MICROWAVE NETWORK

THEORY AND PASSIVE

DEVICES

6.1 INTRODUCTION

network is formed when several microwave devices and compo

A microwave
such as sources, attenuators, resonators, filters, amplifiers, coupled
etc., are
nents
of a
together by transmission lines or waveguides for the desired transmission
called
point of interconnection of two or more devices is
a
microwave signal. The
junction. micro-
For a low frequency network, a port is a pair of terminals whereas for a
wave network, a port is a
reference plane transverse tolength of the micro0
the

wave transmission line or waveguide.

At low frequencies the physical length of

thenetwork is much smaller than thewavelength of the signal transmitted. There

which can
fore, the measurable input and output variables are voltage and current
be related in terms of the impedance Z-parameters, or admittance Y-parameters,
For network as shown
or hybrid h-parameters, or ABCD parameters. a two port
schematically in Fig. 6.1, these relationships are given by
Z

-2 Zn
(6.1)

(6.2)

h h2 (6.3)
h2 h22
A -B1[ (6.4)
C -DJlL
 142 Microwave Engineering
suitable constants that charac
whene 7 Y and A, B, C and D are
D parameters are
convenient to represent cach terise the
junction A. B, C and
in cascade. Here the i
are connected together
when a number of circuits
cascade connection, can be ohto
matrix,which describes the complete

multiplyingthe matrices describing cach junction:

obtained h
B,
[4 1[AB]. D, 6a
Input Output
W

Device Device
V b2
1
P
P P-P Po
(a) (a)
Fig. 6.1 A two-port network
These parameters can be measured under short or open circuit condition tor
use in the analysis of the circuit.
At microwave frequencies the physical length of the component or line isco
parable to or much larger than the wavelength. Thus the voltage and current ae
not well-defined at a given point for a microwave circuit, such as a waveguide
system. Furthermore, measurement ofz, Y, h and ABCD parameters is difficulta
microwave frequencies due to following reasons.
1. Non-availability of terminal voltage and current measuring equipment.
2. Short circuit and especially open circuit are not easily achieved for a wide
range of frequencies.
3. Presence of active devices makes the circuit unstable for short or
open
circuit.
Therefore, microwave circuits are analysed using scattering or S-parameters
which linearly relate the reflected waves' amplitude with those of incident waves.
However, many of the circuit analysis techniques and circuit properties that are
valid at low frequencies are also valid for microwave
circuits. Thus, for circu
analysis S-parameters can be related to the Z or Y or ABCD
parameters. 1
properties of the parameters are described in the following sections.
6.2 SYMMETRICAL Z AND Y MATRICES FOR
RECIPROCAL NETWORK
In a
reciprocal network, the impedance and the admittance matrices are
metrical and the junction media are s
characterised by scalar electrical parani eters

u and e. For a multiport (N

so chosen that the total
ports) network, let the incident wave amplitudes ""he
voltage V, = V,"+ V, =0 at all ports n = 1,
except the ith port where the fields are
E, H. Similarly, 1let V, = 0 at allpors
p
 A8O62gSo?
Microwave Network Theory and Passive Devices
143
one where the fields are E,, H, Then from the Lorentz
enceptjih reciprocity
theovem

E xH-E, xH) dS ==0 (6.5)

S

closedsurface
closed surfa area of the
is the
is the conducting walls enclosing the junction
aand
hetes
N ports in the
absence of any source. Since the integral over the
na walls vanishes, the only non-zero integrals are those taken perfectly
over the
condu
of the corresponding ports, so that
erenceplanes
N
E,xH,-E,x H)-dS =0 (6.6)

Gince all V, except V; and V; are zero, E; = nxE; and E, = nxE, are zero on
all reference planes at the corresponding ports exceptt, and1, respectively. There-

fore, Eq. 6.6 reduces to

E,xH) dS =| (ExH) ds (6.7)

Or, Pij= Pji (6.8)

where Pi represents the power at reference plane i due to an input voltage at
plane).
From the admittance matrix representation [I] = [Y][V] and power relation
=VI, Eq. 6.8 reduces to
V, V, Yij= V; V, Y
O,
Y=Y (6.9)
and
Ziy-Zi (6.10)
This proves that the impedance and admittance matrices are symmetrical for a
Teciprocal junction.

6.3 SCATTERING OR S-MATRIX REPRESENTATION OF

MULTIPORT NETWORK
As discussed in Sec. 6.1 the incident and reflected amplitudes of microwaves at
any port are used to characterise a microwave circuit. The amplitudes are normal-
Ised in such a
way that the square of any of these variables gives the average
power in that wave in the following manner

Input power at the nth port, Pin1/2Ja,2 (6.11)

Reflected power at the nth port, P 1/2 |b,F
=
(6.12)
where a, and b: represent the normalised incident wave amplitude and normal
cd reflected wave amplitude at the nth port.
In a two-port network we can express the normalised
waves by.
 144 Microwave Engineering

v ,a, ZVi -V,,

Z
h ,b = V,2 V-V
Z
normalised
incident Wave cpresent normalised
and b's represent

where a's represents total voltage

ports. Here the
wave
te
flected wave at
the corresponding
reflected voltage waves V, and V,,
respectively ima
incident and

(61
V =
V2+ V,2 (616
suffices represent the port number. The total or net no
The numeric flow
into any port is given by
P P-P =1/2 ((af- |b|) 6.17
the characteristic impedance 1S; no
Therefore, in this normalisation process,
network (Fig. 6.1) the relation between ine nciden
malised to unity. For a two-port
in terms of scattering paramters Ss
and reflected waves are expressed
b, S +S12@2 (6.18
b, S1 a +S242 (6.19)
The normalisation process leads to a symmetrical scattering matrix for
structures. The
reciprocal significance ofS-parameters can be described
physical
as follows:
reflection coefficient T at port 1 whenport2
S1 =
bla|a2 =0 =

in terminated with a matched load (a, =0)

S22 =
bJa,|a, = 0 = reflection coefficient at port 2
I2 when port1
in terminated with a matched load (a, = 0)

S12 = b,la|a, =0 = attenuation of wave travelling from port 2

to port I
S21= ba, | a2 =0 attenuation of wave travelling from port
l to port 2.
in general, since the incident and reflected waves have both amplitude an
phase, the S-parameters are complex numbers.
For a multiport () networks or components, the S-parameters equauo
expressed by

S S2 Swa
Sa S2 SaN
(6.20)

SN2 SNw JLaw

 Microwave Network Theory and Passive Devices 145
circuits it is important to
devices or
In
microwa
express several losses in
Im when the
terms o f . arameters
ports are matched terminated. In a two port net-
ed at port I is P, power reflected at the same port is
vork if power
P, and the
wo
ontput powe
er at port 2 is P,, then following losses are defined in terms of
S - p a r a m e t e r s

10 log 10 loo l4l

Insertion loss (dB)
= =

1
20 log s

20 log 6.21)
ISal
Transmission loss or attenuation (dB) = 10 log
P

10 log 1-ISP (6.22)

S
Reflection loss (dB) = 10 log P
P-P
= 10 log 1 (6.23)
1-IS
Return loss (dB) = 10 log P,/P

20 log ir
1
20 log S, (6.24)
6.3.1 Properties of S-Parameters
In general the scattering parameters are complex quantities having the following
properties for different characteristics of the microwave network.
(a) Zero diagonal elements for perfect matched network
For an ideal N-port network with matched termination, Si = 0, since there is no
reflection from any port. Therefore, under perfect matched conditions the diago-
nal elements of [S] are zero.
(b) Symmetry of [S}] for a reciprocal network
either direction
A reciprocal device has the same transmission characteristics in
of a pair of ports and is characterised by a symmetric scattering matrix,
(6.25)
Sy S (i#j)
146 Microwave Engineering

which results

S1, 1S1
following manner. For a

This
condition
can
be proved
in the.
n o r m a l i s a t i o n ,
impedance
thei
matri ecipisroca ,
equation
with the
assumed {Z|(la-b)= lal+ [hi
work
IVI=1ZI|/|=
(Z1-1UDlal
(121+U) [bJ =
(Z]- [U)la
(|Z]+ [U)"
b=
cquation for the netwoel.

the unit
matrix. The S-matrix
is
where 1U1
hs4/'tuJt
we have
and 6.28,
Comparing Eqs 6.27
(Z]-1U1)
SI =((Z]+[U])" 68
[Q]= [Z]+ [U] 6
Let
IR] ={Z]-[U). Hence
Z-matrix is symmetric.
network, the
For reciprocal
[R] LQ
=
LQI [R]

Or.
[R] S= [R] 1Q] 63
or,
LQT =

of [S] is
Now the transpose

S, =
([Z]- [U), ((Z]+ [U) 6.30
Since the Z-matrix
is symmetrical
(6.30
((Z-[UD, [Z]- {U] =

((2]+ [UD, = [Z]+ [U (6.34

Therefore,
([Z]+[U])"
[S1, =([Z]-[UD
= [R] 1QT =[S]
Thus it is proved that [S],
=
[S], for a symmetrical junction.
lossless junction
(c) Unitary property for a
of each term of any one u
row
For any lossless network the sum of the products
is
S-matrix multiplied by its complex conjugate unit
any column of the
For a lossless n-port device, the total power leaving
N-ports must beeq
the total power input to these ports, so,that
N N

n=l n=
 Microwave Network Theory and Passive
Devices 147

(6.36)
n-
is
excited and all
d and all oth
other ports are matched terminated,
fonly
ith port alla, = 0,
SO
that,
a,
except
N N

(6.37)
n=l n=

N
(6.38)
n=l n=1

for a lossless junction

Therefore,

S Si =l (6.39)
n=l

If all a,
= 0, except a; and ag
N

2 S S0;i*k (6.40)
n=l

these relations can be expressed as

In matrix notation,

Is*]=[S], (6.41)
or
or unit matrix. A matrix [S] for
lossless network
Here [U] is the identity matrix
conditions 6.39-6.41 is called a unitary matrix.
which satisfies the abovethree
(d) Phase shift property
defined with respect to the positions of
Complex S-parameters of a network
are
network with unprimed reference
the port or reference planes. For a two-port
have definite complex
planes I and 2 as shown in Fig. 6.2, the S-parameters
values

Si2 (6.42)

Device
S

2 2

Fig. 6.2 Phase shift property of 5

148 Microwave Engineering

l and 2 shifted outward to 1'and .

If the reference planes are

phase shifts o B, , and o2

=
= B,l2, respectively, then the new by electrie
wave varvabl
are a,eo. b,e7°, a,e *, be
**. T'he new S-matrix S'is then giveni
ven by
-jo Te io
IS'1 e io2 e io2
(643
for any number of ports and is called the
This property is valid
to a shift of reference planes.
phase shi
property applicable
Example 6.1 Two transmission lincs of characteristic impedancc 7
terms of impedances and7
joined at plane pp'. Express S-paramcters
in
are

Solution The incident and scattered wave amplitude are rclated by Ih

latcd by hj=
a
(i) Assuming that the output line to be matched (a, =0), the input impeda npedane
at the junction =Z, load of line Z.
=

Z
Therefore.
- Z
S = reflection coefficient on the input side.
Z +Z
(11) Similarly. for symmetry, assuming input side is matched (a = 0).

Sa Z-Z
-S
S21Z +Z2
 Microwave Network
Theory and Passive Devices 151
(m) Ingeneral

With output line matehed (a, = 0) for lossless line.

a pure shunt element. Z,n at the junction Z.
=

herefore
b =a+ b =a, + S a, =
a, (1 +S,)
byla = l+Su
S2 = l+ Su

= 1+ ZZ
Z+Z
2Z
Z+Z
(iv) With input line matched (a =
0),
b =a2 +
b =a2 + S22 a2 =
a2 (1 +S22)
or b,laz = 1 +S22

or S12 =1+ S22

I+4-2
Z+Z2
2Z
Z +Z2
Therefore.
Z Z

2Z
Z2 +Z Z +Z2
S =22 2-z
Z +Z2 Z +Z
 6.4.2 Coaxial Connectors and Adapters
teminated or connected to other cables
andcomponenents by
Coaxial cables are

means of shielded standard connectors. The outer shield makes a 36(0 degres
ree er
shielding integrity. These connectors
tremely low impedancejointto maintain are ors
the frequency range and the cable [Link]
of varioustypesdepending on BNC (male/femala
monly used microwave connectors are type (male/female),
N
different connectoma
TNC (male/female), APC (sexless), etc. Adapters, having
the two also made for interconnection between two different ports ina
ends, are
these connectors and adapt
microwave system. The basic schematic diagrams of
ers are shown in Fig. 6.6. The type N (Navy) connector is 50 and [Link]
World War I
nector which was designed for military system applications during
of 1-18 GHz
This is suitable for flexible or rigid cables in the frequency range
The BNC (Bayonet Navy Connector)is suitable for 0.25 inch 50 ohmor 75 ohm
flexible cables used up to 1 GHz. The TNC (Threaded Navy Connector) is like
in the
BNC, except that, the outer conductor has thread to make firm contact
mating surface to minimise radiation leakage at higher frequencies. These
con-

nectors are used up to 12 GHz.

The SMA (Sub-Miniature A) connectors are used for thin flexible or seme
of
rigid cables. The higher frequency is limited to 24 GHz because of generation
higher order modes beyond this limit. All the above connectors can be of maled
female configurations except the APC-7(Amphenol Precision Connector-7mn
which provides coupling without male or female configurations. The APC-7s
very accurate 50 ohm, low VSWR connector which can operate up to 18 GHZ
 Microwave Network Theory and Passive Devices 155

BNC Male
BNC Female TNC Female

SMA M TNC Male

SMAM APC 7 SMA

NMale APC 7

SMA F
NF NM

ard.
N Female
ar
SMA F NF
TNC APC-7

SMA Malee SMA Female

625
(15.9 mm)
4HHHHHHHH
"A" DIA. MIN.

SMA
SMA Male schematic JACK SMA Female schematic

Fig. 6.6 Coaxial connectors and adapters

Another APC-3.5 connector is a high precision 50 ohm, low VSWR connector

which can be either the male or female and can operate up to 34 GHzlt can mate
with the oppositely sexed SM connector. Table 6.2 shows the type, dielectric in
nating space and impedance of some of the above standard connectors.
 Microwzve Engineering
156
connectors
Tabie 6.2 Moting

Se Dieleic
Type
MF
Sod
BNC MF
Soind
TNC F
Soid
SMA
APC-7 Serless
Sersd A
APC-35
6.4.14 Attenuators
Aucnuators are passive deviccs used to control power levels in a mi
ssicm by partially absorbing the transmitted signal wave. Both fixcd and
nd van.
able atlenuators are designed using resistive films (aquadag).
A coaxial fixed attenuator uses a film with losses on the centre conductors
ahsorb some of the power as shown in Fig. 6.24a. The fixed
uctor ts
waveguide te
consists of a thin dielectric strip coated with resistive film and type
placed at the cente
of the waveguide parallel to the maximum E-field. Induced current on
the res
tive film due to the incident wave results in
power dissipation, lead1ng to ateny
ation of microwave energy. The dielectric strip is
tapered at both ends up to a

length of more than half wavelength to reduce reflections. The resistive vanë is
supported by two dielectric rods separated by an odd multiple of quarter wave
length and perpendicular to the electric field (Fig. 6.24b).

ZZZZZZZNMIUZ zz7777777A
O O

zzzIZzfizzzII7NIIITITÀ
Lossy material on centre conductor
a Resistive film
(a)
Attenuator flap
Micrometer

(b) (c)
Fig. 6.24 Microwave attenuator (a) Coaxial line fixed attenuator
(b) & (c) Waveguide attenuators
 Aariable type atuenuator can be constructed by moving the resistivearafe
means
of micrometer screw from one side ofthe narrow wall to the centre,re
the E-ficld is maximum/(Fig. 6.24b) or by changing the depth of inserticn
resistive vane atanE-field maximum through a longitudinal slot at the midge
the broad wall as shown in Fig. 6.24c. A maximum of 90 dB attenuation
ispo
ble with VSWR of 1.05. The resistance card can be shaped to give a linear an.
ation of attenuation with the depth of insertion.
A precision ty pe variable attenuator makes use ofa circular
waveguide section

Cicontaining a very thin tapered resistive card (R2). to both sides of which u
Connected axisymmetric sections of circular to rectangular waveguide
taperes
transitions (RC, and RC;) as shown in Fig. 6.25. The centre circular section w
the resistive card can be precisely rotated by 360° with
respect to the two ied
 Microwave Network Theory and Passive Devices 171

:ans of circular to rectangular waveguide transitions. The induced current on

due the incident signal is dissipated as heat producing
R
sec

card
r e s i s t i v e

the
to
tion of the transmitted signal. The incident TE dominant wave in the
altenm
gular waveguide is converted into a dominant TE mode in the circular
eguide.
waveguide.
A very thin tapered resistive card is placed perpendicular to the
E-field at the ircular end of each transition section so that it has a negligible
ect on the
eftecton the field perpendicular to it but absorbs any component parallel to it.
Therefore,
ho
a pure
IEi m0ae is excited in the middle section.

E sin2 9
TEo
RC
TEn
C

TE

TEo
RC

y
E sin E sin
Esin 0 e
E cos

E sin COS 6

Fig. 6.25 Precision type variable attenuator

RRC, Rz, Rg Tapered resistive cards
& RC2 - Rectangular-to-circular

waveguide transitions
C- Circular Waveguide Section
If
the resistive card in the centre section is
kept at an angle 0 relative to the
E-field direction of the TE mode, the component E cos 0 parallel to the card get
4DSorbed while the component E sin 6 is transmitted without attenuation. This
 172 Microwave Engineering
later component finally appears as electricfield component Esin'o.
the attenuation of the incident wave is
output guide. Therefore,
E
Esin sin0 1Sl

a (dB) = - 40 log (sin 6)=- 20 log |S,|

(61
Therefore, the precision rotary attenuator produces attenuation whi
card with respect to "PeM
penm
only on the angle of rotation
&of the resistive
wave polarisation. Attenuators are normally matched Cxlenm
reciprocal devicod
ces, so
tha
ISl-Sl (6 80
and

Sl
VSWR- <0.1
S22 = VSWR+1
or
(631
where the VSWR is measured at the port concerned. The S-matrix of an :
idea
precision rotary attenuator is
S)=0 sin 0
S sin6 0 (6.32

6.4.15 Phase Shifters

A phase shifter is a two-port passive device that produces a variable change in
phase of the wave transmitted through it. A phase shifter can be realised by plac:
to and at the position of
ing a lossless dielectric slab within a waveguide parallel
maximum E-field. A differential phase change is produced due to the change of
wave velocity through the dielectric slab compared to that through an empty
reflections of the wave from
waveguide. Two ports are matched by reducing the
the dielectric slab tapered at both ends as shown in Fig. 6.26.

Dielectric
slab
Bl=

Fig. 6.26 Phase shifters

npty
The propagation constant through alength/of a dielectric slab and of anemp
guide are, respectively,
 Microwave Network Theory and Passive Devices 173

2Tt V-(2,(2ae,)}||
(6.83)
e
21 271-(,/2a)*| (6.84)
g2 ,/e,
Thus the differential phase shift produced by the phase shifter is AO =

(B-B)1.
Byadjusting the length1, different phase shifts can be produced. The S-matrix
of an ideal phase shifter can be expressed by
[S]= 0 eJAp

(6.85)
leidp 0
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6.4.16 Waveguide Tees
ide tees are three pOrt components. They are used to connect a branch or
W a v e g u i d e

W
setron
af the waveguide in series or parallel with the main waveguide transmis
linc for providing means of splitting, and also of combining power in a
son i n e
guide system. he two basic types, E-plane (series) T and H-plane (shunt)
onstricted as shown in Fig. 6.28. These are named according to the axis of
side arm which is parallel to the E-field or the H-field in the collinear arms,
the
respetively

3
Side arm Collinear arm
2
2

Collinear arm

Side arm

(a) (b)
ig. 6.28 Waveguide tees (a) E-Tee or Series-T (b) H-Tee or Shunt-T

Because of the junction, waveguide tees are poorly matched devices. Adjustable
matching reactance can be introduced by means of a tuning screw at the centre.
Because of symmetry and absence of non-linear elements in the junction, the S-
uatrix is symmetric: S = Sj, i =1, 2: J =1, 2. The general S-matrix for a tee

Junction is
176 Microwave Engineering

[S Si2 S3
IS = S12 S1 S23
LS3 S23 S33
 2.7.1 E-Plane Tee
An E-plane tee is designed by fastening a of
piece of
similar waveguide to the broader wall of a
waveguide section. The fastened waveguide is
called auiliary It is parallel to the
arm.
plane of
the electric field of the dominant mode
TE10 in the
- An up thrust for
knowledge
 main waveguide as shown in Fig. 2.7.1. Hence this
type of junction is called F-plane Tee.

Port 3

Series
arm Port-2

Collinear arm
a

Port 1

Fig. 2.7.1 E-plane tee

Fig. 2.7.3 shows the

propagation of electromagnetic
Helds in an E-plane Tee when the dominant mode
E10 is incident on the symmetrical port-3. While
PASsing through the junction the electric lines of
force bend and as a result of this, fields of opposite
polarity emerge from the two arms.
t h e fields of opposite polarity are fed into the two

Flg. 2.7.2 Transmisslon line equlvalent of E-plane tee

arms 1 and 2, the fields in the symmetrical arm 3

Are added as shown in Fig. 2.7.1.
l the fields of same polarity are fed into the two
lde arms there emerge out the symmetric arm in
opposite phase and therefore cancel out the effect of
each other as shown in Fig. 2.7.3.
 INr a
A i w a v e Netwerd

Pvt
t TE 1

Output
port

F
Fs 27.3 E d of TE mode wth nput at port3
Aaluyis, plane Te
Cowid a a 3 Po Mwaue UnehoM hary
Cattexinp mbi
S Ss
S2 S22
3 S3a
thun a
is peety hatihad,
nctuen
holedios out

ynmiltj c k Unilay

+S22 S +S3 S2 =)

on , 4 +9al'1 2
-T . plaai toe ;h a P 4t 2
o he uih an
inpad al p
3 S12
S12

-
1 2 -Si3
3
ABm pa+3 P e l d y Mathe
un
Daldsy phopeety (s]eJ:1.
S2 Ss S S
Sp &22 Sy
SegSyg6Js8 S

RC al+F =1
2

Sa (S
 S
2

|3 |S
om 2

eP (osiy @)
s+%1.
H

Scaterinp. mal becom

-
 Lttacinp malai Ano a

Ta
a lP f4

D: , 4 a + s

Co 1 W» p
Pa.3 eprally dind»
-

wiunlp at phane 7
t tbut tadu
a p ob
b a opt
a
33 de
dB
tplan to a iu ow
nte
S tes

6 3 , bo 3 bd
tn

+% b %t %
b
bs
3 ad Pod
A
andap 3 zus tun t

br yh b a/