Microwave and Antenna

ELC3510
UNIT-I
Course Outline

• Credit :4
• Course Category : Departmental Core
• Pre-requisite(s) : ELA2510 Electromagnetics
• Contact Hours (L-T-P) : 3-1-0
• Course Objective:
• Understand basic concepts of μwave engineering
• Model the microwave devices using S-parameters
• Learn the theory and working of μwave tubes and solid-state
devices
• Identify the different types of antennas and understand their
working
• Carry out analysis of different types of antennas
Course Assessment
• Course Work* (15%)
• Mid Semester Exam (01 hour) (25%)
• End Semester Exam (02 hour) (60%)

*Course work includes Home Assignment, Quiz and

Discipline.
Syllabus
• Unit-I Microwave Components
Guided –Wave Propagation; Modes of Propagation; Wave-guide
Components-Tees, Hybrid Rings; Wave-guide- Tuning,
Matching, Loading, and Attenuating Components; Directional
Couplers, Isolators, Circulators and Detector, Modelling of
Microwave Components-Scattering Parameters and their
Properties; Measurements of VSWR, Impedance, Frequency,
Wavelength, Attenuation and Power
• Unit-II Microwave Amplifiers and Oscillators
Introduction to Microwave Tubes; Frequency Limitations of
Conventional Tubes; Multi-cavity Klystron Amplifiers and
Oscillators; Reflex Klystron Oscillators and Their Applegate
Diagrams; Magnetrons and Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs) their
Working and Applications.
Syllabus
• Unit-III Microwave Semiconductor Devices and
Antennas
Introduction to Microwave Semiconductor Devices;
Operation and Applications of Schottky Barrier Diode;
Varactor Diode; Tunnel Diode; Gunn Diode; PIN Diode;
Micro-Strip & Strip Lines; Introduction to Antennas;
Antenna Characteristics.
• Unit-IV Antenna Design
Hertzian Dipole; Isotropic Antennas; Monopole and Dipole
Antennas; Microwave Antennas; Antenna Arrays; Broad-
side and End-fire Arrays; Multiplication of Patterns; Firris
Equation; Antenna Classification based on Frequency
Range and Applications.
 Text Book(s)/Reference Book(s)
1. S.Y. Liao, Microwave Devices & Circuits, 3rd ed., N. Delhi, Prentice Hall of India,
2003.

2. David M. Pozar,‘Microwave Engineering,’ 2nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999
3. G. Kennedy and B. Davis, Electronic Communication Systems, 4th ed. Tata McGraw-
Hill, New Delhi, 1985.

4. M.L. Sisodia & V.L Gupta, Microwaves, New Age International Publishers, N. Delhi,
2001
5. J. D. Kraus, R.J. Marhefka & A.S. Khan, Antennas and Wave Propagation, 4th ed., Tata
McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2010.
6. C.G. Christodolou, P.F. Wahid, Fundamentals of Antennas: Concepts and Applications,
PHI, N. Delhi, 2004.

7. M. M. Radmanesh, Radio Frequency and Microwave Electronics—Illustrated, Pearson

Education-2001.
Course deals with..

Waves +
Antenna
Brief History of Microwave
• The term microwave usually refer to Electromagnetic
waves with wavelengths ranging from about one meter to
one millimeter.
• Microwaves was first introduced in technical literature in
1932 by Nello Carrara, to designate electromagnetic wave
(EM) waves having wavelength smaller than 30cm(i.e
frequency above 1GHz).
• Foundation of modern electromagnetic theory were
formulated by James Clerk Maxwell in 1873.
• Maxwell’s formulation was cast in its modern form by
Oliver Heaviside during period from 1885 to 1887.
• He introduced vector notation, and provided a
foundation for practical application of guided waves and
transmission lines.
• During the period 1887-1891, Heinrich Hertz, a noted
German physicist and experimentalist provided
experimental validation of Maxwell’s theory of
electromagnetic waves.
• Due to the lack of reliable microwave sources and other
components, the growth of radio technology in the early
1900s occurred primarily in the HF(3-30MHz) to
VHF(30-300MHz) range.
• In the late 1930s, it become evident that several effects
limit the operation of vacuum tubes in the microwave
frequency band, as wavelength becomes comparable to
the dimensions of the tube.
• Possibility of microwave generation by utilizing
transit time effects together with lumped tuned circuits
was suggested by A.A. Heil and O. Heil in 1935.
• In 1939, W.C Hahn and G.F. Metcalf proposed the
theory of velocity modulation.
• In the same year, klystron amplifier and oscillator,
which used velocity modulation, were developed by
R.H. Varian S.F. Varian.
• Although Hull invented magnetron in 1921, it
remained as a laboratory device till cylindrical
magnetron was developed by Boot and Randall in
early 1940.
• In 1944, R. Kompfer invented helix type TWT.
• What is Electromagnetic (EM) Wave?

Fig. EM wave in space at certain time instant.

• What is Electromagnetic (EM) Wave?

Fig. EM wave in space (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki )

 Microwave Frequencies
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021

Extra low Radio Waves

frequencies
(Power
Line)

Fig. Electromagnetic Spectrum

• Microwaves are radio waves (EM waves) roughly from

1 m to 1 mm (300MHz to 300 GHz).
Microwave Frequency Bands
Designation Frequency range
(GHz)
HF 0.003 – 0.030
VHF 0.030 – 0.300
UHF 0.300 – 1.000
L Band 1–2
S Band 2–4
C Band 4–8
X band 8 – 12
Ku band 12 – 18
K band 18 – 27
Ka band 27 – 40
Millimeter 40 – 300
Submillimeter > 300
Microwave Applications
• Communication (3G, 4G, Wifi, Blue-tooth, etc)
• Satellite Communication (Dish TV)
• Radar Systems, Defence and Missile electronic
Systems
• Radio astronomy and space navigations
• Medical Equipment (Selective heating of body
organs)
• Microwave Oven
Why Microwave Communication?

• Higher Bandwidth
• Higher speed of operation
• Less crowded frequency spectrum
• Small Antenna Size
Guided Waves Propagation
• Unguided waves – free space propagation
• Guided waves: waves that are guided along or over
conducting or dielectric surfaces such as
 parallel-wire
 Coaxial transmission line
 Waveguides
 Optical fibers
 Waves that are guided along the earth’s surface.
 Waveguides
• Waveguides are hollow metallic tubes of rectangular or circular cross
section.
• Other cross-sectional shapers are possible but simpler forms are used
• Simplest shapes are the one’s easiest to manufacture and properties
are simple to evaluate
• Exploit skin effect: At high frequency current flow occurs mostly
along the surface of the conductor
 Waveguides
• The cross-section dimension of waveguide must be of the same
order as those of a wavelength.
• That's why the waveguide are used almost above 1 GHz of
frequencies.
• In 1-100 GHz of range, waveguides are superior to coaxial
transmission line.
Waveguides
• The microwaves propagate through reflections form the inner walls of the guide
• The walls of the guide confine the EM fields.
• Transverse EM (TEM) wave is not possible in waveguide
• One of the Electric or magnetic should have component in the direction of
propagation.
• Either Electric filed is transverse (TE) or magnetic field is transverse (TM)
Plane waves at conducting surfaces
• Wave-fronts incident on a
perfectly conducting planes
(reflection is not shown)
with angle of incident θ
• Let vc is the actual velocity
of the waves in the direction
of incident. Then
𝑣𝑔 = 𝑣 𝑐 sin(𝜃)
𝑣 𝑛 = 𝑣 𝑐 cos(𝜃)
• where vg and vc are parallel
and normal component of
the wave respectively
Plane waves at conducting surfaces
• Let λ is the wavelength in the direction of incident. Then
𝜆 𝑝 = 𝜆 / sin 𝜃
𝜆 𝑛 = 𝜆/cos(𝜃)
• where λp and λn are wavelength parallel and normal direction of
conduction surface respectively
• λp and λn are larger as compared to λ
Group velocity and phase velocity
• Two velocities are associated in any EM wave.
• Group velocity, vg :The one which wave propagates
(parallel to conduction surface)
• Phase velocity, vp :The one which wave changes the
phase along the direction of propagation (parallel to
conduction surface)
 Comparison Between Transmission Lines and Waveguides

Transmission Lines Waveguides

Two or more conductors separated by Metal waveguides are typically one
some insulating medium (two-wire, enclosed conductor filled with an
coaxial, microstrip, etc.). insulating medium (rectangular,
circular) while a dielectric waveguide
consists of multiple dielectrics

Normal operating mode is the TEM or Operating modes are TE or TM modes

quasi-TEM mode (can support TE and (cannot support a TEM mode).
TM modes but these modes are
typically undesirable).

No cutoff frequency for the TEM mode. Must operate the waveguide at a
Transmission lines can transmit signals frequency above the respective TE or
from DC up to high frequency. TM mode cutoff frequency for that
mode to propagate.

Significant signal attenuation at high Lower signal attenuation at high

frequencies due to conductor and frequencies than transmission lines.
dielectric losses.
Small cross-section transmission Metal waveguides can transmit high
lines (like coaxial cables) can only power levels. The fields of the
transmit low power levels due to the propagating wave are spread more
relatively high fields concentrated at uniformly over a larger cross-
specific locations within the device sectional area than the small cross-
(field levels are limited by dielectric section transmission line.
breakdown).
Large cross-section transmission lines Large cross-section (low frequency)
(like power transmission lines) can waveguides are impractical due to
transmit high power levels. large size and high cost.
Waveguides
• Power handling ability of waveguide is almost 10
times as high as for air dielectric coaxial line
• Power losses in waveguide are lower than coaxial line
• 41mm air dielectric cable – 4.0 dB/100m at 3 GHz
• 41mm foam dielectric cable – 10.8 dB/100m at 3 GHz
• 76.2 x 38.1 mm2 copper waveguide – 1.9 dB/100m
• Waveguides can be used up to 325 GHz whereas
coaxial cables can be used up to 18 GHz
Solution of wave equation in
Rectangular Coordinates
Maxwell’s equations for EM waves
TE Mode in Rectangular Waveguide
 PROBLEMS
Q.1 An air filled rectangular waveguide of inside dimension 7 ×3.5 cm operates in the
dominant mode.
a)Find the cut-off frequency
b)Determine the phase velocity of the wave in the guide at a frequency of 3.5 GHz
c)Determine the guided wavelength at the same frequency.
Q.2 A wave is propagated in a parallel-plane waveguide, the frequency of propagation
is 6 GHz and the plane separation is 3cm. Find
(a) The cutoff wavelength for the dominant mode
(b) The wavelength in a waveguide
(c) The corresponding group and phase velocities
Q.3 It is necessary to propagate a 10 GHz signal in a rectangular waveguide whose wall
separation is 6 cm. What is the greatest number of half wave of Electric field intensity
which is possible to establish between the two walls,(i.e., what is the largest value of m)?
Calculate the guide wavelength for this mode of propagation.
Q.4 Calculate the characteristics wave impedance, if frequency is 6 GHz and the
plane separation is 3cm
Q.5 A rectangular waveguide measures 3 x 4.5cm internally and has a 9 GHz signal
propagated in it. Calculate the cutoff wavelength, the guide wavelength, the group
and phase velocities and the characteristics wave impedance for (a) the TE10 and the
(b) the TM11 mode.
Q.6 A waveguide has an internal width a of 3cm, carries the dominant mode of a signal
of unknown frequency. If the characteristics wave impedence is 500Ω, what is this
frequency?
Power Transmission
If p is the pointing vector (power transmitted per unit area).
Then the
time average power transmitted through the waveguide is

87
Problem
Solution
Solution (Contd.)
 Microwave Network Analysis:
S-Parameters
• The Maxwell’s equation are used to give complete
description of electric and magnetic fields at all points in
space.
• But, usually we are interested in only voltage or current at a
set of terminals, the power flow through a device instead of
detail description at all point in space
• Set of Parameters are used to analyse the circuit
• Much easier to apply the circuit analysis to a microwave
problems then to solve the Maxwell’s equation for the same
problem
• Several elements/network can be combined together and
overall response can be easily obtained without analysing
the Maxwell’s equation.
 Low Frequency Parameters
• At lower frequencies
(LF<1GHz) Z or Y or H–
parameters are used for
analysis for devices and
circuits
• Net voltage (or net
current) and Short Circuit
(or Open Circuit) are
used for their description
• Valid for lumped
network.
 High Frequency Parameters
Conventional Y/Z/H Parameters FAILS. Why?
• At microwaves, voltage and current become function of x (i.e.
space) and their wave descriptions are required. (Distributed
values)
• Non-availability of equipment to measure position variable v or i
• Short (SC) or open (OC) circuits are not possible to carry out.
(Inductance and capacitance can’t be ignored)
• Active devices become unstable when short circuited.
Scattering Parameters (S-Parameters)
• Easy to measure at microwave frequencies
• Based on transmitted and reflected wave (e.g light
reflected and transmitted through a glass)
• Neither SC nor OC is required
• Can be used for lumped network also

Incident a1 a2
Two-port
network

Reflected b1 b2