Faustus

Scientific Corporation

Part 2

MEFiSTo-2D™ Classic
Tutorials

Second Edition
April 2001

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation

All Rights Reserved

Version 1.0

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50 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

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 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial Introduction 51

Introduction
This series of tutorial simulations has been designed to
demonstrate the most important capabilities of the two-
dimensional TLM field simulator MEFiSTo-2D Classic.
The software package comprises a number of tutorial
example files that begin with a prefix tut and have a tlm
extension.
To begin the tutorial, simply start MEFiSTo-2D Classic
and point to the example file named at the beginning of
each tutorial.
The following pages will explain, step by step, how to
prepare and implement the different examples. The first
few are described in the greatest detail; you will quickly
learn the obvious steps while you proceed through the
tutorial, and they are thus gradually omitted.
Furthermore, all data in the example files have been
initialized with appropriate default values; you can thus
run them without any further input by clicking on the
“++” button in the Simulation Bar. Naturally, you are
encouraged to change the parameters to see what
happens. Refer to the User Manual at any time if you
want more information on a particular menu item.
Clicking the Stop button during a simulation will stop the
simulator. Continue it by clicking again on “++” or, if
the maximum number of time steps has been reached,
increase the number of time steps in the simulation
control data window and click again on “++”. You can
start the same simulation again after clicking the Reset
button.

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52 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Tutorial 1: TM Cutoff Frequencies of a

Rectangular Waveguide
Tutorial Example File: tut1_rw.tlm

Objective: Find the cutoff frequencies of the first three TM-modes in a WR(28)
rectangular waveguide. Assume perfectly conducting walls. The guide is filled with
air.
This standard rectangular waveguide has the following inner dimensions:
a = 0.28 in, b = 0.14 in.

1.1. Preliminary Considerations

1. At cutoff, all field components are independent of position along the longitudinal
axis of the guide (y-axis). Thus, we need to solve a genuine 2D problem.
MEFiSTo-2D is perfectly suitable for this task.

a
b
z Hz

Ix
x Iz
Hx
Ey Vy
y Short-
circuits

(a) (b)

Figure 2 - 1 (a) Cross-section of the waveguide showing the co-ordinate axes and
the field components of the TM-modes at cutoff. These components
are independent of y. (b)
Isometric view of a shunt-connected transmission line network (TLM
mesh) used to model the field behavior in the cross-section. The
sidewalls of the guide are modeled by short-circuits.

2. We model the longitudinal Ey-field of the TM modes by the voltage Vy in the

TLM mesh. (Vy is perpendicular to the screen). The transverse magnetic field

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 TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 53

components are then modeled by the currents in the mesh (see Figure 2 - 1).
The correspondence is as follows:
• The mesh voltage Vy models the electric field component Ey
• The mesh current Iz models the magnetic field component -Hx
• The mesh current Ix models the magnetic field component Hz
3. We discretize the cross-section of the waveguide into square cells. As a rule of
thumb, the mesh size should be smaller than 1/10th of the shortest wavelength.
10 cells along the shortest dimension of the waveguide cross-section should be
about right for a first evaluation. Obviously, the discretization in Figure 2 - 1 is
much too coarse.
4. We thus discretize the waveguide into 20 x 10 cells of size 0.014 in x 0.014 in =
0.3556 mm x 0.3556 mm.
5. The cutoff frequencies of the TM-modes are thus interpreted as the
eigenfrequencies (transverse resonance frequencies) of a field that is uniform in
y-direction.

1.2. Define and Input the Structure

Set up the TLM mesh and draw the waveguide cross-section into the discretized
TLM mesh. Proceed as follows:

1.2.1. Start MEFiSTo-2D

• Click Start on the task bar,
• Point to Programs > MEFiSTo-2D > MEFiSTo-2D.
The program starts up. A screen with an array of 17
by 11 squares appears. This is the default TLM mesh.

1.2.2. Create a new mesh

• In the File menu, select New,
• In the Mesh New dialog box, set
Number of cells in Z-direction: 21
Number of cells in X-direction: 11
Cell size Delta L in [mm]: 0.3556
Note: Always choose a mesh that is at least one cell larger than the structure
you want to implement. (The waveguide cross-section is 20x10 cells).

• Click OK. The new mesh appears.

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54 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

1.2.3. Draw the guide walls

• In the Draw menu, select Electric Wall,
• Point to the center of the top-left square. (z,x) = (0,0),
• Hold down the left mouse button, drag the cursor
horizontally to the top-right square (z,x) = (20,0) and
release. The horizontal red line is the top wall of the
waveguide.
• Point to the center of the top-right square (z,x) =
(20,0),
• Hold down the left mouse button, drag the cursor
vertically down to the center of the bottom-right square
(z,x) = (20,10) and release. The vertical red line is the
right sidewall.
• Draw the bottom wall and the left side wall using the
same procedure. The drawing of the guide cross-
section is complete.
Note: The mesh lines on the screen represent TLM transmission lines, seen
from above. The points where the lines intersect are called Nodes. A
square area containing a node in its center is a Cell. Regular
boundaries are usually inserted halfway between nodes and thus
coincide with cell boundaries (see also Fig. 2-1 in the “MEFiSTo-2D
Theory” booklet).

• Check that you have indeed drawn an area containing

20 x 10 cells.

1.2.4. Define the Computation Region and its

properties
The program does not automatically assume that you
want to compute the field in all cells. You must therefore
specify which cells should be “alive”, and what should be
the electromagnetic properties of the space they occupy.
• In the Draw menu, select Computation Region.
• Point to the center of the top-left square: (z,x) = (1,1)
• Hold down the left mouse button, drag the cursor
diagonally to the center of the bottom-right square:
(z,x) = (20,10) and release. The area covered turns
gray, and a dialog box appears.
• In the dialog box, set
Relative dielectric constant: 1

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 TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 55

Conductivity [S/M]: 0
Note: Every cell of the computational domain must be contained in a
computation region. The background permeability and permittivity are
assumed to be those of free space, µ0 and ε0.

• Click OK. The drawing is complete

1.2.5. Create a source point and a probe

Just like in a measurement you must excite the fields inside the waveguide by
injecting energy into it. You must also sample the field response to the excitation.
The simplest way to do this is to create a Source Point for excitation and a Probe
for sampling the field response. The positioning of the source point and the probe is
governed by the same principles as the positioning of real input and output devices
in a measurement.

[Link]. Create a Source Point

Let us first place a single source point into the guide
cross-section and inject the y-directed electric field
component. The position of the source point will, of
course, determine what modes will be excited, and how
strongly. Placing the source in the center of the
waveguide will excite only modes with an even symmetry
about the center (TM11, TM31, TM51, TM13, TM33, etc,) and
thus exclude the modes with odd symmetry. We will thus
place the source point slightly off-center to excite as many
modes as possible.
• In the View menu, select Draw,
• In the Draw menu, select Source Point,
• Place the cursor on node (9,5) and click the left mouse
button once. A source point appears, and a dialog box
comes up. Accept the default values (Scaling Factor =
0.707107, Node Voltage Vy) by clicking on OK.
Note In the shunt-connected TLM network, the node voltage Vy emulates the
Electric Field component Ey. By injecting one or several voltage
impulses into the TLM mesh at this point we simulate the injection of an
electric field using a y-directed antenna.

[Link]. Create a Probe

• For the placement of a sampling probe, the same
considerations apply regarding the positioning. We
will thus choose a slightly off-set position for the probe
as well.
• In the Draw menu, select Probe,

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56 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Place the cursor on node (11,6) and click the left

mouse button once. A source point appears.
• Save your structure using the Save or Save As
command in the File menu. (The extension tlm is
automatically added to the filename.)
The screen should now look like Figure 2 - 2.

Figure 2 - 2 View of the TLM mesh in the cross-section of the waveguide.

1.3. Perform the Simulation

You may have noticed that the “++” and “+” buttons in the Simulation Bar have
turned yellow, indicating that simulation is now enabled and that all elements
necessary for a simulation have been created. A few more decisions need to be
made, though.

1.3.1. Select a Source Waveform

Having chosen a standard waveguide problem as our first
exercise, we know already the solution with perfect
accuracy. But let us assume for the moment that we do

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 TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 57

not know it yet. We therefore inject a signal with an

extremely wide bandwidth to be certain that all relevant
frequencies are excited. This signal will be a single
voltage impulse.
• In the Source Waveform menu, select Impulse (T).
• In the dialog box, accept the default value (Magnitude
= 1). A graph showing the source waveform appears
on the screen. It is a single impulse of amplitude 1 at t
= 0. The time scale is in multiples of the time step ∆t
. (We will learn later how to change these scales).

1.3.2. Select a Sampling Mode

The Sampling Mode menu allows you to select the
quantity you want to sample with your field probe. This
time we choose to sample the same component that we
have injected, namely the node voltage Vy (equivalent to
the longitudinal field component Ey in the waveguide
cross-section).
• In the Sampling Mode menu, select Vy == Ey.

1.3.3. Set Simulation Control Data

The Simulation Control menu allows you to specify the
simulation process in detail.
• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control Data.
The Simulation Control Data dialog box appears.
• In the Time Domain Data group box, enter the total
duration of the simulation (1000 time steps) and the
update interval (50 time steps).
Note Since we will perform a transient solution in the time domain, we must
choose a sufficient number of time steps to reach a quasi-steady state.
As a very rough rule of thumb, multiply the largest dimension in ∆l of the
structure by 50 (20 x 50 = 1000). You can increase the number of time
steps later, or stop the simulation earlier if you wish.

• In the Frequency Domain Data group box, enter the

number of frequency points (200), the lower frequency
(20 GHz), and the upper frequency (100 GHz).
Note Knowing that the lowest cutoff frequency of the WR(28) waveguide is
about 21 GHz, our solutions will certainly lie above 20 GHz. The upper
frequency value of 100 GHz is probably somewhat high, but we can
narrow down the Fourier transform window later if necessary. Since the
frequency range is rather large, 200 points will be a reasonable
resolution. Again, we can change it later.

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58 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• In the TLM Mesh Data group box, verify the value of

the mesh parameter ∆l. The time step is automatically
computed and cannot be changed since it is “hard-
wired” and corresponds to the Courant stability limit in
FDTD.
• In the TLM Dispersion Error in Percent group box, note
that the error in the attenuation constant is zero since
the dielectric in the waveguide is lossless. The
maximum error in the phase constant is the upper
bound of the dispersion error, calculated for the value
of the Upper Frequency entered above. It is 1.23% in
this case. We will see later that the actual error of our
solutions is much lower than this worst-case value.
• Confirm the dialog box content by clicking OK.
We are now ready to start the simulation and to observe
the process.

1.3.4. Start Simulation

• In the View menu, select Graph.
• In the Graph menu, select Probe Responses. You
see three graphs for displaying the responses of
Probe 1. The upper graph will be the time response,
the middle graph will be the magnitude of the
frequency response (discrete Fourier Transform), and
the lower graph the phase response. Note that the
horizontal scales correspond to the values set
previously in the Simulation Control Data window.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button in
the Simulation Bar. You see that the time response
(upper graph) is displayed in bursts of 50 time steps,
and that the magnitude and phase of the Fourier
Transform are updated at the same rate. The whole
simulation is completed within a few seconds.
Note We can already distinguish five resonances in the range from 40 to 100
GHz. We will now inspect the frequency response more closely.
If you would like to see the same simulation again, click the Reset
Simulator button above the window, and then “++”.

• In the Graph menu, select Probe 1 > V(f) Magnitude.

A single window displays the magnitude of the
frequency response in greater detail. (See Figure 2 - 3)

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 59

Figure 2 - 3 Fourier Transform of the impulse response of the TLM mesh that
models the cross-section of a WR(28) waveguide.

• With the mouse, point at each resonance peak and

click the left mouse button. The first number in the
Coordinate Area is the frequency in GHz, the second
is the magnitude of the peak. The first three cutoff
frequencies are approximately 47 GHz, 59.5 GHz and
75.9 GHz. These peaks are close to the analytically
calculated cutoff frequencies of the modes TM11
(fc1 = 47.128544 GHz), TM21
(fc2 = 59.613417 GHz), TM31
(fc3 = 75.992494 GHz).

1.4. Process and Improve the Simulation Results

While the results obtained so far are sufficiently accurate for the identification of the
first cutoff frequencies, MEFiSTo-2D can achieve much better precision and
resolution. The main limitation has been the low frequency resolution of the
frequency axis. The next step will be to zoom in on the three first resonances to
get a better reading of the position of the maxima.

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60 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

1.4.1. Zoom in on the individual resonance peaks

• In the Graph menu, select Probe 1 > V(f) Magnitude.
• Place the cursor slightly to the left and above the first
resonance peak. Press the left mouse button and
draw a narrow rectangle that includes the peak. Then
release the mouse button again. The rectangular area
now fills the entire screen, and you see the peak in
much greater detail.
Note If you are not happy with the area you have selected, you can return to
the full view by returning to the Graph menu and selecting Probe 1 >
V(f) Magnitude again. Now draw another rectangle.

The frequency axis is now spread out, but the peak is still
not well defined. In fact, you see a piecewise linear
approximation of the resonance curve that is not
sufficiently resolved to identify the exact position of the
maximum. The solution is to increase the number of
frequency points in the window as follows.

1.4.2. Recompute the Fourier Transform

• In the Simulation Control menu, select Recompute
DFT,
• In the Frequency Domain Data group box, change the
lower and upper frequency values to 45 GHz and 48
GHz, respectively, then click on OK.
• MEFiSTo-2D performs a new Discrete Fourier
Transform of the impulse response. Note that it is not
necessary to perform the TLM simulation again since
the response is still in the computer memory.
• The resolution is now much higher since the 200
frequency points are now concentrated in a much
narrower Fourier Transform window (3 GHz instead of
80 GHz).
• Determine the position of the maximum by clicking on
it and reading the first number in the Coordinate
Window. (~ 47.086 GHz). The theoretically exact
value is 47.128544 GHz, thus the error is - 0.09%.
This is three times more accurate than the maximum
phase constant error value in the Simulation Control
Data window.
• You can repeat the process again and narrow down
the Fourier Transform window further. This will

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 61

improve your resolution, but not necessarily the

accuracy of your results. To verify this, you should
increase the number of time steps of the TLM
simulation and determine if this results in a shift of the
resonance peak.

1.4.3. Increase the number of time steps

• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control Data,
• In the Time Domain Data group box, increase the total
number of time steps from 1000 to 4000. Then click
on OK.
• Click on the “++” button in the Simulation Bar.
• Observe the narrowing resonance curve.
• Determine the position of the maximum again by
clicking on it and reading the first number in the
Coordinate Window. (~ 47.086 GHz). There was no
significant shift in the position of the maximum. This
indicates that 1000 time steps were sufficient to reach
the accuracy limit of the discrete waveguide model.

1.5. Add another Probe

The second resonance peak at 60 GHz is not very pronounced as compared with
the first and third. This is due to the position of the Probe with respect to the
maximum of the mode field. Because the second peak is so small, the risk of error
is greatly increased since the sidelobes (due to the Gibbs effect) of the first
resonance may interfere with it and give rise to a substantial truncation error. The
remedy is to place another Probe at a position where the field of the TM21 mode is
larger.
• Reset the Simulator by clicking the Reset Simulator
button at the top of the screen. This will allow you to
edit the structure and to add new elements.
• In the View menu, select Draw,
• In the Draw menu, select Probe,
• Place the cursor on node (16,6) and click the left
mouse button once. A second probe appears.
• Save your new structure using the Save as command
in the File menu if you do not want to change the
original file tut1_rw.tlm.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

62 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Perform the simulation again by following the steps

beginning at Section 1.3.3. You will now see two sets
of time-and frequency responses. The frequency
response of Probe 2 shows a much stronger response
at 60 GHz than Probe 1.
• Determine the frequencies of the first three resonant
peaks by recomputing the Fourier Transform for three
narrow windows centered at the three peaks.
You should obtain approximately the following values:
fc1 ~ 47.096 GHz
fc2 ~ 59.617 GHz
fc3 ~ 75.922 GHz

1.6. Validation of Computed Results

Comparison of analytical values for the cutoff frequencies of the WR(28)
waveguide with the simulation data yields the results shown in Table 2-1.
The errors turn out to be much smaller than the upper bound of the phase velocity
error displayed in the Simulation Control Data box. If you want to reduce the
dispersion error further, the only solution is to increase the number of cells in the
cross-section of the waveguide. In fact, it is always a good idea to solve the same
structure once or twice with an increasingly finer mesh. This allows you to verify if
and how the solution converges to the ideal value for infinitesimal mesh size.
Note that when you double the number of cells in each coordinate direction, the
2
number of cells and hence, the memory requirements increase by a factor 2 = 4.
At the same time, the required number of time steps doubles, and the total
3
computational expenditure thus grows by a factor 2 = 8.

Mode Analytical Cutoff MEFiSTo-2D Relative Error

fc/GHz fc/GHz in Percent
TM11 47.128544 47.096 -0.069

TM21 59.613417 59.617 0.006

TM31 75.992494 75.992 -0.0006

Table 2-1 Comparison of simulation results with analytically exact values.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

TM Cutoff Frequencies of a Rectangular Waveguide 63

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

64 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Tutorial 2: Propagation in Uniform

Transmission Lines and
Waveguides
Tutorial Example Files: tut2_tl.tlm and tut2_wg.tlm

2.1. Preliminary Considerations

In this tutorial we will explore the propagation of electromagnetic fields in two types
of uniform transmission lines, namely parallel-plate waveguides and rectangular
waveguides. Since MEFiSTo-2D can only handle two-dimensional problems, the
simulations are restricted to modes of propagation that depend on two space
dimensions only, namely the TEM-mode in the parallel-plate waveguide, and
TEm0-modes in both types of waveguides.
In contrast to the first tutorial where we studied the cutoff behavior of a rectangular
waveguide as a transverse resonance phenomenon, we will now place the
longitudinal axis of the waveguide along the z-axis. The node voltage Vy in the 2D
shunt TLM network represents the transverse Ey component in the guide, while the
currents in the mesh simulate the two companion magnetic field components. (Iz
models -Hx, and Ix models Hz). This is shown in Figure 2 - 4.

Electric wall
z a
∆l
x
Hz
b Iz Ix
y Hx
Magnetic wall Vy
Ey Open-
circuits
a
(a) (b)
Figure 2 - 4 (a) View of the parallel-plate waveguide with magnetic sidewalls and
orientation of the three field components of TEm0-modes propagating
in z-direction. For m=0 we have a TEM mode with Hz = Ix = 0.
(b) orientation of the TLM mesh and of the voltage and currents that
model these modes. All field and network quantities are independent
of y. The magnetic sidewalls are modeled by open-circuits.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 2 Propagation in Uniform Transmission Lines & Waveguides 65

Top and bottom walls of the waveguides are thus parallel to the zx-plane, and their
spacing b is of no consequence since we consider only those field quantities that
are independent of y. Therefore, we draw only the footprint of the side walls that
determine the topology of the guiding structure.
We will begin by studying the propagation of TEM fields in a parallel-plate
waveguide.

2.2. TEM Propagation in Parallel-Plate Waveguide

Objective: Draw a parallel-plate waveguide, 10 mm wide and 90 mm long.
Terminate it at both ends with a matched load. Study the propagation of TEM
waves in this structure.

2.2.1. Create a new mesh

• In the File menu, select New,
• In the Mesh New dialog box, set
Number of cells in Z-direction: 91
Number of cells in X-direction: 11
Cell size Delta L in [mm]: 1
• Click OK. The new mesh appears.

2.2.2. Draw the magnetic side walls

• In the Draw menu, select Magnetic Wall,
• Draw the two magnetic side walls, one from point
(0,0) to point (90,0), and the other from point (0,10) to
point (90,10).

2.2.3. Define the computational domain and its

properties
• In the Draw menu, select Computation Region,
• Fill the entire area of the guide with a single
rectangle. In the dialog box, set Relative dielectric
constant = 1, Conductivity [S/M] = 0. Click OK.
Note The Computation Region not only defines the permittivity and
conductivity of the medium, but also brings the TLM cells inside the box
“alive”. No computation is performed inside cells that are not covered
by a Computation Region.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

66 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

2.2.4. Draw the matched loads at both ends

• In the Draw menu, select Reflection Wall,
• Draw a Reflection Wall across both ends of the
guide. In the dialog box, accept the default value
TEM wave reflection coefficient = 0, which
characterizes an absorbing boundary or matched
termination for a TEM plane wave incident normally
on the boundary.
Note The Relative dielectric constant is by default the value specified when
creating the last Computation Region. It is thus recommended to
draw the Computation Region adjacent to an absorbing wall before
drawing the wall itself. However, the dielectric constant can be
changed at any time. Note that the Local impulse reflection coefficient
(Γi = -0.171573) is different from 0 as predicted by 2D TLM Theory.

2.2.5. Draw a source region

• In the Draw menu, select Source Region,
• Draw a narrow vertical box around the left-most
column of nodes inside the guide. In the dialog box,
accept the default Scaling Factor of 0.707107, which
is the value required to launch a voltage wave of 1 V
in the input ports. The source distribution is constant
in x-direction.
Note Creating a source region with a constant spatial field distribution in x-
direction is equivalent to entering a column of single source points,
each having the same weight. This type of source region is suitable for
launching a uniform plane wavefront.

2.2.6. Draw an animation region

To observe and visualize the fields in the waveguide, we
sample the node voltages and currents in a rectangular
region and display their distribution dynamically. We will
first determine the display area by drawing an animation
region. We then inject a source waveform at the source
region and view the fields.
• In the View menu, select Draw,
• In the Draw menu, select Animation Region,
• Draw a box from point (3,1) to point (90,10).
You should now see the picture shown in Figure 2 - 5.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 2 Propagation in Uniform Transmission Lines & Waveguides 67

Figure 2 - 5 Discretized parallel-plate waveguide with magnetic sidewalls and

matched loads at each end. The source is a narrow source region at
the left extremity. An animation region covers the bulk of the guide.

2.2.7. Simulate and visualize TEM wave propagation

• In the Source Waveform menu, select Gaussian (T)
In the dialog box, set Magnitude = 1, Sigma in Delta_t
= 6, and Mean in Delta_t =24. Click OK. The
waveform appears on the screen.
• In the Sampling Mode menu, select Vy == Ey.
• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control
Data. In the dialog box, set Total number of time
steps = 180, and Time steps between updates = 1.
Disregard the Frequency Domain Data group box.
and click OK.
• In the View menu, select Field. A three-dimensional
view of the guide in its TLM mesh appears on the
screen.
• In the Field menu, select Field Display Attributes.
Shift, rotate and scale the display until you like it.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button.
• Observe the field as it propagates through the
structure. Continue to modify the 3D View
Parameters while the program is running. Adjust the
magnification of the field using Magnify Y or Reduce
Y. Change the size of the MEFiSTO-2D client
window. Stop and start the simulation again, or step
forward one step at a time using the “+” button.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

68 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Figure 2 - 6 Field display of a Gaussian Pulse traveling through a parallel-plate

waveguide with magnetic side walls. A TEM wave is created by
implementing a source region with a uniform transverse distribution.

• You can also change the update interval in the

Simulation Control Data box while the simulation is
stopped or running. This will change the speed of the
field animation at the expense of smoothness. Try
also the hidden line removal feature by deselecting
the Wire Frame box.
• To visualize the magnetic field components in z- and
x-direction, change your selection in the Sampling
Mode window while the simulation is running or
stopped.

2.3. TE10 Propagation in Rectangular Waveguide

Objective: Draw a WR(90) rectangular waveguide, 0.9 in wide and 9 in long.
Terminate it at both ends with a matched load. Study the propagation of TE10-
waves in this structure.

2.3.1. Create a new mesh

The Ey-component of the TE10-mode has a half-
sinusoidal distribution in the cross-section of the
waveguide. Discretizing the cross-section into 11 cells

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 2 Propagation in Uniform Transmission Lines & Waveguides 69

will be more than adequate (we should have at least 10

cells per wavelength, or 5 cells per half-wavelength.)

z a
∆l
x Hz

Hx b Iz Ix
y Ey
Vy Short-
circuits
a
(a) (b)
Figure 2 - 7 (a) View of the rectangular waveguide with electric side and top
walls and orientation of the three field components of TEm0-modes
propagating in z-direction.
(b) orientation of the TLM mesh and of the voltage and currents that
model these modes. All field and network quantities are independent
of y. The electric sidewalls are modeled by short-circuits. Note that
the mesh in the figure is only 5 ∆l wide for better clarity.

The waveguide will thus be discretized into 11 x 110

cells, with a ∆l of 0.9 x 25.4/11 mm = 2.078182 mm
• In the File menu, select New,
• In the Mesh New dialog box, set
Number of cells in Z-direction: 111
Number of cells in X-direction: 12
Cell size Delta L in [mm]: 2.078182
• Click OK. The new mesh appears.

2.3.2. Draw the electric side walls

• In the Draw menu, select Electric Wall,
• Draw two electric side walls, one from point (0,0) to
point (110,0), and the other from point (0,11) to point
(110,11).

2.3.3. Define the computational domain and its

properies
• In the Draw menu, select Computation Region,

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

70 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Fill the guide with a single rectangle. In the dialog

box, set Relative dielectric constant = 1, Conductivity
[S/M] = 0. Click OK.

2.3.4. Draw the matched loads at both ends

Here we face a serious problem. Since the TE10-mode wave impedance is
frequency-dependent, a wall with a fixed impedance can represent a matched load
only at one single frequency. (We will see later how we can solve this dilemma
using the Johns Matrix wall). For now, let us select a frequency f = 10 GHz and
determine the matching impedance at that frequency using the formula
120π
Zm = fc 2
where fc = 6.55714 GHz.
1− ( f )

Thus, at 10 GHz we have Zm = 499.32 Ohms.

For your convenience, these formulae have been implemented in a handy
calculator called “Waveguide Wizard”. To use this tool, open the Wizard menu,
select “Waveguide” and enter the waveguide data. You can cut and paste the
results from the Wizard into the data field of the Reflection Wall dialog box using
the Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V commands.
• In the Draw menu, select Reflection Wall,
• Draw a Reflection Wall across both ends of the
guide, from (0,0) to (0,11) and from (110,0) to
(110,11). In the dialog box, press the radio button in
front of Wall impedance in Ohms and enter (or paste)
499.32 which represents a narrowband absorbing
boundary, or matched load, for a TE10-mode at 10
GHz.

2.3.5. Draw a TE10 source region

• In the Draw menu, select Source Region,
• Draw a narrow vertical box around the left-most
column of nodes inside the guide. In the dialog box,
accept the default Scaling Factor of 1. In the Spatial
Distribution field, select Half Sin to launch the TE10-
mode.
Note Creating a source region with a half sine spatial field distribution in x-
direction is equivalent to entering a column of single source points,
each having a magnitude of excitation weighted by a half-sine function
in x-direction. This type of source region is suitable for launching a
pure TE10-mode wavefront.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 2 Propagation in Uniform Transmission Lines & Waveguides 71

2.3.6. Draw an animation region

• In the View menu, select Draw,
• In the Draw menu, select Animation Region,
• Draw a box from point (3,1) to point (110,11).
The screen should look like as in Figure 2 - 8.

Figure 2 - 8 Discretized rectangular waveguide with electric sidewalls and

narrowband matched loads at each end. The source is a narrow
source region at the left extremity. An animation region covers most
of the guide.

2.3.7. Simulate and visualize TE10 wave propagation

• In the Source Waveform menu, select Sin (f). In the
dialog box, set Magnitude = 1, Frequency [GHz] = 10.
Click OK. The waveform appears on the screen.
• In the Sampling Mode menu, select Vy == Ey
• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control
Data. In the dialog box, set Total number of time
steps = 1000, and Time steps between updates = 1.
Disregard the Frequency Domain Data group box and
check that the cell size is correctly entered. Then click
OK.
• In the View menu, select Field. A three-dimensional
view of the guide in its TLM mesh appears on the
screen.
• In the Field menu, select Field Display Attributes.
Shift, rotate and scale the display until you like it.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

72 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Observe the field as it propagates through the

structure. Continue to modify the 3D View
Parameters while the program is running. Adjust the
magnification of the field using Magnify Y or Reduce
Y. Change the size of the MEFiSTO-2D client
window. Stop and start the simulation again, or step
forward one step at a time using the “+” button.

Figure 2 - 9 Electric field Ey in the waveguide at 10 GHz after 1000 time steps.

• You can also change the update interval in the

Simulation Control Data box while the simulation is
stopped or running. This will change the speed of the
field animation at the expense of smoothness. Try
also the hidden line removal feature by deselecting
the Wire Frame box.
• To visualize the magnetic field components in z- and
x-direction, change your selection in the Sampling
Mode window while the simulation is running or
stopped.
Note Since the sinusoidal excitation is a “hard” sine that starts abruptly at t
= 0, the transient response of the guide is dispersive, resulting in a
“precursor” and some initial ringing at the cutoff frequency. However,
after several hundred time steps the propagating wave is stabilized and
appears to be fully absorbed by the load at the far end.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 3 Analysis of a Microstrip Lowpass Filter 73

Tutorial 3: Analysis of a Microstrip

Lowpass Filter
Tutorial Example File: tut3_mlf.tlm

3.1. Preliminary Considerations

The file tut3_mlf.tlm contains data for a microstrip lowpass filter modeled by its
equivalent parallel-plate waveguide model with magnetic sidewalls and non-
dispersive effective permittivity. (This model has, of course, certain limitations but
works well at low frequencies, in this case several GHz).
Several empirical formulae have been developed over the years to calculate the
properties of the equivalent parallel-plate waveguide from the microstrip
charactristics. Figure 2 - 10 shows the cross-sections of a microstrip line and its
equivalent model that can be implemented in 2D since all field quantities are
independent on the vertical direction.

W W eff

εr d d εeff

(a) (b)
Figure 2 - 10 Cross-section of a microstrip line (a) and its equivalent parallel plate
waveguide model with magnetic sidewalls (b)

For convenience, such formulae have been implemented in the Microstrip Wizard
that you can find under the Wizard menu. Simply key in the substrate thickness d,
the relative dielectric constant of the substrate, εr , followed by either the strip width
W, the normalized strip width W/d, or the microstrip characteristic impedance Z0m.
The Wizard then yields the effective width and effective dielectric constant that you
can implement in the TLM model.
The topology of the filter appears on the screen as soon as the file tut3_mlf.tlm is
opened. Magnetic walls (blue) define the geometry of the filter. The filter is
terminated at both ends by reflection walls (green); the reflection coefficient of
these walls has been chosen such that the input and output ports of the filter are
matched. Note that the impedance of the absorbing walls is not equal to the
microstrip characteristic impedance but rather the TEM wave impedance in the
medium that fills the parallel plate waveguide, namely η0/√εeff . A reference section

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

74 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

with the same electrical properties as the input section is needed for the extraction
of the S-parameters of the filter. This reference section appears below the filter
input. Both the filter and the reference section are filled with dielectric or
computation boxes, as indicated by the darker color.

Figure 2 - 11 Microstrip lowpass filter implemented as a parallel-plate waveguide

structure with magnetic sidewalls, and reference structure for the
extraction of scattering parameters.

3.2. Define and Input the Structure

If you want to re-create the geometry of the lowpass filter, follow this recommended
input sequence so that the program generates the proper values for the reflection
coefficients of the reflection walls.

3.2.1. Create a new mesh

• In the File menu, select New,
• In the Mesh New dialog box, enter
Number of cells in Z-direction: 52
Number of cells in X-direction: 15
Cell size Delta L in [mm]: 1
• Click OK. The new mesh appears.

3.2.2. Draw the magnetic walls

• In the Draw menu, select Magnetic Wall,
• Draw the magnetic wall sections using the counter in
the Coordinate Area. The coordinates of the wall

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 3 Analysis of a Microstrip Lowpass Filter 75

sections can be extracted from the Graph window of

file tut3_mlf.tlm

3.2.3. Define the computational domain

• In the Draw menu, select Computation Region,
• Fill all rectangular subareas of the filter and the
reference structure with contiguous Computation
Regions. In each dialog box, set Relative dielectric
constant = 8.22146, Conductivity [S/M] = 0.
Note If you do not want to redraw the structure, you can at least check the
property of each element of the filter. Proceed as follows:
• In the Draw menu, choose Select Element,
• Point and click on any element or area of the filter. The selected
element turns purple, and the name of the element appears in the
Status Bar.
• In the Right-Mouse-Button menu, select Property. A dialog box
displays the properties of the element, if these properties have
previously been specified through a dialog box.

3.2.4. Draw the reflection walls

• In the Draw menu, select Reflection Wall,
• Draw a Reflection Wall at both ports of the filter and
the reference structure. In each dialog box, accept
the default value TEM wave reflection coefficient = 0,
which characterizes an absorbing boundary or
matched termination for a TEM plane wave incident
normally on the boundary.
Note The Relative dielectric constant is by default the value specified when
creating the last Computation Region. It is thus recommended to
draw the Computation Region adjacent to an absorbing wall before
drawing the wall itself. However, the dielectric constant can be
changed at any time. Note that the local impulse reflection coefficient
(Γi =-0.604351) is different from 0 as predicted by 2D TLM Theory.

3.2.5. Draw the source regions

• In the Draw menu, select Source Region,
• Draw a narrow vertical box around the left-most
column of nodes inside the filter and the reference
structure. In the dialog box, accept the default value
of 2.02749 which is the scaling factor required to
launch a voltage wave of 1 V in the input ports. The
source distribution is constant in x-direction.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

76 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

3.2.6. Place the probes

Up to three probes can be implemented in MEFiSTo-2D.
The probes are numbered by the computer in the order
in which they are have been created (1 to 3). If one of
them is removed, the order is changed in a complicated
manner due to internal stack manipulation. In this
example, Probe 1 is the probe in the reference section.
Probe 2 and Probe 3 are placed in the input and output
ports of the filter. (Verify the numbering of the probes by
clicking on them after activating Select Element in the
Draw menu. The Status Bar indicates the number of
the probe.
Note The reference planes for the S-Parameters are defined by the position
of the probes.

3.3. Perform the Simulation

3.3.1. Select a Source Waveform

As in the first tutorial example we inject a signal of
maximum bandwidth to be certain that all relevant
frequencies are excited. This signal will be a single
voltage impulse.
• In the Source Waveform menu, select Impulse (T).
• In the dialog box, accept the default value (Magnitude
= 1). A graph showing the source waveform appears
on the screen.

3.3.2. Select a Sampling Mode

Again, we choose to sample the same component that
we have injected, namely the node voltage Vy (equivalent
to the field component Ey in the structure.
• In the Sampling Mode menu, select Vy == Ey.

3.3.3. Set Simulation Control Data

• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control
Data. The Simulation Control Data dialog box
appears.
• In the Time Domain Data group box, select the total
duration of the simulation (2048 time steps) and the
update interval (50 time steps).

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 3 Analysis of a Microstrip Lowpass Filter 77

• In the Frequency Domain Data group box, enter the

number of frequency points (101), the lower
frequency (0 GHz), and the upper frequency (6 GHz).
Note Since the structure under test is a lowpass filter, we include the low
frequency range down to DC. The source waveform (impulse) has a
DC component as well.

• In the TLM Mesh Data group box, verify the value of

the mesh parameter ∆l. The time step is
automatically computed and cannot be changed. It
guaranties unconditional stability of the algorithm.
• In the TLM Dispersion Error in Percent group box,
note that the error in the attenuation content is zero
since the dielectric in the waveguide is lossless. The
maximum error in the phase constant is the upper
bound of the dispersion error, calculated for the value
of the Upper Frequency entered above. It is 0.52% in
this case.
• Confirm the dialog box content by clicking OK.
You are now ready to start the simulation and to observe
its progress. The screen should look as in Error!
Reference source not found..

3.3.4. Start Simulation

• In the View menu, select Graph.
• In the Graph menu, select Probe Responses. You
see three columns of graphs for displaying the
responses of Probes 1, 2, and 3. The upper row of
graphs will be the time response, the middle row will
be the magnitude of the frequency response (discrete
Fourier Transform), and the lower row the phase
response. Note that the horizontal scales correspond
to the values set previously in the Simulation
Control Data window.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button in
the Simulation Bar. The time response (upper row of
graphs) is displayed in bursts of 50 time steps, and
the magnitude and phase of the Fourier Transform
are updated at the same rate. The whole simulation is
completed within a few seconds.
Note The frequency response of Probe 3 shows already the characteristics
of a lowpass filter from 0 to 1.5 GHz, with a second passband centered

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

78 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

around 4 GHz. The spectrum of the voltage in the reference section is

almost flat.

Figure 2 - 12 Display of the probe responses after 2048 time steps.

Top row: Time responses of probes 1 to 3.
Middle row: Frequency responses (Discrete Fourier Transform) of
the probes 1 to 3.
Bottom row: Phase responses of the same.

• In the Graph menu, select Probe 1 , 2, or 3 to

inspect each of the nine windows in greater detail.
Note The frequency domain responses are not smooth but show a
pronounced ripple (Gibbs effect), particularly towards the higher
frequencies. This is due to the following reasons:
a) The number of time steps chosen (2048) is insufficient.
b) The spectrum of the source waveform contains frequencies above
the range of interest (0 - 6 GHz).

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 3 Analysis of a Microstrip Lowpass Filter 79

3.4. Extract Scattering Parameters

Before extracting scattering parameters we must verify that the three probes are
assigned to the correct ports of the structure.
• In the Graph menu, select Port Attributes.
• Verify in the dialog box that
Probe 1 is assigned to the Reference Port,
Probe 2 is assigned to the Input Port, and
Probe 3 is assigned to the Output Port of the
filter.
• Verify also that TEM mode propagation is selected for
all ports, and that they all have the same width. (If all
ports have the same width and carry the same mode,
the value entered for the width is immaterial, provided
it is the same for all ports.)
• In the Graph menu, select S11 > Magnitude. The
magnitude of S11 is displayed. Note again the ripple.
• In the Graph menu, select S11 > Phase. The phase
of S11 is displayed.
• In the Graph menu, select S21 > Magnitude. The
magnitude of S21 is displayed. Note again the ripple.
• In the Graph menu, select S21 > Phase. The phase
of S21 is displayed.
• To change the title, axes or scales of these graphs,
select Graph Display Attributes under the Graph
menu. You may also display the S-parameters in dB
and as a Bar Graph by checking the appropriate
boxes.

3.5. Simulation with a reduced bandwidth source

To smoothen the S-parameter curves, we will repeat the simulation with a source
waveform tailored to the frequency range of interest. Proceed as follows:
• Reset the simulator by clicking the Reset button.
• In the Source Waveform menu, select Gaussian (f),
• In the dialog box, enter Magnitude = 1, Bandwidth =
12, and Gaussian-Modulated Carrier = Constant.
Click OK, and inspect the resulting Gaussian
waveform. It is a signal with a bandwidth ranging
from -6 GHz to + 6 GHz, centered about DC.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

80 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Note Even though the properties of the signal have been defined in the
frequency domain, the time domain waveform will be displayed. You
can verify the spectral characteristics of the signal by computing its
Fourier Transform. Simply create a short section of TEM transmission
line, match it at both ends, and enter a source point and a probe. Then
perform a TLM simulation for a sufficient number of time steps and
look at the frequency response of the probe. In this way you can use
MEFiSTo-2D as a spectrum analyzer for any discretized signal.

• In the Graph menu, select S21 > Magnitude,

• Start the simulation by clicking the “++” button.
• Observe the convergence of the S21 graph. The
curve is smoother at lower frequencies, but the ripple
at higher frequencies still persists. We must increase
the number of time steps further.
• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control
Data,
• In the Time Domain Data field, set the Total number
of time steps to 3000 and click OK.
• Start the simulation. The curve becomes smooth.
You can now refine the resolution of all graphs and study all aspects of the filter
response in greater detail by repeating the steps discussed in Tutorial 1.
However, we will explore one more feature of MEFiSTo-2D, namely its capability
to dynamically display and visualize the fields in the filter.

3.6. Visualize the Electromagnetic Fields in the Filter

If we want to observe the behavior of the filter at a certain frequency, we can
excite the filter with a sinusoidal waveform at that frequency and visualize the field
as it propagates through the structure. Suppose we are interested in the filter
behavior at 1.6 GHz, which is the upper edge of the first passband.
• Reset the simulator,
• In the View menu, select Draw,
• In the Draw menu, select Animation Region,
• Draw a box from point (2,1) to point (51,9).
• In the Source Waveform menu, select Sin (f). In the
dialog box, set Magnitude = 1 and Frequency [GHz] =
1.6. Click OK. The waveform appears on the screen.
• In the Sampling Mode menu, select Vy == Ey.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 3 Analysis of a Microstrip Lowpass Filter 81

• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control

Data. In the dialog box, set Total number of time
steps = 1000, and Time steps between updates = 1.

Figure 2 - 13 Visualization of the electric field Ey in the lowpass filter at 1.6 GHz.
Note that the field is almost uniform over the wide sections of the
structure, indicating that they act essentially as lumped capacitances
at that frequency. The Wire Frame option has been de-selected.

• Disregard the Frequency Domain Data group box and

click OK.
• In the View menu, select Field. A three-dimensional
view of the filter in its TLM mesh appears on the
screen.
• In the Field menu, select Field Display Attributes.
Keep that command box open on the side of the
screen.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

82 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Observe the field as it propagates through the

structure. Shift, rotate and scale the display until you
like it. . Change the size of the MEFiSTO-2D client
window. Continue to modify the 3D View Parameters
while the program is running. Adjust the
magnification of the field using Magnify Y or Reduce
Y. Stop and start the simulation again, or step
forward one step at a time using the “+” button.
• You can also change the update interval in the
Simulation Control Data box while the simulation is
stopped or running. This will change the speed of the
field animation at the expense of smoothness. Try
also the hidden line removal feature by deselecting
the Wire Frame box.
• To visualize the magnetic field components in z- and
x-direction, change your selection in the Sampling
Mode window.
You have now explored most, but not all features of MEFiSTo-2D. These will be
invoked in the following tutorials.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 4 Recursive Generation of a Johns Matrix 83

Tutorial 4: Generation of the Johns

Matrix for a Wideband
Absorbing Boundary in
Rectangular Waveguide
Tutorial Example File: tut4_j11.tlm
This Tutorial shows how to generate a wideband absorbing boundary for the TE10
mode in a rectangular waveguide using the recursive technique described in [31].
The boundary is represented by a modal impulse response or Johns Matrix.
Open the file tut4_j11.tlm. On the screen appears a 1 ∆l long and 11 ∆l wide
waveguide slice. It is bounded on the left by a Reflection Wall (green) that
terminates the link lines (removed branches) with a local impulse reflection
coefficient of “0”. On the right it is bounded by a Johns Wall (black); its
characteristic impulse response will be generated in a recursive manner in the
following simulation.
A Source Region (dotted green) with a half-sinusoidal weight distribution is placed
at the left hand side of the structure. Each point in the input box injects a single
impulse toward the right. The magnitude of the impulse in the central branch is
unity, and the magnitude of the others is smaller, according to the transverse
distribution of the TE10 mode field.
A Probe is placed at the center inside the waveguide slice. In the following, the
important points in the preparation of a file for the recursive generation of the
Johns Matrix for an absorbing boundary are summarized:
• There must be a Reflection Wall between the
Source Region and the Probe.
• The dielectric must be air, and lossless. (εr = 1, σ = 0)
• The Local impulse reflection coefficient of the
Reflection Wall must be zero. In the Johns Matrix
generating mode, this wall absorbs only the impulses
traveling in the removed branches toward the source.
• In the dialog box for the Source Region, select
Scaling Factor = 1
Impulse Arrangement: Incident Impulse from the Right
Spatial Distribution: Half Sin in X-Direction.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

84 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• There must be a Johns Wall terminating the other

side of the structure. In the dialog box, select:
Placement of the Johns Wall: right
Convolution at Center Branch, sinusoidal profile
Johns Matrix Number 1, Recursively Generated.
• The Sampling Mode of the Probe must be such that
it samples the Johns impulses (impulses “reflected”
by the Johns Matrix boundary), which is defined as
the direction from the Probe toward the Source
Region. In this example, the direction is Left-Bound.
The structure is now complete and the generation of the
Johns Matrix can begin. (See Figure 2 - 14).

Figure 2 - 14 A waveguide slice 11 cells wide and 1 cell long, set up for the
recursive generation of a Johns for a wideband TE10 absorbing
boundary.

• In the Source Waveform menu, select Impulse (T)

with the Magnitude set to 1,
• In the Simulation Control menu, select Control
Data. In the dialog box, enter the Total number of
time steps = 1000. (This number determines the
number of terms of the Johns Matrix to be computed.
500 to 1000 terms are usually sufficient for a good
wideband match.) Set Time steps between updates =
20. Click OK.
• Start the simulation by clicking on the “++” button.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 4 Recursive Generation of a Johns Matrix 85

• Upon completion of the simulation, save the

generated Johns Matrix by selecting Save Johns
Matrix from the File menu. You will be prompted to
enter a file name (the extension will automatically be
joh. Enter a name of your choice and click on Save to
save the generated Johns Matrix. (The file
tut4_j11.joh in your Tutorials folder has been
generated with that structure in this manner).

Figure 2 - 15 The first 100 terms of the Johns Matrix for a wideband absorbing
boundary in a TE10 waveguide 11 ∆l wide. The full response
comprises 1000 terms.

This joh file can now be assigned, in any subsequent simulation, to a Johns Wall
in order to create a TE10 absorbing boundary in a rectangular waveguide provided
that the waveguide is 11 ∆l wide and is filled with dielectric of relative permittivity 1.
The absolute value of ∆l in mm is irrelevant, since the procedure is normalized.
Note that the total number of nodes in the cross-section of a waveguide can, of
course, be arbitrary. However, that number must be the same in the Johns Matrix
generation and in the waveguide which is subsequently terminated with that Johns
Matrix boundary. In other words, the Johns Matrix obtained with tut4_j11.tlm will
only properly terminate a waveguide that is 11 ∆l wide. To terminate a waveguide
that is 24 ∆l wide, a Johns Matrix function must be generated by repeating the
above procedure for a waveguide slice 24 ∆l wide. Also note that in the case of a
waveguide that is an even number of ∆l wide, the Probe can be placed at either
node closest to its center.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

86 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Tutorial 5: Analysis of a Rectangular

Waveguide Bandpass Filter
Tutorial Example File: tut5_wgf.tlm
The Johns Matrix generated in the previous Tutorial will be used in this example to
terminate a post-coupled bandpass filter in a WR(28) waveguide.
The geometry of the filter is stored in the file tut5_wgf.tlm. There is a short
reference section in the lower left corner which is required for S-parameter
extraction. Three probes have been placed in the reference planes. Both ends of
the filter and of the reference section are terminated by Johns walls. All four
Johns walls are characterized by the same Johns Matrix, tut4_j11.joh, to model
wideband absorbing boundaries. The waveguide is air-filled. Hence, εr = 1 and σ =
0 in all computation regions. There are 11 ∆l across the waveguide, therefore we
have: ∆l = 7.112 mm/11 = 0.646545 mm

Figure 2 - 16 View of the post-coupled waveguide filter and reference structure.

The dotted narrow box along the axis is the animation region that
yields the field display in Figure 2 - 18

Other default data are shown in the Simulation Control Data Box below :

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 5 Waveguide Bandpass Filter 87

Figure 2 - 17 Simulation Control Data

Start a simulation by clicking the “++” button. Extract S-parameters using the
Graph menu.
The field distribution in the filter can also be observed in the time domain. To this
end, activate the Draw menu and draw an animation region over the filter area.
Then change to the Field menu, click on Reset, then enter the Source Waveform
menu and select Sin(f). Enter a frequency of your choice (for example the
midband frequency of the filter determined from the previous S-parameter
extraction), set the update interval to 1, and enter the desired number of time
steps. Then click on “++” and observe the propagation of an electromagnetic
wave through the filter. Observe, for example, that in the passband the field
amplitude in the resonating sections of the filter becomes much higher than the
input and output signals, and that the phase relationships in the different sections
of the filter are clearly visible.
Another way to visualize the field distribution in the filter is to display the voltage
only along its axis rather than over its entire area. Proceed as follows:
• Remove the previously implemented Animation
Region by drawing the same box over it, or by using
the select-and-delete procedure.

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

88 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

• Draw a new Animation Region that is one cell wide

and that includes all nodes from node (2,6) to node
(48,6).
• In the Field menu, select the 2D option.
• Start the simulation by clicking “++”.
• Toggle the 2D Field Envelope Display option button
in the Simulation Bar.
• After the steady state has been reached, click the
Reset Signal Envelope button to obtain the
stationary envelope of the field along the filter axis.
The result is shown in Figure 2 - 18 for a frequency of
30.55 GHz.

Figure 2 - 18 Standing wave pattern along the axis of the filter at 30.55 GHz,
obtained by placing a narrow animation region on the filter axis as
shown in Figure 2 - 16.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 6 Johns Matrix of a Waveguide Stub 89

Tutorial 6: Generation of a Johns

Matrix for a Short-Circuited
Parallel-Plate Waveguide
Stub
Tutorial Example File: tut6_pws.tlm
Tutorial 4 describes how to generate a Johns Matrix for an absorbing boundary. In
fact, a Johns Matrix is a very general numerical abstraction; it can be used to
compute the response of any arbitrary structure in the time domain. This example
demonstrates the procedure for generating a Johns Matrix that characterizes the
frequency dispersive TEM input impedance of a short-circuited parallel-plate
waveguide stub.
The file tut6_pws.tlm contains the data for a 25 ∆l long and 11 ∆l wide parallel-
plate waveguide section. As in Tutorial 4, there is a Reflection Wall (Local
impulse reflection coefficient = 0) between the Source Region and the Probe.
The other end of the waveguide section is terminated in an Electric Wall or short
circuit.

Figure 2 - 19 View of the parallel-plate waveguide stub for Johns matrix

generation.

To generate the Johns Matrix, proceed as in Tutorial 4. However, in the present

case no Johns Matrix needs to be specified because there is no Johns wall in the
structure. Furthermore, since the transverse field is uniform in a TEM waveguide,

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

90 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

select a constant distribution along the x-axis when creating the Source Region,
and set the Scaling Factor to 1. Choose 1000 total timesteps and an update
interval of 1 timestep. Then click on “++”.
The first 50 terms of the resulting response are similar to the first 50 terms of the
Johns Matrix stored in tut4_j11.joh because the signal reflected from the far end
cannot reach the output probe within 60 time steps. However, at timestep 65, the
reflection from the short-circuit is clearly visible. Store the Johns Matrix for the
short-circuited parallel-plate waveguide in the file tut6_pws.joh using the Save
Johns Matrix item in the File menu. (this file exists already in your Tutorials
folder under this filename, and you may rename it if you want to keep it intact). In
the next Tutorial we will use this file to characterize a dispersive boundary.

Figure 2 - 20 The first 250 terms of the Johns matrix that characterizes the
dispersive input impedance of the short-circuited stub in the time
domain.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 7 Waveguide Terminated in a Johns Wall 91

Tutorial 7: The Field Response of a

Short Circuited Parallel-
Plate Waveguide and its
Johns Matrix Twin
Tutorial Example File: tut7_twn.tlm
The file tut7_twn.tlm contains data for two air-filled, lossless parallel-plate
waveguide sections of equal width 11 ∆l. Both have identical matched sources on
the left hand side. They consist of a Source Region with uniform amplitude
distribution (TEM mode), and an absorbing wall with a TEM wave reflection
coefficient of 0. However, the two sections have different loads. The top section
can be considered terminated, at the small mark in its center, by a short-circuited
stub of length 25 ∆l. The bottom section is terminated by a Johns wall modeling
that same short-circuited section since it has been linked to the file tut6_pws.joh
generated previously in Tutorial 6. Hence, the response of the two guides to any
incident wave should be the same.

Figure 2 - 21 Two identical parallel-plate waveguide sections. The upper section

is short-circuited, the lower section is terminated by a Johns wall
that emulates the excess length of the upper section.

When implementing the Johns Wall, indicate in the dialog box that the wall is
situated on the right, that convolution should be performed at the center branch

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92 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

with a uniform field profile, and select either Johns Matrix 1 or 2. Then assign the
file tut6_pws.joh to the wall by selecting it in the file box opened by the browse
button.
Indeed, simulation results confirm that both structures are identical, as you will be
able to observe. Note that an Animation Region covers the entire mesh area so
that the field inside that area can be displayed.
To start the simulation, reset the simulator first to discard old results, then choose
Raised Cosine (T) among the Source Waveform functions. Select a period of 20
∆t, a magnitude of -1, and leave the Periodic Excitation box unchecked. Inspect
the source waveform.
Finally, set the total number of timesteps to 200, the interval between screen
updates to 1, and start the simulation by clicking on “++”.

Figure 2 - 22 The waveform reflected by the Johns Wall in the lower structure is
identical to the waveform in the upper structure that it emulates.

Note that the fields in the left parts of both structures behave in a completely
identical manner, even after reflection from the short-circuit on the right. This
demonstrates that the Johns wall terminating the lower structure is electrically
identical to the input impedance of the short-circuited stub it models. You may
repeat the experiment with any other source waveform. This is a demonstration of
the physical behavior of a frequency dispersive boundary in the time domain.

__________ Notes __________

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 8 Use Your Own Source Function 93

Tutorial 8: Use Your Own Source

Function
Tutorial Example File: tut8_sou.tlm
You are not restricted to using the built-in functions under the Source Waveform
menu. You can generate a source file yourself and employ the User Defined
option of that menu to inject it into a structure. The source file must have the
following format (which is also the format of joh files).
int_n
float_1
float_2

float_i

float_n
Where int_n is an integer specifying the number of entries in the data file.
float_i is a floating point number.

Example 1: 10
0.0
1.1
2.2
+3.3
-5.86960
+3.8e+2
-4.5e-2
8.0
0.89
12.34
Example 2: 10 1.1 2.2 +3.3 -4.4 5.5 6.6 7.7 8.8 9.9 10.0
The data file tut8_sou.tlm uses source file tut8_sou.sou as an input file.

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94 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

tut8_sou.tlm is a file containing the data for a 100 ∆l long and 3 ∆l wide TEM
transmission line which is matched at both extremities. A Source Region with
uniform amplitude distribution is defined at the left extremity. A 1 ∆l wide output
box extends over the total length of the line, allowing to visualize the electric field
traveling on it in a two-dimensional display.

Figure 2 - 23 View of the structure used to display the user-defined waveform

Figure 2 - 24 User-defined waveform after 128 time steps. Note the distortion of
the waveform due to the numerical dispersion of the TLM network.

After opening the file tut8_sou.tlm, select User Defined in the Source Waveform
menu. Pick tut8_sou.sou from the file selection box, choose the non-periodic
option and inspect the input function. It is an exponentially decaying sine function.
To inject this function into the parallel-plate waveguide, dismiss the display, set the
total number of time steps to 400, the update interval to 1, and click on “++”. The
waveform then travels along the line. Note that the initial transient section of the
waveform is slightly distorted due to the low-pass properties of the TLM network.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 9 Varactor Diode Frequency Multiplier 95

Tutorial 9: A Simple Varactor Diode

Frequency Multiplier
Tutorial Example File: tut9_vad.tlm
This file contains data for an elementary varactor diode frequency multiplier. The
structure consists of a parallel plate waveguide (two-dimensional microstrip model)
with magnetic sidewalls (blue) and matching TEM boundaries (yellow) at each
end. A Source Region for injecting a plane wave is visible on the left.

Figure 2 - 25 View of the parallel-plate waveguide section containing a

rectangular Varactor Diode section.

The diode model is the central among the three computation boxes. For simplicity
it is rectangular rather than a circular. In a practical simulation it is recommended
to draw a rectangular diode that has the same cross-sectional area as its circular
counterpart. The 6 x 7 diode area has been created using the Varactor Diode
item in the Draw menu. Its characteristics have been input at that time, and you
may modify them at the beginning of a simulation, or review them after a
simulation, by means of the Varactor Diode item in the View menu.
The other two computation regions are regular passive sections of parallel-plate
waveguide. Remember that all data defining a structure can always be stored and
displayed or printed by creating a rep ASCII file using the Save Text Report item
in the File menu.
To start a simulation demonstrating the generation of harmonic frequencies in a
varactor diode, reset the simulator and select a Sin(f) excitation at 10 GHz and a
magnitude of 3V. In the Simulation Control Data Box, verify that the mesh
parameter ∆l is 0.1 mm. Select the frequency range from 0 to 40 GHz for the
discrete Fourier transform, 301 frequency points, 4096 timesteps, and an update
interval of 100 timesteps between screen updates. Then start the simulation by
clicking on “++”. Observe the distorted waveform picked up at the probe 1 in the

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

96 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

output port (this is best observed by selecting Graph > Probe 1 >V(t), then display
its spectrum (Graph > Probe 1 > V(f) Magnitude) which clearly exhibits higher
harmonic content at 20 and 30 GHz, as well as a DC component (detected
voltage) You can perform more timesteps to minimize the Gibbs phenomenon and
obtain narrow, well-defined spectral lines, which may the be displayed or printed.

Figure 2 - 26 Output waveform of the waveguide section containing a Varactor

Diode. The incident voltage is 3 V at 10 GHz.

Figure 2 - 27 Spectrum of the waveform shown in Figure 2 - 26. Note the

harmonics at 20 and 30 GHz as well as the DC component.

The noise superimposed on the time domain output is due to spurious propagation
effects within the nonlinear subregion. This effect can be controled by increasing

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 9 Varactor Diode Frequency Multiplier 97

the time averaging period in the diode characteristics to 2 or more. To do this,

reset the simulator, open the Varactor Diode item in the View menu and modify
the value for the time averaging period. Then start a new simulation again.
A more complex example of parametric frequency halving using this nonlinear
diode model is given in the Virtual Electromagnetics Laboratory.

__________ Notes __________

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

98 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

Tutorial 10: A Simple Diode Oscillator

Tutorial Example File: tut10_os.tlm
This file contains data for a simple diode oscillator using an active diode. The
structure consists of a parallel plate waveguide (two-dimensional microstrip model)
with magnetic sidewalls (blue), a short circuit at the left end (red) and an open
circuit at the right end (blue). It thus forms a λ/4 resonator. At the open end is a 5
∆l by 5 ∆l diode box (pink) modeling the active element. Its parameters have been
entered using the Active Diode item in the Draw menu and drawing the diode
box. They can be checked or modified by clicking on the Active Diode item in the
View menu. The remainder of the resonator is filled with a regular computation
region defining its dielectric constant and conductivity (εr = 1, σ = 0). A Source
Point can be distinguished on the left side in front of the short circuit. Finally, a 1
∆l wide Animation Region permits the dynamic visualization of the voltage
distribution along the resonator. The Probe close to the diode permits the storage
and display of time and frequency characteristics of the oscillator.

Figure 2 - 28 View of a simple diode oscillator consisting of a quarter-wave

section of parallel-plate waveguide and an active element on the
right (darker box).
To start the oscillation of the structure, an initial perturbation must be injected into the resonator. You can do this by
injecting a single impulse of, let us say, 0.5 V at the source point. After injection the impulsive noise spreads into the
resonator, slowly builds up an oscillation over about 2000 timesteps, and grows exponentially until it stabilizes when the
voltage reaches the level at which the nonlinear conductance of the diode becomes positive (about 1 V).

View the entire start-up process in the time domain by selecting Probe1 > v(t) in
the Graph menu. The spectrum of the oscillation can be obtained and displayed
by selecting Probe1 > v(f) Magnitude in the same menu during or after the
simulation.

 1998-2001 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

 10 A Simple Diode Oscillator 99

Figure 2 - 29 Startup of the oscillator from the injected noise.

To see a three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional field picture of the

oscillator, change the Animation Region in the Draw menu to cover the entire
structure. Adjust the position, orientation and size of the display after entering the
Field menu and activating the 3D display option.
You may also introduce losses in the resonator by using either lossy walls with
impulse reflection coefficients of magnitude less than unity), or by replacing the
lossless computation region with one with a non-zero conductivity.
This very simple structure has been selected to demonstrate the basic features of
the active diode model. A more complex oscillator in a WR(28) waveguide circuit is
presented in the Virtual Electromagnetics Laboratory under the filename mw-
[Link].

__________ Notes __________

End of Tutorials
1998 Faustus Scientific Corporaton
All Rights Reserved

 1998 Faustus Scientific Corporation, All Rights Reserved

100 MEFiSTo-2D Tutorial

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