tuning is very popular that uses a single open circuited or short-
circuited length of transmission line connected either in parallel or in series
at a certain distance from the load.
Stub Matching
 Smith Chart
Single stub
The parameters for stub matching are solved using smith chart.
One can find stub tuning by plotting reflection coefficient graph against
frequency.
 Stub Matching
Double stub
Single tub tuner is used to match any load impedance to a transmission
line, but suffers from the disadvantage of requiring variable length between
the load and the stub.
Double stub tuner uses two tuning stubs in fixed positions. However, a
double stub tuner cannot match all load impedances.
 Quarter Wave Transformer
The quarter wave transformer is a simple and useful circuit for matching a
real load impedance to a transmission line.

In order to have reflection coefficient, Γ = 0, we must have Zin = Z0

which yields the characteristic impedance Z1.

𝑍1 = 𝑍0 𝑅𝐿
Then, there will be no standing waves on the feedline (SWR =1). The
condition applies only when the length of the matching section is λ/4 or an
odd multiple of λ/4 long. Therefore, a perfect match may be achieved at
one frequency, but impedance mismatch will occur at other frequencies.
It is to be noted that the quarter wave transformer can be extended to
multi-section quarter wave transformer design.
 Quarter Wave Transformer
Reflection coefficient versus frequency for the single quarter wave
matching transformer with various loads.

Single section quarter wave

matching transformer

Multi section quarter wave

matching transformer
 Microwave Resonator
Already discussed in pvs unit 6.
Series resonant circuit.
Parallel resonant circuit.
Q factor: loaded and unloaded.
Rectangular cavity resonator.
Circular cavity resonator.
 Microwave Filter
A filter is a two port network to control frequency response of an rf or
microwave system. It provides transmission at frequencies within passband
of the filter and attenuation at frequencies within stopband of the
filter. Typical filters are low pass, high pass, bandpass and band reject
filters.
Filter classification – there are different types of filters with given names
each one being optimized for different types of functions.
Microwave filter design is done with computer aided design (CAD) tool,
CST, and HFSS etc.
Let us begin filter design with periodic structure, which consist of a
transmission line or waveguide periodically loaded with reactive elements.
These structures are very useful because of their application to slow wave
components and traveling wave amplifier design and they exhibit passband
- stopband response.
 Microwave Filter
Periodic Structure:
Periodic structure supports slow wave propagation (slower than the
velocity of unloaded structure)

Periodic structure on a microstrip line Periodic structure on a waveguide

Dispersion relation and wave velocities:

In order to study the passband and stopband characteristics of a periodic
structure, it is useful to plot the propagation constant, β, versus the
propagation constant of the unloaded k (or ω). Such a plot is called a k - β
diagram and is used to study dispersion characteristics of the transmission
line.
𝛽= 𝑘 2 − 𝑘𝑐2 𝑘𝑐 is cutoff wave number,
k is the free space wave number
 Microwave Filter
Dispersion relation:
For k < kc, there is no solution and the mode is not propagating. For k > kc,
the mode propagates, and k approaches β for large β. Various
wave velocities are associated with the dispersive structure. The phase
velocity
and the group velocities are given by

𝛽= 𝑘 2 − 𝑘𝑐2

The phase velocity of the propagating waveguide mode is infinite at cutoff

and approaches c as k increases. The group velocity is zero at cutoff and
approaches c as k increases.
 Transmission Matrix
Transmission (ABCD) matrix:
Z, Y and S parameters representations are used to characterize a
microwave network with an arbitrary number of ports, but in practice many
microwave networks consist of a cascade connection of two or more
than two port networks. In such case, first 2 X 2 transmission, or ABCD
matrix for each two port network is defined. Then, the ABCD matrix
of higher port networks can be found by multiplying the ABCD matrices
of the individual two ports.

Two port network

Cascade connection of two port network

 Transmission Matrix
Transmission (ABCD) matrix:
ABCD matrices for elementary two port networks can be built up and
applied in building block fashion to more complicated microwave
networks that consists of cascade of the simpler two ports network.

Filter design by image parameter method:

The image parameter method of filter design involves the specification of
passband and stopband for a cascade of simple two port networks. It is
similar to that of the periodic structure and the method is simple
 Image Impedance
Once image impedance and voltage transfer function of a reciprocal two
port network is defined, it can be used for the filter design.
Consider an arbitrary two port network, which is specified by ABCD
parameters. The image impedances, Zi1 and Zi2 can be defined using this
network.

Solving for Zi1 (=Zin1) and Zi2 (=Zin2)

Two important type of two port networks are T and π network.

Image Parameters for T and π filters
 Constant k filters
It is easy to design filter using image parameters. Let us consider the low
pass filters using T and π section networks.

Low pass k filter using T network Low pass k filter using π network
Image impedance, ZiT for T network is given by

or

Where R0 is constant for the circuit

Where wc is the cut off frequency

For w > wc , ZiT is negative, which is the stopband

 Constant k filters
Let us consider the high pass filters using T and π section networks.

High pass k filter using T network High pass k filter using π network

Image impedance, ZiT for T network is given by

𝐿 𝜔2
𝑍𝑖𝑇 = 2𝜔 2 𝐿𝐶 − 1 or 𝑍𝑖𝑇 = 𝑅0 2 −
𝐶 𝜔𝐶
1
Where R0 is constant for the circuit

Where wc is the cut off frequency

For w < wc , ZiT is negative, which is the stopband
 Filter Design by Insertion Loss
A perfect filter would have zero insertion loss in the passband, infinite
attenuation in the stopband and a linear phase response in the passband.
The insertion loss method allows a higher degree of control over the
passband and stopband than that of the image parameter method.
In the insertion loss method a filter response is defined by its insertion loss
or power loss ratio, PLR.

From microwave network analysis

Then, reflection coefficient at the input port

 Filter Design by Insertion Loss
Reflection coefficient can be expressed in terms of w2.

Where M and N are polynomial in w2. The power loss ratio is then given
by

Maximally flat:
This is also called the Butterworth or binomial filter and it provides the
flattest possible passband response of a given filter. For low pass filter, it
is expressed by

Where N is the order of the filter and ωc is the cut off frequency.
The passband extends from ω=0 to ω= ωc. The band edge where the power
loss ratio is 1 + k2, can be taken as -3dB point. For ω > ωc, the
attenuation increases monotonically.
 Filter Design by Insertion Loss

Maximally flat and equal ripple

low pass filter response for N = 3.

Equal ripple:
This is also called the Chebyshev filter. It provides fast roll off after
the cut off frequency but at the expense of band ripple. The low pass
filter is expressed by

TN oscillate between ±1.

There are other filters also like Bessel filter and Elliptic filter etc.
 Summary

 Impedance matching: Lumped elements, stub matching and

quarter wave transformer matching.
 Resonator: Series, Parallel, Q factor, waveguides.
 Periodic structure, transmission ABCD matrices, image
parameter method.
 Microwave filter: periodic, k filter, butterworth, chevyshev.
Thank you !