EELE 

3332 – Electromagnetic II
Chapter 12 
Waveguides
Prof. Hala J. El‐Khozondar
Islamic University of Gaza
Electrical Engineering Department

2016 1
 Waveguides

Waveguides are used at high frequencies since they have larger

bandwidth and lower signal attenuation than transmission lines.
Waveguides are used at high power applications.
Waveguides can operate above certain frequencies. (act as high
pass filter).
Normally circular or rectangular.

2
Waveguides 

3
 Waveguides 

Rectangular waveguide Waveguide to coax adapter

Waveguide bends E-tee

Dr. Talal Skaik 2012 IUG 4
Waveguide Filter

5
Transmission Lines, Waveguides  ‐ Comparison

6
Transmission Lines, Waveguides  ‐ Comparison

7
 12.2 Rectangular Waveguides
Assume a rectangular waveguide filled with lossless dielectric
material and walls of perfect conductor, Maxwell equations in
phasor form become,
2 E s  k 2 E s  0
where k   
 Hs  k Hs  0
2 2

8
 Rectangular Waveguides

Applying on z-component:
 2 Ezs  k 2 Ezs  0
 2 Ezs  2 Ezs  2 Ezs
   k 2
Ezs  0
x 2
y 2
z 2

Solving by method of Separation of Variables:

Ez ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain:
'' '' ''
X Y Z
   k 2
X Y Z
9
 Rectangular Waveguides
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
E zs ( x, y , z )  X ( x )Y ( y ) Z ( z ) Z ( z )  c5e z  c6e  z

E zs   c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x   c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y   c5e z  c6e  z 

Assume wave propagates along waveguide in  z direction:

E zs   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x   A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y  e  z
Similarly for the magnetic field,
H zs   B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x x   B3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y  e  z
10
 Other Components
From Maxwell’s equations, we can determine the 
other components Ex , Ey , Hx , Hy .

11
‐

12
 Other Components
From Maxwell’s equations, we can determine the other 
components Ex , Ey , Hx , Hy .

 Ezs j H zs
Exs   2  2
h x h y
 Ezs j H zs *So once we know
E ys   2  2 Ez and Hz, we can
h y h x
find all the other
j Ezs  H zs fields.
H xs  2  2
h y h x
j Ezs  H zs
H ys   2  2
h x h y
where
h 2   2  k 2  k x2  k y2 13
 Modes of Propagation
From these equations we notice that there are different field patterns,
each of these field patterns is called a mode.
• Ezs=Hzs=0 (TEM mode): transverse electromagnetic mode. Both E
and H are transverse to the direction of propagation. From previous
equations we notice that all field components vanish for Ezs=Hzs=0.
→Rectangular waveguide can’t support TEM mode.
• Ezs=0, Hzs≠0 (TE modes) transverse electric
The electric field is transverse to the direction of propagation.
• Ezs ≠ 0, Hzs= 0 (TM modes) transverse magnetic
The magnetic field is transverse to the direction of propagation.
• Ezs ≠ 0, Hzs ≠ 0 (HE modes) hybrid modes
All components exist. 14
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
H z  0, Ezs   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x   A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y  e  z
Boundary Ezs  0 at y  0 ,b (bottom and top walls) Tangential 
components 
Conditions Ezs  0 at x  0,a (left and right walls) are continuous

Applying boundary conditions at (y  0 and x  0) to E zs  A1  A3  0

 Ezs  E0 sin k x x sin k y y e z (E0  A2 A4 )
Applying boundary conditions at (y  b and x  a ) to E zs
 sin k x a  0, sin k y b  0 , This implies that :
k x a  m , m  1, 2,3,...
k y b  n , n  1, 2,3,...
m n
or kx  , ky 
a b
 m x   n y   z
Ezs  E0 sin   sin  e
 a   b  15
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
 m   n   z
E zs  Eo sin  x  sin  ye , H zs  0
 a   b 
• Other components are
 Ezs   m   m x   n y   z
Ex   Exs   2   o
E cos   sin  e
h 2 x h  a   a   b 
 Ezs   n   m x   n y   z
Ey   2 E ys   2   Eo sin   cos  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j Ezs j  n   m x   n y   z
Hx  2 H xs  2   Eo sin   cos  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j Ezs j  m   m x   n y   z
Hy   2 H ys   2   Eo cos   sin  e
h x h  a   a   b 
2 2
 m   n 
where h k k 
2 2
x  
2
y 
 a   b  16
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode

Propagation constant:   h 2  k 2 ,
2 2
 m   n 
h 
2
   , k   
 a   b 
2 2
 m   n 
  
     2

 a   b 

•Each set of integers m and n gives a different field pattern or mode.

•Integer m equals the number of half cycle variations in the x-direction.
•Integer n is the number of half cycle variations in the y-direction.
•Note that for the TM mode, if n or m is zero, all fields are zero. Hence,
TM11 is the lowest order mode of all the TMmn modes.

17
Example: Field configuration for TM21 mode

18
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
2 2
 m   n 
  
     2

 a   b 
The cuttoff occurs when:
2 2
 m   n 
c 2       then     j   0
 a   b 
2 2
1 1  m   n 
or f cm ,n     
2   a   b 
No propagation takes place at this frequency
Evanescent modes :
2 2
 m   n 
When  2          and   0
 a   b 
No wave propagation at all. (everything is attenuated)
So when f  f c , all field components will decay exponantially. 19
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
Propagation occurs when
2 2
 m   n 
 2         j  and   0
 a   b 
 This is the case we are interested since is when the wave
is allowed to travel through the guide.
 So, at a given operating frequency f, only those modes with
f  fc will propagate.

The cutoff frequency is the

frequency below which attenuation attenuation Propagation
occurs and above which propagation of mode mn

takes place. (High Pass)

fc,mn

20
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
The cutoff Frequency is:
2 2
1 1  m   n 
f cm ,n     
2   a   b 
2 2
u'  m   n  1
or f cmn      , where u ' 
2  a  b 
The phase constant  can be written in terms of f c as:
  m   n  
2 2


2

2     
 m   n    a   b  
   2          1 
 a   b    2  
 
 
2
 f 
   ' 1  c  , where  '  k   / u '   
 f  21
 Transverse Magnetic (TM) mode
The guide wavelength is:
2 2 2 ' u'
g   , but  '   g  , '
  f 
2 '  f 
2 f
 ' 1  c  1  c 
 f   f 

Intrinsic Impedance:- (varies with frequency)

2 2
Ex    fc   fc 
TM    1     TM   ' 1    , where  '   / 
H y    f   f 

 ', u ',  ', and  ' are parameters for unguided wave propagating
in the same dielectric medium ( , ) unbounded by the waveguide.
(i.e. waveguide removed and entire space is filled with dielectric.)
22
 Transverse Electric (TE) modes
E z  0, H zs   B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x x   B3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y  e  z

Boundary E xs  0 at y  0 ,b (bottom and top walls) Tangential 

components 
Conditions E ys  0 at x  0,a (left and right walls) are continuous

j H zs H zs
E xs   2  0 at y  0 ,b
h y y
j H zs H zs
E ys   2  0 at x  0,a
h x x

From this we conclude

 m x   n   z
H zs  H o cos   cos  ye (H 0 =B1B3 )
 a   b 
23
 Transverse Electric (TE) modes

 m   n   z
Ez  0, H zs  H o cos  x  cos  ye
 a   b 
Other components are

j H z j  n   m x   n y   z
Exs   2 Exs  2   H o cos   sin  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j H z j  m   m x   n y   z
E ys   2 E ys   2   H o sin   cos  e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z j   m   m x   n y   z
H xs   2 H xs  2   H o sin   cos  e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z j   n   m x   n y   z
H ys   2 H ys  2   o
H cos   sin  e
h y h  b   a   b 
24
Example: Field configuration for TE32 mode

25
 TE  modes ‐ Cuttoff
• The cutoff frequency is the same expression as for the TM
mode
2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b

• For TE modes, (m,n) may be (0,1) or (1,0) but not (0,0). Both
m and n cannot be zero at the same time because this will force
the field components to vanish.
• Hence, the lowest mode can be TE10 or TE01 depending on the
values of a and b.
• It is standard practice to have a>b, thus TE10 is the lowest
mode. f c10  u '/ 2a
26
 TE  modes
• The dominant mode is the mode with lowest cutoff 
frequency.

The cutoff frequency of the TE10 mode is lower than that of TM11

mode. Hence, TE10 is the dominant mode.

If more than one mode is propagating, the waveguide is overmoded.

Single mode propagation is highly desirable to reduce dispersion.

This occurs between cutoff frequency for TE10 mode and cuttoff

frequency of next higher mode.

27
 TE  modes
The phase constant  is the same as TM mode:
2
 f 
   ' 1  c  , where  '   / u '   
 f 

The intrinsic impedance of the TE mode is:

Ex   1 '
TE     TE  , where  '   / 
Hy    fc 
2
 fc 
2

1   1  
 f   f 
 2 

Note that TETM   '2    ' 1   f c  

 TM  f  
 
 

28
 TE10 mode
 m   n   j z
For TE mode, H zs  H o cos  x  cos  ye
 a   b 
  x   j z
For TE10 mode, H zs  H o cos  e
 a 
In the time domain: H z =Re  H zs e jt 
or Variation of the 
field components 
x 
H z  H o cos   cos t   z  with x for TE10
 a  mode.
Similarly ,
 a x 
Ey  H 0 sin   sin t   z 
  a 
a x 
Hx   H 0 sin   sin t   z 
  a 
Ez  Ex  H y  0 29
 TE10 mode

Field lines for TE10 mode

30
 TE/TM  modes
Wave in the dielectric medium Inside the waveguide
2
f 
 '   / u '       ' 1  c 
f 

'
TE   fc 
2

'  /   fc 
2
,TM   ' 1  
1   f 
f 

up  /
2
u '   /  '  f  1 /   ' 1  c 
f 
f 
 '
 
 '  u' / f  f 
1  c 
2

 f  31
 Example 12.1
• Example: A rectangular waveguide with dimensions a=2.5 cm,
b=1 cm is to operate below 15.1 GHz. How many TE and TM
modes can the waveguide transmit if the guide is filled with a
medium characterized by σ=0, ε=4 ε0, µr=1? Calculate the
cutoff frequencies of the modes.

The cutoff frequency is given by:

2 2
u'  m  n 1 c c
f cmn      , u'=  
2  a  b  r  r 2
Hence
2 2 2 2
c m n c  m   n 
f cmn        2 
 
4  a  b 4  2.5 10   1102  32
 Example 12.1 ‐ solution
2 2
c  m   n 
f c mn   2 
 
4  2.5 10   1102 
For TE 01 mode (m =0, n =1), fc 01  7.5 GHz
For TE 02  fc 02  15 GHz
For TE 03  fc 03  22.5 GHz

For TE10  fc10  3 GHz

For TE 20  fc 20  6 GHz
For TE 30  fc 30  9 GHz
For TE 40  fc 40  12 GHz
For TE 50  fc 50  15 GHz
For TE 60  fc 60  18 GHz 33
 Example 12.1 ‐ solution
2 2
c  m   n 
f cmn   2 
 
4  2.5  10   1102 

For TE11 , TM11 modes , fc11  8.078 GHz

For TE 21 , TM 21 modes , fc21  9.6 GHz
For TE31 , TM 31 modes , fc31  11.72 GHz
For TE 41 , TM 41 modes , fc41  14.14 GHz
For TE12 , TM12 modes , fc12  15.3 GHz

Modes with cutoff frequencies less than or equal 15.1 GHz

will be transmitted. (11 TE modes and 4 TM modes)
34
 Example 12.1 ‐ solution

Cutoff frequencies of rectangular waveguide with a  2.5b; for Example 12.1.

35
 Example 12.3
• Example: in a rectangular waveguide for which a=1.5 cm,
b=0.8 cm, σ=0, µ=µ0, ε=4ε0.

x   3 y 
H x  2sin      t   z  A/m
11
 cos  sin 10
 a   b 
• Determine:
• (a) the mode of operation.
• (b) the cutoff frequency
• (c) the phase constant β.
• (d) the propagation constant γ.
• (e) the intrinsic wave impedance η.

36
 Example 12.3 ‐ Solution
(a ) the guide is operating at TM13 or TE13 . Suppose we choose TM13 .
2 2
u'  m  n 1 c c
(b) f cmn      , u'  
2  a  b  r  r 2
2 2
c  1   3 
Hence f c13   2 
  2 
 28.57 GHz
4  1.5 10   0.8  10 
2 2 2
f  f   r f 
(c)    ' 1   c     1   c   1  c 
 f  f  c f 
  2 f   1011  f  50 GHz
2
 1011 4  28.57 
 1    1718.81 rad/m
3 108  50 
(d )  =j   j1718.81/ m
2 2
 fc  377  28.57 
(e) TM13   ' 1    1    154.7 
 f  r  50  37
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