Metamaterial-Inspired Structures and

Their Applications in Microwave,

Millimeter-wave and Terahertz Planar
Circuits

by

Ali Karami Horestani

B. Eng. (Electrical and Electronic),
Shiraz University, Iran, 2003
M. Eng. (Electrical and Electronic),
Shahid Beheshti University, Iran, 2006

Thesis submitted for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

in
Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences
The University of Adelaide, Australia

2014
Supervisors:
Prof Derek Abbott, School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Dr Said Al-Sarawi, School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Prof Christophe Fumeaux, School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

© 2014
Ali Karami Horestani
All Rights Reserved
 To my Mom and Dad
and also to my wife, Zahra
with all my love.
Page iv
Contents

Contents v

Abstract xi

Statement of Originality xiii

Acknowledgment xv

Thesis Conventions xix

Publications xxi

List of Figures xxv

List of Tables xxxi

Chapter 1. Introduction 1
1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.1 Historical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.2 Objectives of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Statement of Original Contribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2.1 Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2.2 Metamaterial-Inspired Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2.3 Miniaturized Metamaterial-Inspired Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.3 Overview of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Chapter 2. Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines 13

2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.1.1 Chapter Objective and Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.2 Metamaterials with Effective Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.3 Electrodynamics of Left-Handed Metamaterials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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2.4 Analysis of Artificial Transmission Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

2.4.1 Transmission Line Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.4.2 Periodic Structures Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2.5.1 Purely Right- or Left-Handed Transmission Lines . . . . . . . . . 28
2.5.2 Composite Right/Left-Handed Transmission Lines . . . . . . . . 32
2.6 Implementation of CRLH TLs: CL-Loaded Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.7.1 Split Ring Resonator (SRR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.7.2 Complementary Split Ring Resonator (CSRR) . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.7.3 Open Split Ring Resonator (OSRR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.7.4 Open Complementary Split Ring Resonator (OCSRR) . . . . . . . 44
2.8 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Chapter 3. High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs 47
3.1 Millimeter-Wave Silicon CMOS Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.1.1 60 GHz Unlicensed Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.1.2 Voltage Controlled Oscillators in Silicon CMOS Technology . . . 50
3.1.3 Chapter Objective and Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3.2 Phase Noise of Voltage Controlled Oscillators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.2.1 Importance of Phase Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.2.2 Effect of Resonator Quality Factor on the Phase Noise . . . . . . . 54
3.3 TL Resonators at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.3.1 Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.4.1 CAD Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.4.2 Technology and Design Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3.4.3 CPS Dimensions: S and W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3.4.4 Floating Strips Width: Sw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
3.4.5 Floating Strips Duty Cycle: p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3.4.6 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

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3.5 Characterization of the Complex Permittivity of Thin Films . . . . . . . . 67

3.5.1 Proposed Method and Simulation Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
3.6 Design of High Quality Factor SRR-Based Coplanar Strip Resonator . . 71
3.7 Tapered Transmission Line Resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.7.1 Transmission Line Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
3.7.2 Numerical Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.7.3 Optimization Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
3.8 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Chapter 4. Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters 83

4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
4.2.1 Defected Ground Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
4.2.2 Complementary Split Ring Resonators (CSRRs) . . . . . . . . . . 89
4.2.3 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR and DGS . . . . . . . . . 90
4.3 Miniaturized Complementary Spiral Resonator for use as Bandpass Fil-
ter with Wide Upper Stopband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
4.3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
4.3.2 Complementary Spiral Resonator and Analysis of Spurious Pass-
band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
4.3.3 Two-pole Bandpass Filter with Wide Upper Stopband . . . . . . . 96
4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for Wider Bandwidth
and Enhanced Resonance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
4.4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
4.4.2 Resonance Characteristics of Split Ring Resonators Coupled to a
Transmission Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
4.4.3 Tapered Split Ring Resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
4.4.4 Experimental Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
4.5 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Chapter 5. Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors 109

5.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Res-

onator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
5.2.1 Basic of SRR-based Displacement Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
5.2.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped SRR . . . . . . . 113
5.2.3 Slotline mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
5.2.4 Experimental Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range . . . . . . . . . . . 124
5.3.1 One-Dimensional Displacement Sensor Based on Broadside Cou-
pled Split Ring Resonators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
5.3.2 Two-Dimensional Displacement Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
5.3.3 Experimental Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
5.4 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-Shaped Split Ring Resonator . . . . . . . 133
5.4.1 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-shaped SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
5.5 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Chapter 6. S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs 139

6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
6.2 S-Shaped SRR and its Application to Compact Bandpass Filter Design . 142
6.2.1 S-SRR Operation Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
6.2.2 Circuit Model and Parameter Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
6.2.3 CPWs Loaded with S-SRRs and Series Gaps . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology . . . 148
6.3.1 Band-pass Filter based on Impedance Inverters . . . . . . . . . . 150
6.3.2 Band-pass Filter Based on the Theory of Coupled Resonators . . 155
6.4 S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Differential Bandpass Filters . . . 157
6.4.1 Principle of Miniaturization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
6.4.2 Modeling of S-CSRR/Gap-loaded Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
6.5 Bandpass Filter with Common-mode Suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
6.6 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Chapter 7. Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL 169

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7.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

7.2 Research Objective and Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
7.3 Terahertz Surface Waves on the Planar Goubau Line . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
7.3.1 Excitation of the Planar Goubau Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
7.3.2 Is There Direct Coupling? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
7.4 Bandstop and Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Goubau Line . . . . . . 175
7.4.1 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandstop Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
7.4.2 Bandpass Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
7.4.3 Equivalent Circuit Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
7.4.4 PGL Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
7.5 Higher-Order Bandpass Filters Based on SRR/Gap-loaded PGL . . . . . 182
7.6 Bandpass Filters Based on Coupled SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
7.7 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Chapter 8. Conclusion and Future Work 191

8.1 Part I: Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
8.1.1 Summary of Original Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
8.1.2 Future Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
8.2 Part II: Metamaterial-Inspired Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
8.2.1 Summary of Original Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
8.2.2 Future Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
8.3 Part III: Metamaterial-Inspired Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
8.3.1 Summary of Original Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
8.3.2 Future Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Bibliography 201

Acronyms 219

Index 221

Biography 223

Page ix
Page x
Abstract
Metamaterials are generally defined as periodic composite structures that are engi-
neered to modify the electromagnetic properties of materials, especially in order to
achieve new physically realizable responses that may not be readily available in na-
ture. The key to the application of metamaterial resonators for the synthesis of such
effective media is their small electrical size. This feature can be also exploited for the
miniaturization of planar circuits.

Motivated by the need for miniaturized planar structures in mobile wireless systems,
metamaterial-inspired structures are proposed throughout this thesis for the design of
compact microwave, millimeter-wave and terahertz planar structures with improved
performance. The thesis firstly proposes slow-wave and SRR-loaded coplanar strips
resonators for the design of compact high quality factor balanced resonators for 60 GHz
VCOs in CMOS technology. Next, the thesis is focused on the miniaturization of mi-
crowave filters either by proposing resonators with dual-band functionality or through
modifying the shape of metamaterial resonators. Shape modifications of metama-
terial resonators are also used for the design of high-dynamic-range one- and two-
dimensional displacement sensors as well as of a rotation sensor with improved dy-
namic range. It is further shown that high level of miniaturization can be achieved in
a single-layer S-shaped SRR (S-SRR), if the loops of the S-SRR are excited by contra-
directional magnetic fluxes, which makes the S-SRR very well suited for application
in coplanar waveguide (CPW) technology. The thesis also proposes the dual counter-
part of the S-shaped SRR, i.e., S-shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR)
for application in the design of compact differential bandpass filters with inherent
common-mode suppression. Finally, the application of SRRs to the design of compact
bandpass filters for terahertz surface waves on single wire waveguides—the so-called
planar Goubau lines (PGLs)—is studied numerically and experimentally. The results of
this research show the versatility and potential of metamaterial-inspired resonators for
the realization of miniaturized structures in planar technologies in different frequency
bands.

Page xi
Page xii
Statement of Originality
I certify that this work contains no material, which has been accepted for the award of
any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution
and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published
or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In
addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in
my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution
without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any
partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree.

I give consent to this copy of my thesis when deposited in the University Library, being
made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the provisions of the Copyright
Act 1968.

The author acknowledges that copyright of published works contained within this the-
sis resides with the copyright holder(s) of those works.

I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on
the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search and also
through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to
restrict access for a period of time.

2014/05/05

Signed Date

Page xiii
Page xiv
Acknowledgment
First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity and glorify this Thesis to the
name of God, the beneficent, the merciful. “Every inhalation of the breath prolongs
life and every expiration of it gladdens our nature; wherefore every breath confers two
benefits and for every benefit gratitude is due” as Saadi said in his Rose Garden. Thus,
our hands and tongues are not capable to fulfill the obligation of thanks to Him.

I would also like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to all those people
whose support, skills and encouragement has helped me to complete this journey suc-
cessfully. First, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my principal supervisor,
Prof Derek Abbott for accepting me as a PhD candidate in 2009 and introducing to me
the amazing world of metamaterials. His unwavering optimism, ever-so encourag-
ing attitude, constructive suggestions, linguistic finesse, and generous travel financial
assistance have been helpful in propelling my research forward. I also wish to ex-
press my appreciation to my co-supervisor, Dr Said Al-Sarawi. His critical suggestions
and constructive advice in various areas, especially in the field of millimeter-wave
CMOS circuits, have been of great importance towards my research. From the second
year of my PhD, I have had the pleasure to work with another great scientist, my co-
supervisor, Prof Christophe Fumeaux. His theoretical understanding and experimen-
tal experience in the field of electromagnetic and microwave engineering have been
of great importance towards my research. He has always welcomed scientific discus-
sions and has given me critical feedback. I would like to gratefully acknowledge his
enthusiastic supervision, encouraging attitude, and generously sharing his knowledge
and experience. He provided me with direction and technical support, and taught me
the alphabet of ethics in science. Dear Christophe, you became more of a mentor and
friend, than a supervisor. I am also indebted to all my supervisors for tirelessly review-
ing all our publications including this thesis. I appreciate all their contributions, time,
ideas, strict requirements, funding, and answering quickly all questions I had about
topics of their expertise to make my PhD experience productive and stimulating.

Another key person whom I am strongly indebted to is Prof Ferran Martı́n. He has
been a great mentor to my research during my visit at GEMMA/CIMITEC, Departa-
ment d’Enginyeria Electronica, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.

Page xv
Acknowledgment

His deep theoretical knowledge and long experimental experience with metamaterial-
inspired microwave structures have been of great importance towards my research. I
would also like to include my gratitude to Dr Miguel Durán-Sindreu, and Jordi Naqui,
who have enabled part of this research work together with Prof Ferran Martı́n. I
would also thank Anna Cedenilla for her administrative assistance, and Dr Gerard
Sisò, Dr Ferran Paredes, Paris Vélez, Gerard Zamora and other members of GEM-
MA/CIMITEC, for making such a friendly research environment during my stay in
the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

I wish to express my warm thanks to Dr Tahsin Akalin, Abdallah Chahadih, Abbas

Ghaddar, and Mokhtar Zehar at the Institut d’Electronique de Microelectronique et de
Nanotechnologie IEMN, France for their fabrication and measurement support for part
of this work.

I am indebted to Dr Withawat Withayachumnankul and Dr Thomas Kaufmann, out-

standing scholars at the University of Adelaide, for being supportive colleagues and
friends, and for their kindness, passion, and patience in discussing long hours around
different research issues and also for their critical suggestions. I would also express
my appreciation to my friends and colleagues in the Applied Electromagnetics Group
at the University of Adelaide, Dr Akhilesh Verma, Dr Longfang Zou, Dr Shifu Zhao,
Pouria Yaghmaee, Tiaoming (Echo) Niu, Amir Ebrahimi, Shengjian (Jammy) Chen,
Chengjun (Charles) Zou, Nghia Nguyen, and Sree Pinapati, and to the people at the
Adelaide T-ray Group, Mr Henry Ho, Dr Shaghik Atakaramians, Dr Gretel M. Png,
Dr Mayank Kaushik, Dr Benjamin Ung, Dr Jega Balakrishnan, Dr Hungyen Lin, Mr
Shaoming Zhu, and Mr Andrew Li. It was great to work with you all.

I would like to express my appreciation for all the fellow researchers at the University
of Adelaide for creating a conductive and friendly environment. Special thanks to Dr
Omid Kavehi, Ms Taraneh Arianfar, Mr Mostafa Rahimi, Ms Maryam Ebrahimpour,
Dr Muammar Kabir, Mr Arash Mehdizadeh, Mr Sam Darvishi, Mr Mehdi Kasaee, Mr
Mohammad Asraful Hasan, Ms Sarah Anita Immanuel. Also, to all my friends and
their family in Adelaide, specially Mr Yadollah Bahrami, Mr Mehregan Ebrahimi and
Mr Azim Kalantari. I also like to thank the office & support staff of The School of Elec-
trical & Electronic Engineering at The University of Adelaide, Mr Ian Linke, and Mr
Pavel Simick for their practical suggestions and fabrication of samples in the midst of
tight time frames. Mr Danny Di Giacomo for his friendliness and logistical supply of

Page xvi
 Acknowledgment

parts. To IT officers, David Bowler, Mark J. Innes, and Ryan King, and the administra-
tive staff, Mr Stephen Guest, Ms Ivana Rebellato, Ms Rose-Marie Descalzi, Ms Deborah
Koch, Ms Lenka Hill, Ms Jodie Schluter for their kindness and assistance.

I am also indebted to all my good teachers for planting love of knowledge in my heart,
Mr Reza Dada, Mr Shirovi, Mr Parishani, Mr Zarei, Mr Khorami, Mr Asgari, Mr Ah-
mad Dibaj, Mr Mani, Mr Tabrizi among others. Special thanks to Mr Mohsen Tavasoli
for his kindness and support. I learned electromagnetics and microwave engineering
from three masters: A/Prof Farzad Mohajeri (Shiraz University), A/Prof Esfandiar
Mehrshahi (Shahid Beheshti University), and Prof Christophe Fumeaux (The Univer-
sity of Adelaide), and it is appropriate to express my gratitude to them here.

This thesis was made possible by an Iranian Government Overseas Scholarship. I am

grateful to the Iran Ministry of Sciences, Research and Technology for the scholarship,
which enabled me to undertake a PhD program at the University of Adelaide. Also,
to travel grants and awards from the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
(the University of Adelaide), IEEE SA Section through student travel award, and the
Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) through the Simon
Rockliff Supplementary Scholarship.

My endless appreciation goes to my father and mother who always endow me with
infinite support, wishes, continuous love, encouragement, and patience. I also thank
them for being my first teachers together with my older brother. I would like to thank
my sisters and younger brother for being my first students. It was amazing how much
I learned through teaching them. I wish to express my warm and sincere thanks to my
father- and mother-in-law for their kindness, guidance, and heartfelt wishes.

Last but not least, the warmest thanks to my dear wife, my most ardent supporter,
research partner, and dearest friend, Zahra, who stood by me in the ups and downs,
when I was right and when I was wrong, and never doubted my abilities. Dear, I love
you.

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Page xviii
Thesis Conventions
The following conventions have been adopted in this Thesis:

Typesetting
This document was compiled using LATEX2e. Texmaker and TeXstudio were used as
text editor interfaced to LATEX2e. Inkscape was used to produce schematic diagrams
and other drawings.

Referencing
The Harvard style has been adopted for referencing.

System of units
The units comply with the international system of units recommended in an Aus-
tralian Standard: AS ISO 1000–1998 (Standards Australia Committee ME/71, Quan-
tities, Units and Conversions 1998).

Spelling
American English spelling is adopted in this thesis.

Page xix
Page xx
Publications

Journal Articles
H ORESTANI -A. K., F UMEAUX -C., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2012b). Split
ring resonators with tapered strip width for wider bandwidth and enhanced res-
onance, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, 22(9), pp. 450–452.

H ORESTANI -A. K., F UMEAUX -C., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2013a). Dis-
placement sensor based on diamond-shaped tapered split ring resonator, IEEE
Sensors Journal, 13(4), pp. 1153–1160.

H ORESTANI -A. K., A BBOTT-D., AND F UMEAUX -C. (2013b). Rotation sensor based on
horn-shaped split ring resonator, IEEE Sensors Journal, 13(8), pp. 3014–3015.

H ORESTANI -A. K., W ITHAYACHUMNANKUL -W., C HAHADIH -A., G HADDAR -A.,

Z EHAR -M., A BBOTT-D., F UMEAUX -C., AND A KALIN -T. (2013c). Metamaterial-
inspired bandpass filters for terahertz surface waves on Goubau lines, IEEE Trans-
actions on Terahertz Science and Technology, 3(6), pp. 851–858 (Invited).

H ORESTANI -A. K., N AQUI -J., S HATERIAN -Z., A BBOTT-D., F UMEAUX -C., AND M ART ÍN -
F. (2014). Two-dimensional alignment and displacement sensor based on mov-
able broadside-coupled split ring resonators, Journal of Sensors and Actuators A:
Physical, 210, pp. 18–24.

H ORESTANI -A. K., D UR ÁN -S INDREU -M., N AQUI -J., F UMEAUX -C., AND M ART ÍN -
F. (2014). S-shaped complementary split ring resonators and their application
to compact differential bandpass filters with common-mode suppression, IEEE
Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, 24(3), pp. 150–152.

H ORESTANI -A. K., N AQUI -J., A BBOTT-D., F UMEAUX -C., AND M ART ÍN -F. (2014).
Two-dimensional displacement and alignment sensor based on reflection coeffi-
cients of open microstrip lines loaded with split ring resonators, Electronics Let-
ters, 50(8), pp. 620–622.

H ORESTANI -A. K., D UR ÁN -S INDREU -M., N AQUI -J., F UMEAUX -C., AND M ART ÍN -
F. (n.d.a). Coplanar Waveguides Loaded with S-Shaped Split Ring Resonators:

Page xxi
Publications

Modeling and Application to Compact Microwave Filters, IEEE Antennas Wire-

less Propagation Letters, submitted.

Conference Articles
H ORESTANI -A. K., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2010). Designing of high-Q
slow-wave coplanar strips for CMOS MMICs, Proc. 35th International Confer-
ence on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, Rome, Italy, DOI: 10.1109/
ICIMW.2010.5612952.

H ORESTANI -A. K., S HATERIAN -Z., W ITHAYACHUMNANKUL -W., F UMEAUX -C., A L -

S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2011c). Compact wideband filter element based
on complementary split-ring resonators, Proc. SPIE Smart Nano-Micro Materials
and Devices, Melbourne, Australia, art. no. 820431.

H ORESTANI -A. K., S HATERIAN -Z., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2011b). High
quality factor mm-wave coplanar strip resonator based on split ring resonators,
Proc. 36th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves,
(IRMMW-THz), Houston, TX, DOI: 10.1109/irmmw-THz.2011.6105225.

H ORESTANI -A. K., M EHDIZADEH -A., A L -S ARAWI -S., F UMEAUX -C., AND A BBOTT-
D. (2011a). Quality factor optimization process of a tapered slow-wave coplanar
strips resonator in CMOS technology, Proc. Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference
(APMC), Melbourne, Australia, pp. 45–48.

M EHDIZADEH -A., H ORESTANI -A. K., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2011). An
efficient 60 GHz resonator using Harmony Search, 2011 IEEE Recent Advances
in Intelligent Computational Systems,Trivandrum, India, pp. 369–372.

H ORESTANI -A. K., F UMEAUX -C., A L -S ARAWI -S., AND A BBOTT-D. (2012a). Charac-
terization of the complex permittivity of thin films using a slow-wave coplanar
strips resonator, Proc. 37th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and
Terahertz Waves, DOI: 10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2012.6379510.

H ORESTANI -A. K., S HATERIAN -Z., A L -S ARAWI -S., A BBOTT-D., AND F UMEAUX -C.
(2012c). Miniaturized bandpass filter with wide stopband using complementary
spiral resonator, Proc. Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), Kaohsiung,
Taiwan, pp. 550–552.

Page xxii
 Publications

YAGHMAEE -P., H ORESTANI -A. K., B ATES -B., AND F UMEAUX -C. (2012). A multi-
layered tunable stepped-impedance resonator for liquid crystal characterization,
Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference Proceedings (APMC), Kaohsiung, Taiwan,
pp. 776–778.

S HATERIAN -Z., H ORESTANI -A. K., AND F UMEAUX -C. (2013). Metamaterial-Inspired
Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range, Proc. 4th International Con-
ference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, META’13, Vol. 1,
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, pp. 9–11.

YAGHMAEE -P., W ITHAYACHUMNANKUL -W., H ORESTANI -A. K., A MIR E BRAHIMI ,

B ATES -B., AND F UMEAUX -C. (2013). Tunable electric-LC resonators using liq-
uid crystal, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium
(APSURSI), pp. 382–383.

H ORESTANI -A. K., W ITHAYACHUMNANKUL -W., F UMEAUX -C., A BBOTT-D., AND

A KALIN -T. (2013c). Metamaterial-inspired bandpass filter for the terahertz Goubau
line, Proc. 4th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and
Plasmonics, META’13, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, pp. 117–118.

Page xxiii
Page xxiv
List of Figures
1.1 Thesis outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.1 Categorization of materials based on the sign of their permittivity and

permeability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.2 Wave vector and Poynting vector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.3 Refractive index of left-handed media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.4 First realization of left-handed media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.5 The first practical realization of cloaking metamaterials . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.6 Simulated metamaterial cloak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.7 TLs circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.8 Circuit models of artificial single negative TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.9 T and π unit cell circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.10 Unit cells of purely right-handed and purely left-handed TLs . . . . . . . 28
2.11 Dispersion diagram of right- and left-handed TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.12 Bloch impedance of right- and left-handed TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.13 Circuit models of CRLH TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.14 Propagation constant β and Bloch impedance ZB of a lossless CRLH line 34
2.15 Propagation constant β and the Bloch impedance ZB of a balanced CRLH
line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2.16 Dual composite right/left-handed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.17 CL-loaded artificial TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.18 SRR structure and circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.19 SRR-based metamaterial TL in CPW technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.20 SRR-based metamaterial TL in microstrip technology . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.21 CRLH TL in CPW technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.22 CRLH TL in microstrip technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.23 CSRR structure and circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Page xxv
List of Figures

2.24 CSRR-loaded microstrip line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

2.25 CSRR/gap-loaded microstrip line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.26 OSRR structure and its circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.27 OCSRR structure and its circuit model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

3.1 Unlicensed 60 GHz bandwidth regulation in different countries . . . . . 49

3.2 Oscillator in transmitter and receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
3.3 Output voltage of an ideal VCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.4 Jitter and phase noise of an oscillator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.5 Effect of phase noise in a reciever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3.6 LC- versus TL-based Oscillator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
3.7 3D view of a slow-wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
3.8 Characteristic impedance and guided wavelength of conventional CPS . 61
3.9 Qualtity factor of a conventional CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3.10 Two-dimensional parametric study on the qualtity factor of a conven-
tional CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3.11 Comparison between the quality factor of a conventional and a slow-
wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3.12 Guided wavelength and characteristic impedance of a conventional and
a slow-wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
3.13 Quality factor and guided wavelength of a slow-wave CPS versus duty
cycle of floating strips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
3.14 Comparison between the quality factor of a conventional and a slow-
wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.15 Slow-wave CPS structure for thin film characterization . . . . . . . . . . 69
3.16 Normalized input impedance of a slow-wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
3.17 Affect of relative permittiviy on a slow-wave CPS resonator . . . . . . . 70
3.18 Affect of loss tangent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3.19 SRR-loaded high quality factor quarter-wavelength resonator . . . . . . 72
3.20 Input impedance of the SRR-loaded CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.21 Standing wave behavior of the quarter-wavelength resonator . . . . . . 75

Page xxvi
 List of Figures

3.22 RLGC TL model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

3.23 Uniform slow-wave CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
3.24 Optimum slow-wave tapered resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3.25 Input impedance of the optimum tapered slow-wave CPS resonator . . . 81

4.1 Layout of a microstrip line with defected ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

4.2 Transmission coefficient of a DGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
4.3 Equivalent circuit model of a DGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
4.4 CSRR-loaded microstrip line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
4.5 Equivalent circuit model of a CSRR-loaded microstrip line . . . . . . . . 91
4.6 Layout of the proposed CSRR-DGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
4.7 Simulated transmission coefficients of a CSRR-DGS-loaded microstrip line 92
4.8 Layout and circuit model of a CSR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
4.9 f 1 / f 0 of an inductively loaded TL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
4.10 Second-order bandpass filter based on coupled open-loop resonators . . 97
4.11 Second-order bandpass filter based on coupled CSRs . . . . . . . . . . . 97
4.12 Coupling coefficients of open-loop and CSR resonators . . . . . . . . . . 98
4.13 External quality factor of open-loop- and CSR-loaded microstrip lines . 99
4.14 Comparison between the transmission coefficinets of filters based on
open-loop- and CSR-loaded lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
4.15 Equivalent circuit model of an SRR-loaded TL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
4.16 Layout of the microstrip lines loaded with uniform and tapered SRRs . . 105
4.17 Comparison between the transmission coeffcients of TLs loaded with
uniform and tapered SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
4.18 Fabricated prototype of the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
4.19 Measurement results for tapered SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

5.1 CPW loaded with SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

5.2 CPW loaded with a diamond-shaped SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
5.3 Simulation results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Page xxvii
List of Figures

5.4 Comparison between the sensors based on rectangular-shaped and diamond-

shaped SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
5.5 CPW loaded with a tapered diamond-shaped SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
5.6 Simulated response of the displacement sensor based on the tapered
diamond-shaped SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
5.7 Simulated response of the sensor versus displacement . . . . . . . . . . . 119
5.8 Slotline mode suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
5.9 Fabricated prototypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
5.10 Measurement results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
5.11 Comparison between simulated and measured results of the tapered
diamond-shaped sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
5.12 Effect of thermal expansions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
5.13 Layout of a 1-D displacement sensor based on BC-SRRs . . . . . . . . . . 126
5.14 Simulated transmission coefficints of the 1-D displacement sensor . . . . 126
5.15 Layout of the modified 1-D displacement sensor based on BC-SRRs . . . 127
5.16 Simulated transmission coefficints of the modified 1D displacement sensor128
5.17 Layout of the proposed 2D sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
5.18 Simulated transmission coefficient of the proposed 2-D sensor . . . . . . 130
5.19 Fabricated prototypes of the proposed 2D sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
5.20 Measurement setup for the 2-D displacement sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
5.21 Measured transmission coefficients of the 2-D sensor . . . . . . . . . . . 132
5.22 Measured transmission coefficients versus displacement of the 2-D sensor133
5.23 Layout of the proposed horn-shaped rotation sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
5.24 Simulated transmission coefficients of the horn-shaped rotation sensor . 135
5.25 Fabricated prototype of the proposed rotation sensor . . . . . . . . . . . 136
5.26 Measured transmission coefficients of the horn-shaped sensor . . . . . . 136
5.27 Measured transmission coefficients versus rotation angle of the horn-
shaped sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

6.1 CPW loaded with SRRs or S-SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Page xxviii
 List of Figures

6.2 CPW loaded with a rectangular S-SRR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

6.3 Comparison between the simulated S21 and S11 of the SRR-loaded CPW
and those of the S-SRR-loaded CPW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
6.4 Equivalent circuit model of the S-SRR loaded CPW . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.5 Equivalent circuit model of the SRR loaded CPW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
6.6 Comparison between circuit simulation and EM simulation results of
the S-SRR loaded CPW structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
6.7 Layout and equivalent circuit models of the S-SRR/gap loaded CPW . . 149
6.8 Comparison between circuit simulation and EM simulation results of
the S-SRR/gap loaded CPW structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
6.9 Generalized network of a bandpass filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
6.10 Layout of the third order periodic bandpass filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
6.11 Comparison between circuit and EM simulation of the 3rd order filter . 153
6.12 Fabricated prototype of the 3rd order periodic fitler . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
6.13 Simulated and Measured S21 and S11 of the 3rd order periodic filter . . . 154
6.14 Layout of the third order coupled resonator bandpass filter . . . . . . . . 157
6.15 External quality factor and coupling coefficient parametric study . . . . 158
6.16 Fabricated protoype of the 3rd order coupled resonator filter . . . . . . . 159
6.17 Comparison between the measurment and simulation results . . . . . . 159
6.18 Differential microstrip line loaed with CSRRs and S-CSRR . . . . . . . . 161
6.19 Frequency response of CSRR-loaded differential line and that of S-CSRR-
loaed line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
6.20 Layout and equivalent circit model of an S-CSRR-loaded differential line 162
6.21 S-CSRR-loaded line in differential mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
6.22 S-CSRR-loaded line in common mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
6.23 Fabricated prototype of the differential filter with common-mode sup-
pression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
6.24 Comparison between simulated and measured response of the differen-
tial filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

7.1 Tehrahertz band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Page xxix
List of Figures

7.2 Plasmonic in multi-core systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

7.3 CPW to PGL transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
7.4 Horn antenna transition to G-line versus CPW to PGL transition . . . . . 174
7.5 Bare PGL vs gap-loaded PGL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
7.6 Corrugated planar Goubau line for application as a terahertz bandstop
filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
7.7 Electric and magnetic fields of PGL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
7.8 ERR-loaded PGL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
7.9 First-order bandpass fitler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
7.10 Equivalent circuit models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
7.11 Simulation results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
7.12 Fabricated prototypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
7.13 Comparison between simulation and measurement results . . . . . . . . 183
7.14 Third-order bandpass filter based on SRR/gap-loded PGL . . . . . . . . 184
7.15 Transmission coefficient vs. frequency for third-order periodic filter . . . 185
7.16 Comparison between simulation and measurement results . . . . . . . . 187
7.17 Third-order bandpass filter based on coupled SRRs . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
7.18 Simulated transmission coefficients of coupled-resonator bandpass fil-
ters with different geometric dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
7.19 Comparison between simulation and measurement transmission coeffi-
cients of coupled-resonator bandpass filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Page xxx
List of Tables

2.1 Four possible types of TLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

3.1 License-free wireless communication bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

3.2 Conventional CPS versus SRR-loaded CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
3.3 Comparison between the characteristics of different CPS resonators . . . 81

4.1 Dimensions of the designed filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

6.1 A Comparison of Various Narrow Bandpass CPW Filters. . . . . . . . . 160

6.2 A comparison of various differential bandpass filters . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Page xxxi
Page xxxii
Chapter 1

Introduction

T
HIS introductory chapter presents a short historical overview on
metamaterials and highlight their attractive features for the minia-
turization of planar circuits. This is followed by an overview of
the objectives of the thesis and its original contributions. The outline of this
work is sketched out and the contents of each chapter are overviewed at the
end of this chapter.

Page 1
1.1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 Historical Overview

The history of artificial materials, for manipulating electromagnetic radiation, can be

dated back to the late nineteenth century when Jagadish Chandra Bose studied in
1898 the rotation of the plane of polarization of electromagnetic waves by man-made
twisted structures (Bose 1898). Later in the early 20th century Karl Ferdinand Lind-
man published his work on artificial chiral media formed by a collection of randomly-
oriented small wire helices (Lindman 1920, Elezzabi and Sederberg 2009). These stud-
ies were followed by several other research programs on artificial man-made mate-
rials, such as artificial dielectrics for light-weight antenna lenses and artificial chiral
materials, as reviewed by Ziolkowski and Engheta (2003). Although none of the pio-
neering investigations explicitly used the terms ‘artificial materials’ or ‘metamaterials’,
many of the studied structures can be categorized as metamaterials by today’s defini-
tion (Ziolkowski and Engheta 2003).

The research on the electrodynamics of double negative (DNG) metamaterials started

with Veselago’s theoretical studies on hypothetical media with simultaneously nega-
tive values of permittivity and permeability at the end of the 1960s (Veselago 1968).
However, there was little research carried out on this topic for more than 30 years,
until the concept was revived by the work of Pendry’s group (Pendry et al. 1996,
Pendry et al. 1999), followed by the first practical realization of DNG metamateri-
als in the microwave regime by Smith et al. (2000). Following publication of these
papers in the late 1990s, left-handed metamaterials have received a significant atten-
tion for a wide variety of applications from the microwave regime to optical frequen-
cies. As a consequence, in many academic circles the word metamaterials was usu-
ally used to refer to double-negative artificial materials. However, at present, the
term metamaterial is broadly used to refer to any engineered discrete media for ma-
nipulating electromagnetic properties and includes artificial materials with negative
permittivity (Pendry et al. 1996), negative permeability (Pendry et al. 1999), and so-
called left-handed media with simultaneously negative permittivity and permeabil-
ity (Smith et al. 2000).

Page 2
Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1.2 Objectives of the Thesis

A general definition is that metamaterials are denoted as periodic composite struc-

tures that are engineered to modify the electromagnetic properties of materials. This
concept is especially useful in order to achieve new physically realizable electromag-
netic responses that may not be readily available in nature. With this broad definition,
the concept of metamaterials can cover any engineered material including double neg-
ative (DNG) materials, electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures, materials with neg-
ative index of refraction (NIR), and complex surfaces such as high-impedance ground
planes (Ziolkowski and Engheta 2003).

Beyond the initial goals of creating different types of bulk metamaterials with en-
gineered electromagnetic properties, metamaterial resonators such as split ring res-
onators (SRRs) and complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) have opened new
perspectives for other novel applications in planar circuits. The key in the application
of these resonators to the synthesis of metamaterial-inspired planar circuits is their
small electrical size compared to the operating wavelength. As a consequence, these
resonators can be considered as quasi-lumped elements which makes them especially
interesting for the miniaturization of planar microwave structures and circuits such
as filters (Martel et al. 2004, Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2006, Bonache et al. 2006a, Gil et al.
2007, Velez et al. 2009, Horestani et al. 2012c), couplers (Jarauta et al. 2006), and anten-
nas (Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2011, Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2012, Paredes et al. 2012), or
to improve the performance of these components (Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2005b, Shi et al.
2012).

Miniaturization of electronic components and devices is of great importance, especially

in order to develop light-weight portable devices, or in the areas such as aerospace,
where every gram sent into the outer space contributes to the costs. This is assisted by
the dramatic increase in application of portable devices such as smart phones, tablets
and laptops to access to wireless networked services such as cellular telephony WiFi,
Bluetooth, Global Positioning system (GPS), satellite communications, and so on. Uti-
lizing metamaterial-inspired planar circuits proves to be an efficient approach towards
the miniaturization of planar microwave circuits. Moreover, the electromagnetic prop-
erties of these lines can be engineered to achieve enhanced functionalities such as wide-
band or dual-band operation. It is worth to mention that, while the small electrical size
of metamaterial-inspired resonators is the key in the application of these resonators for

Page 3
1.2 Statement of Original Contribution

the synthesis of compact planar microwave circuits, this is almost always at the cost of
a narrow bandwidth.

The high quality factor resonance, subwavelength dimensions, and the sensitivity of
the metamaterial-inspired resonators to their constituent materials and physical di-
mensions also make them ideal structures for sensory applications, or to improve the
sensitivity of conventional sensors (Naqui et al. 2011, Schueler et al. 2012, Naqui et al.
2012a, Withayachumnankul et al. 2012, Withayachumnankul et al. 2013, Horestani et al.
2013b).

In this context, the application of metamaterial-inspired resonators in planar circuits

and in sensory applications will be investigated in this thesis. In the first part of this
thesis, including Chapter 3 and 4 the focus is on the miniaturization of microwave
and millimeter-wave metamaterial components with enhanced functionalities. Chap-
ter 5 proposes several compact metamaterial-inspired sensors with improved dynamic
range and linearity. Finally, in the last part of the thesis, including Chapters 6 and 7,
applications of metamaterial-inspired resonator for the design of miniaturized filters
in the microwave and terahertz regimes are studied.

1.2 Statement of Original Contribution

This thesis includes several original contributions in the field of metamaterial-inspired

planar structures. The original contributions can be described in three major parts. The
first part of the thesis is focused on the miniaturization of metamaterial components.
The second part of the thesis investigates the application of metamaterial-inspired res-
onators for the design of displacement and rotation sensors. And finally, the third part
of the thesis is devoted to miniaturized metamaterial-inspired filters in microwave and
terahertz planar circuits.

1.2.1 Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components

This section lists the original contributions of the first major part of the thesis, which is
focused on the miniaturization of metamaterial components.

Page 4
Chapter 1 Introduction

• A parametric study on the geometrical dimensions of a slow-wave CPS struc-

ture in a standard 90 nm CMOS process is conducted based on 3D electromag-
netic simulations. The study leads to the derivation of guidelines for the de-
sign of slow-wave CPS resonators with high quality factor and small on-chip
area. On the basis of the extracted guidelines, a high quality factor slow-wave
CPS resonator is designed to operate in the millimeter-wave band at 60 GHz.
The results of the study were presented at the 35th International Conference on
Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2010 and are published in the proceed-
ings under the title “Designing of high-Q slow-wave coplanar strips for CMOS
MMICs” (Horestani et al. 2010).

• As an alternative application, resonance properties of an optimized slow-wave

CPS resonator are proposed for characterization of the complex permittivity of
thin films of dielectrics in millimeter-wave band. It is shown that while the res-
onance frequency of the resonator can be used to determine the permittivity of
an unknown thin film of dielectric, the loss tangent of the unknown layer can
be accurately determined from the quality factor of the resonance. The charac-
terization method was presented at the 37th International Conference on Infrared,
Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2012 and is published in the proceedings under
the title “Characterization of the complex permittivity of thin films using a slow-
wave coplanar strips resonator” (Horestani et al. 2012a).

• An alternative approach for the design of high quality factor balanced resonator
is proposed based on a quarter-wavelength short-ended CPS loaded with split
ring resonators (SRRs). Based on the SRR’s rejection and phase shift properties in
the vicinity of their resonance, a quarter-wavelength composite right/left handed
(CRLH) CPS resonator is designed to operate in mm-wave regime at 60 GHz with
a substantially higher quality factor compared to comparable conventional res-
onators. The proposed design was presented at the 36th International Conference
on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, 2011 and is published in the proceed-
ings under the title “High quality factor mm-wave coplanar strip resonator based
on split ring resonators” (Horestani et al. 2011b).

• Motivated by the promising results of the slow-wave CPS resonator, the study is
further extended to improve the quality factor of the quarter-wavelength slow-
wave CPS resonator through the optimization of the layout of the structure based
on the standing wave profile of the current and voltage along the resonator. It

Page 5
1.2 Statement of Original Contribution

is shown that the optimized tapered slow-wave CPS resonator, benefits from a
high quality factor of around 28. The optimization method was presented at the
Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), 2011 and is published in the proceed-
ings under the title “Quality factor optimization process of a tapered slow-wave
coplanar strips resonator in CMOS technology” (Horestani et al. 2011a).

• Miniaturization of metamaterial-inspired structures can be performed either by

directly miniaturizing the resonators or through providing resonators with dual-
band functionality. To this end, a compact dual-mode defected ground resonator
is proposed. The resonator has a compact size since it is composed of a pair of
complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) embedded in a dumbbell shape de-
fected ground structure (DGS). It is demonstrated through parametric study that
the two resonances of the structure can be independently adjusted by manipu-
lating the physical dimensions of the CSRR and DGS. Thus, the structure can be
used as the building block for compact microwave circuits such as dual-mode
wideband filters. The proposed dual-mode resonator was presented at the SPIE
Smart Nano-Micro Materials and Devices, 2011, conference and is published in the
proceedings under the title “Compact wideband filter element based on comple-
mentary split-ring resonators” (Horestani et al. 2011c).

• While bandpass filters with wide stopband are required in many applications,
conventional bandpass filters suffer from unwanted harmonic passbands. It is
shown that by loading a quarter-wavelength resonator with inductive loads the
ratio of the spurious resonance frequency to the fundamental resonance frequency
can be increased. On this basis, a bandpass filter with wide upper stopband is de-
signed by using complementary spiral resonators. The proposed filter was pre-
sented at the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC), 2012 and is published in
the proceedings under the title “Miniaturized bandpass filter with wide stopband
using complementary spiral resonator” (Horestani et al. 2011c).

• A modified edge-coupled SRR with tapered strip width is proposed. The tapered
shape, which has been developed based on the current and voltage distribution
in the SRR structure, enables us to reduce the SRR electrical area by 33%. More
importantly, it is shown that the proposed structure with the same electrical size
as a uniform SRR has a stronger resonance with 84% wider fractional bandwidth.
This strong and wideband resonance is required in many applications such as a
wideband filter design. The proposed tapered SRR is experimentally validated

Page 6
Chapter 1 Introduction

and published in IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters under the ti-
tle “Split ring resonators with tapered strip width for wider bandwidth and en-
hanced resonance” (Horestani et al. 2012b).

1.2.2 Metamaterial-Inspired Sensors

The high quality factor resonance, subwavelength dimensions, and the sensitiv-
ity of the metamaterial resonators to the constituent materials and physical di-
mensions can be exploited in the design of sensors. To this end, the second major
part of this thesis is focused on metamaterial-inspired sensors. Original contri-
butions of the thesis in this part are described in the following.

• A one-dimensional displacement sensor based on a diamond-shaped tapered

SRR coupled to a coplanar waveguide (CPW) is proposed. It is shown that, com-
pared to previous designs, the proposed sensor benefits from superior linearity
and higher dynamic range. More importantly, it is shown that in contrast to a pre-
vious design, where the displacement changed both the resonant frequency and
depth of the resonance notch, the proposed tapered diamond-shaped sensor have
a fixed resonance frequency. This is an important improvement since the sensor
does not require a frequency sweeping microwave source such as an expensive
network analyzer, but can be operated at a single frequency. It is also demon-
strated that, while retaining a compact size, the proposed sensor benefits from a
lower operating frequency. The proposed one-dimensional displacement sensor
was published in IEEE Sensors Journal under the title “Displacement sensor based
on diamond-shaped tapered split ring resonator” (Horestani et al. 2012b). The pa-
per has attracted considerable attention and was listed as one of the journal’s top
downloaded papers in April 2013.

• Metamaterial-inspired displacement sensors proposed by Naqui et al. (2011) and

Horestani et al. (2013b) have a fundamental dynamic range limit dictated by the
CPW lateral dimension. To address this issue, a one-dimensional displacement
sensor based on a microstrip line loaded with broadside-coupled split-ring res-
onators (BC-SRRs) is proposed, with virtually no dynamic range limit. It is also
shown that with modifications in the geometry of the BC-SRRs, the proposed

Page 7
1.2 Statement of Original Contribution

one-dimensional sensor can be modified and extended by adding a second ele-

ment to create a high-dynamic range two-dimensional displacement sensor. Fur-
thermore, since the operation principle of the sensors is based on the shift in
the resonance frequency, rather than variation in the depth of notch, the sen-
sors are generally immune to the environmental noise. Moreover, because the
proposed sensors operate based on the breaking of symmetry, they are also ro-
bust to ambient conditions such as changes in the temperature, and can be also
used as one- or two-dimensional alignment sensors. The concept and simulation
results are validated experimentally. The proposed one-dimensional displace-
ment sensor was presented at the 4th International Conference on Metamaterials,
Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, META’13, 2013 and is published in the proceed-
ings under the title “Metamaterial-inspired displacement sensor with high dy-
namic range” (Shaterian et al. 2013), and the extension of the sensor to a two-
dimensional sensor has been submitted for publication in Journal of Sensors and
Actuators A: Physical under the title “Metamaterial-inspired two-dimensional dis-
placement sensor with high dynamic range”.

• It has been shown by Naqui et al. (2011) that further to application in displace-
ment sensors, the symmetry properties of an SRR-loaded CPW can be used for
rotation sensing. However, one limitation of the sensor is that a change in rotation
not only changes the depth of resonance, but also causes a shift in the resonance
frequency. To address this issue, a rotation sensor based on a horn-shaped SRR is
proposed. It is shown that the shape modification suppresses the frequency shift,
allowing the sensor to be operated as an inexpensive single frequency system.
The concept and simulation results are validated through experiment. The pro-
posed rotation sensor was published in IEEE Sensors Journal under the title “Ro-
tation sensor based on horn-shaped split ring resonator” (Horestani et al. 2013a).

1.2.3 Miniaturized Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

The Original contributions of the third major part of the thesis, which is focused
on compact metamaterial-inspired microwave and terahertz filters, are as fol-
lows:

• Toward the miniaturization of metamaterial inspired microwave planar struc-

tures, it is shown that, rather than by a uniform time-varying magnetic field, the

Page 8
Chapter 1 Introduction

resonant currents in an S-shaped SRR (S-SRR) are excited by contra-directional

magnetic fields, axially applied to each loop of the resonator. Therefore, a high
level of miniaturization can be achieved when the S-SRR is excited by the contra-
directional magnetic fields of a CPW transmission line. To highlight the potential
of S-SRR-loaded CPWs for compact filter design, two narrowband bandpass fil-
ters are designed and fabricated: one of them based on S-SRR/gap-loaded CPW
resonators coupled through admittance inverters; the other one based on cou-
pled S-SRRs, externally driven by open ended CPWs. Filters performance and
size have been found to be competitive. The proposed method of miniaturiza-
tion is ready to be submitted for publication in a journal.

• The dual counterpart of the S-shaped split ring resonator, i.e., the S-shaped com-
plementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) is proposed for application in the de-
sign of differential filters. It is shown that compared to the conventional con-
figuration of CSRRs in differential microstrip technology, the proposed resonator
benefits from a high level of miniaturization when excited by the contra-directional
electric fields of a differential microstrip line. More importantly, it is shown that
S-CSRRs can be used in the design of bandpass filters that suppress the common-
mode noise inherently. The study has been accepted for publication in IEEE Mi-
crowave and Wireless Components Letters under the title “S-shaped complementary
split ring resonators and their application to compact differential bandpass filters
with common-mode suppression.”

• Considering the need to have functional components for terahertz single wire
transmission lines, the application of SRRs for the design of compact bandpass
filters for terahertz surface waves on planar Goubau lines (PGL) is investigated.
It is shown that while a pair of SRRs coupled to a PGL inhibits the propagation
of surface waves along the line, introducing a capacitive gap to the PGL switches
the bandstop behavior to a bandpass behavior. In order to highlight the potential
application of the proposed structure to the design of compact filters for surface
waves on PGL, two types of bandpass filters, one based on SRR/gap-loaded PGL,
and the second one based on coupled SRRs, are designed. More importantly, it
is shown that the filters bandwidth can be conveniently controlled over a large
range by altering the geometrical dimensions of the SRRs. The methodology and
simulation results have been validated through measurement of the filters’ fab-
ricated prototypes. The proposed bandpass filters can be used for controlling

Page 9
1.3 Overview of the Thesis

the propagation of terahertz surface waves on planar Goubau lines in real appli-
cations, particularly for future broadband terahertz communications. The pre-
liminary results of the study was presented at the 4th International Conference on
Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, META’13, 2013 and is published
in the proceedings under the title “Metamaterial-inspired bandpass filter for the
terahertz Goubau line” (Horestani et al. 2013d), whereas the more comprehensive
study on the application of SRRs for the design of higher order bandpass filters
and controlling their bandwidth is publication as an invited paper in IEEE Trans-
actions on Terahertz Science and Technology under the title “Metamaterial-inspired
bandpass filters for terahertz surface waves on Goubau lines.”

1.3 Overview of the Thesis

As outlined in Fig. 1.1 the thesis encompasses five parts, including background, three
major parts that describe the original contributions of the study and the conclusion.
The detailed description for each part of the thesis is as follows.

Background (Chapters 1 & 2) includes the current introductory chapter as well as

Chapter 2 that provides the context and background information required for
the rest of the thesis. This includes the definition of ‘metamaterial’ from the cell
size point of view, electrodynamics of right-handed and left-handed effective me-
dia, and some of the exotic characteristics of so-called left-handed metamaterials.
The chapter also discusses artificial transmission lines (TLs), as one-dimensional
metamaterial media from two different perspectives, namely, using the homoge-
neous TL theory and the theory of periodic structures. Finally, different methods
of implementation of composite right/left-handed (CRLH) TLs as well as some
of the most well-known metamaterial resonators are presented in the chapter.

Metamaterial Components (Chapters 3 & 4) is focused on various types of metama-

terial resonators and their miniaturization. In Chapter 3 a high quality factor
quarter-wavelength slow-wave coplanar strips (CPS) resonators is designed for
application in millimeter-wave CMOS VCOs at 60 GHz. As an alternative ap-
plication, the proposed slow-wave CPS is also used for the characterization of
complex permittivity of thin films of dielectric materials. The chapter also pro-
poses two other high quality factor balanced resonators for application in low

Page 10
Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Chapter 1
Background

Introduction

Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

Slow-wave CPS Resonator for CMOS 60 GHz VCOs

Metamaterial Components

Chapter 3

Characterization of the Complex Permittivity of Thin Films

Design of High Quality Factor SRR-Based Coplanar Strip Resonator
Tapered Transmission Line Resonator

Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS

Chapter 4

Miniaturized CSR for use as Bandpass Filter with Wide Upper Stopband
Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width

Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

Chapter 5
Sensors

2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-Shaped Split Ring Resonator
Chapter 6

S-Shaped SRR and its Application to Compact Bandpass Filter Design

S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Differential Bandpass Filters
Filters

Chapter 7

Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Planar Goubau Line

Conclusion

Chapter 8

Conclusion
Future work

Figure 1.1. Thesis outline. The thesis is composed of 8 chapters including background and con-
clusion. The original contributions are distributed in three parts: Metamaterial compo-
nents, sensors, and filters. All chapters are virtually self-contained.

Page 11
1.3 Overview of the Thesis

phase noise 60 GHz VCOs in CMOS technology: The improvement in the quality
factor of the first resonators in achieved by loading a quarter-wavelength CPS
with SRRs, while the improvement in the second resonator is achieved by opti-
mizing the TL layout of a quarter-wavelength resonator. Chapter 4 is focused on
the miniaturization of microwave structures either by miniaturizing metamate-
rial resonators and/or by creating resonators with enhanced functionalities. In
particular in this chapter, it is shown theoretically and experimentally that ge-
ometrical modifications of the metamaterial-inspired resonators can be used to
achieve miniaturized structures with enhanced performance.

Sensors (Chapter 5) introduces three different metamaterial-inspired sensors. In Chap-

ter 5 the high quality factor, subwavelength dimensions and sensitivity of meta-
material resonators are exploited for the design of compact high dynamic range
one- and two-dimensional displacement sensors. The chapter also proposes a
horn-shaped rotation sensor with improved linearity and dynamic range. All
proposed sensors are validated numerically and experimentally.

Filters (Chapters 6 & 7) involves design, fabrication and measurement of three com-
pact bandpass filters. Chapter 6 shows that a high level of miniaturization can
be achieved if the fundamental resonance of an S-shape resonator is excited by
contra-directional magnetic fluxes, which are readily available in CPW technol-
ogy. The chapter also shows that the complementary counterpart of the parti-
cle, i.e., the S-shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) can act as a
compact resonator in differential microstrip technology. More importantly, it is
shown that S-CSRRs can be used in the design of differential bandpass filters that
suppress the common-mode noise inherently. Chapter 7 is focused on the appli-
cation of split ring resonators (SRRs) to the design of compact bandpass filters for
terahertz surface waves on single wire waveguides, the so-called planar Goubau
lines (PGLs). The effects of geometric parameter variations on the frequency re-
sponse of the proposed filters is studied. Using the guidelines extracted from
the parametric study, two different types of bandpass filters for terahertz surface
waves on PGL are designed. All the designed filters in this part are validated
through experiments.

Conclusion (Chapter 8) summarizes the results of this thesis and recommends possi-
ble directions for future work.

Page 12
Chapter 2

Metamaterials and
Metamaterial Transmission
Lines

M
ETAMATERIALS are composite structures that are en-
gineered to modify the electromagnetic properties of ma-
terials. The concept of metamaterials is especially useful
in order to achieve new physically realizable electromagnetic responses that
may not be readily available in nature. This chapter briefly reviews the con-
cept and the fundamental theory of metamaterials as basic knowledge for
the other chapters of this thesis. Using the equivalence between the param-
eters of transmission lines and effective media, the chapter also shows that
the concept of metamaterials can be used to implement one-dimensional
artificial TLs. Finally, the main methods of implementation of compos-
ite right/left-handed (CRLH) TLs, with emphasis on the resonator-based
method, are reviewed.

Page 13
2.1 Introduction

2.1 Introduction

From the unit cell point of view, metamaterials can be classified in two categories: The
first category corresponds to structures whose period is in the order of the guided
wavelength, including the structures known as electromagnetic bandgaps (EBGs). The
electromagnetic properties of these structures mainly arise from interference effects be-
tween scattered fields from the unit cells, which give rise to frequency bandgaps. In
contrast, metamaterials whose unit cells are much smaller than the guided wavelength
appear as homogeneous media for incident electromagnetic waves. The electromag-
netic properties of this category is mainly obtained from a homogenization procedure,
and they show effective electromagnetic properties, therefore the name effective media
(Alù et al. 2006). It is worth mentioning that this is the fact that enables metamaterials
to mimic the electromagnetic properties of a known material or desired electromag-
netic properties that are not readily available in nature. Thus, we simply use the word
metamaterials in the rest of this thesis to refer to composite structures in the effective
media regime. Note that in many metamaterial-inspired planar circuits effective me-
dia theory is not applicable, because the planar circuit is loaded with only a few res-
onators. Nevertheless, the key in the application of these resonators to the synthesis
of metamaterial-inspired planar circuits is their small electrical size compared to the
operating wavelength. As a consequence, these resonators can be considered as quasi-
lumped elements that gives rise to their potential for the miniaturization of planar
microwave structures and circuits.

2.1.1 Chapter Objective and Framework

This chapter briefly reviews the concept and the fundamental theory of metamaterials
as basic knowledge for the other chapters of this thesis. Categorization of materials
with effective electromagnetic parameters, based on the sign of the effective permittiv-
ity and effective permeability will be presented in Section 2.2. Based on this classifica-
tion we will briefly in Section 2.3 review the electrodynamics of left-handed metama-
terials, and review some of the exotic behaviors of these artificial materials. Required
formulations for the analysis of artificial transmission lines (TLs) are discussed in Sec-
tion 2.4 considering both the classical TL perspective as well as the periodic structure
perspective. Based on these formulations, specifically by using the theory of dispersion

Page 14
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

relation and Bloch impedance, the behavior of left-handed and composite right/left-
handed (CRLH) artificial TLs are studied in Section 2.5. Finally, the main methods
of implementation of CRLH TLs, with emphasis on the resonator-based method, are
reviewed in Sections 2.6 and 2.7.

2.2 Metamaterials with Effective Parameters

As mentioned in the previous section, since the dimensions of the unit cells of an ef-
fective media are much smaller than the guided wavelength, the propagating electro-
magnetic wave experiences the composite structure as a homogeneous medium with
effective permittivity and permeability. These effective material parameters arise from
the geometry and can be different from those of the constituent materials. This is the
most prominent characteristic of effective media that enables us to engineer artificial
materials with exotic electromagnetic properties not readily available in nature.

The frequency dependence for the propagation of a monochromatic wave in a sub-

stance is governed by the dispersion equation. In the case of an isotropic material or
an isotropic effective medium, the dispersion equation is expressed as:

ω2 2
k2 = n , (2.1)
c2

where k denotes the propagation constant, ω is the angular frequency, c is the velocity
of light in vacuum, and n is the refractive index of the medium defined as

n2 = ǫr µr , (2.2)

where ǫr and µr are the relative permittivity and relative permeability of the medium,
respectively. The equations show that if we consider a lossless medium and regard
n, ǫr and µr as real numbers, a simultaneous change in the sign of the relative per-
mittivity and relative permeability does not affect these relations (Veselago 1968). The
equations also show that for a single negative (SNG) medium, i.e. a medium with
ǫr and µr having different signs, the propagation constant k and refractive index n
are imaginary values. Thus, SNG media are opaque, i.e., the propagation of elec-
tromagnetic waves are inhibited in such media. On the contrary, a medium with ǫr
and µr having the same sign, no matter whether positive or negative, the propagation

Page 15
2.3 Electrodynamics of Left-Handed Metamaterials

constant and refractive index both are real values. Thus, double positive (DPS) ma-
terials and double negative (DNG) materials are both transparent to electromagnetic
waves (Veselago 1968, Marqués et al. 2008).

Fig. 2.1 shows that considering these relations, depending on the sign of the permittiv-
ity and permeability, substances and effective media can be categorized in four differ-
ent groups: The first quadrant includes materials whose both parameters are positive,
such as dielectrics at microwave frequencies. Materials with negative permittivity—or
epsilon-negative (ENG) materials—are in the second quadrant. Plasmas below their
cutoff frequency and metals at optical frequencies, which are opaque to electromag-
netic waves are examples of ENG materials. Materials with negative permeability—or
mu-negative (MNG) materials—i.e. materials in the fourth quadrant, are also opaque
to electromagnetic waves. Ferromagnetic materials lie in this category. Finally, the
third quadrant contains DNG materials. As mentioned earlier, this later category is
not naturally available, however, synthesis of the first artificial DNG media (Smith et al.
2000) proved Veselago’s prediction about the feasibility and behavior of artificial ma-
terials with double negative properties (Veselago 1968).

2.3 Electrodynamics of Left-Handed Metamaterials

As mentioned earlier, the history of artificial materials dates back to nineteenth century,
however the electrodynamics of artificial materials with double-negative parameters
was first theoretically studied by Veselago (1968). He showed that a simultaneous
change in the sign of the permittivity and permeability does not affect the dispersion
equations (2.1) and (2.2), which has important implications. Furthermore, he showed
that in order to investigate the electromagnetic laws related to the sign of ǫr and µr ,
Maxwell equations in which ǫr and µr appear separately, and not in the form of their
product as in (2.1) and (2.2), must be used, i.e. assuming linear isotropic media

∂B
∇×E = − , (2.3)
∂t
∂D
∇×H = , (2.4)
∂t
B = µH, (2.5)
D = ǫE. (2.6)

Page 16
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

2 μ 1

ENG Material DPS Material

( > 0 & < 0) (μ > 0 & ɛ > 0)

Plasmas Dielectrics

ɛeff

DNG Material MNG Material

(μ < 0 & ɛ < 0) ( < 0 & > 0)

NOT found in nature Ferrimagnetic Materials

but arti cially realizable
3 4

Figure 2.1. Categorization of materials based on the sign of their permittivity and perme-
ability. Substances and effective media can be categorized in four different groups:
Double positive materials, epsilon negative materials, mu negative materials, and double
negative materials.

For a monochromatic plane wave, the first two equations can be reduced to

k × E = ωµH, (2.7)
k × H = −ωǫE. (2.8)

It can be deduced from these equations that if ǫ > 0 and µ > 0, the wave vector k, and
the vectors of the electric field E and the magnetic field H form a right-handed triplet.
On the contrary, when ǫ and µ are simultaneously negative, the three vectors k, E, and
H are a left-handed set. That is why DNG materials are also called left-handed (LH)
materials.

Now let us focus on the energy flux carried by electromagnetic waves. The Poynting
vector S, that characterizes the surface power density of the electromagnetic wave is
given by

S = E × H. (2.9)

Page 17
2.3 Electrodynamics of Left-Handed Metamaterials

This relation clearly shows that the vectors S, E, and H always form a right-handed
triplet. Thus, as shown Fig. 2.2, for a right-handed material S and k are in the same di-
rection, whereas in the left-handed materials they are in the opposite directions. Since
the wave vector k is in the direction of the phase velocity, in a left-handed medium
the group velocity v g and the phase velocity v p are in opposite directions (Veselago
1968). Veselago theoretically showed that this type of propagation in left-handed me-
dia, called “backward propagation” gives rise to several remarkable consequences such
as the inverse Doppler effect and reverse Vavilov-Cerenkov effect (Veselago 1968).

E E

S S
k
H
H k
(a) (b)

Figure 2.2. Wave vector and Poynting vector. Representation of the electric and magnetic fiels
and wave vector k and Poynting vector S in (a) right-handed media and (b) left-handed
media. Note that for a left-handed medium the three vectors k, E, and H form a left-
handed triplet. Thus, while S and k in a right-handed media are in the same direction,
in the left-handed materials they are in the opposite directions.

Similarly, (2.2) shows ambiguity in the sign of the refractive index in regard to the
simultaneous change in the sign of ǫr and µr . However, the ambiguity can be avoided
by expressing ǫr and µr in polar coordinates:

√ √ √ q
∠ǫr ∠µr
n = ǫr µr = ǫr µr = |ǫr µr | exp( j ) exp( j ). (2.10)
2 2
The relation now, clearly shows that for a left-handed media, where ǫr = |ǫr | exp( jπ ),
and µr = |µr | exp( jπ ), the refractive index is;

π π
q q
n = |ǫr µr | exp( j ) exp( j ) = − |ǫr µr |. (2.11)
2 2
Thus, the refractive index of a left-handed medium relative to vacuum is negative
(Veselago 1968, Smith et al. 2004, Pendry and Smith 2004). As shown in Fig. 2.3(a)

Page 18
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

the immediate consequence of this fact is that, a negative refractive index medium
bends an incident electromagnetic wave (e.g. light) to a negative angle with the sur-
face normal. Thus, as shown in Figs. 2.3(b) and (c), in left-handed media, concave and
convex lenses swap their function, that is a convex lens has a diverging effect while the
concave lens will become converging. As a further instance of a seemingly anomalous
effect, a diverging beam of light can be made to converge to a point using a flat slab
of negative refractive index material. This phenomenon can be used in the implemen-
tation of so-called superlenses to overcome the fundamental focusing limitation of the
traditional lenses, and achieving superresolution (Pendry 2000, Marqués et al. 2005,
Fang et al. 2005, Liu et al. 2007b, Smolyaninov et al. 2007, Zhang and Liu 2008).

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 2.3. Refractive index of left-handed media. (a) Comparison between the refraction of
electromagnetic waves in right-handed and left-handed media. In contrast to the right-
handed media, a left-handed medium bends an incident electromagnetic wave (e.g.
light) to a negative angle with respect to the surface normal. In left-handed media,
concave and convex lenses swap their effect, that is a convex lens becomes diverging
(b) and conversely a concave lens becomes converging (c).

All these remarkable phenomena were first studied theoretically only, and there was no
empirical study conducted on practical realizations until it was shown by Pendry et al.
that an array of split ring resonators (SRRs) can behave as a medium with negative ef-
fective permeability in a narrow band (Pendry et al. 1999). The introduction of this real-
ization by Pendry et al., opened the door for Smith et al. to synthesize the first compos-
ite medium with simultaneously negative permittivity and permeability (Smith et al.
2000). As shown in Fig. 2.4(a) the medium was composed of a periodic array of in-
terlaced conducting SRRs and continuous conducting wires. In order to achieve the
desired left-handed behavior, the structure needs to be illuminated with a properly
polarized wave, that is, the polarization of the electric field must be parallel to the

Page 19
2.3 Electrodynamics of Left-Handed Metamaterials

conducting wires and the magnetic field must be normal to the SRRs plane. In their
experiment, Smith et al. first showed that if the structure is only composed of the par-
allel wires, a transmission bandgap from zero frequency up to the structure’s cutoff
frequency ω p = 13 GHz is observed. This bandgap can be interpreted as due to the
negative effective permittivity of the medium. As shown in Fig. 2.4(b) (solid line), re-
peating the experiment with SRRs alone, a bandgap extending from 4.2 GHz to 4.6 GHz
in the transmission spectrum of the structure is observed, which is due the negative ef-
fective permeability of the structure. Finally, as depicted by dashed lines in Fig. 2.4(b),
a periodic array of interlaced SRRs and wires demonstrates a passband in the transmit-
ted power. The fact that this passband occurs within the previously forbidden band
of the SRRs indicates that the negative effective permittivity of the conducting wires
has combined with the negative effective permeability of the SRR array to form a left-
handed effective medium that allows the propagation of the electromagnetic waves in
the corresponding frequency band.

After this first experimental demonstration of a left-handed medium, a significant in-

terest to exploit the exotic properties of metamaterials in various applications emerged.
One of the most famous applications of metamaterials (although not based on left-
handedness) is the use of cloaking metamaterials in order to achieve invisibility. The
first practical realization of such cloak was demonstrated by Schurig et al. (2006) to op-
erate over a narrow band at microwave frequencies. As shown in Fig. 2.5 in their study
a they used cylinder composed of several layers of SRRs designed to hide a metallic ob-
ject inside the cylinder. The SRRs dimensions are tuned to provide a spatially varying
permeability, and consequently spatially varying refractive index, to bend the electro-
magnetic waves around the object inside the cylinder. In this configuration, the cloak
decreases the scattering from the hidden object. Thus, the radiation that reaches the
observer behind the shield does not contain information about the hidden object, i.e
the object’s shadow is removed (Schurig et al. 2006, Pendry et al. 2006).

Fig. 2.6 shows a snapshot of the simulated steady-state electric field pattern of the
structure, where the black lines indicate the direction of the electromagnetic power
flow, that clearly shows the radiation is not reflected by the object, and the propa-
gation behind the object is nearly identical as when there is no obstacle. It is worth
mentioning that so far cloaking has been achieved only for relatively narrow bands
at microwave frequencies, and great efforts have been invested for the realization of

Page 20
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

(a) (b)

Figure 2.4. First realization of left-handed media. (a) First realization of composite medium
with simultaneously negative permittivity and permeability. The medium was composed
of a periodic array of interlaced conducting SRRs and continuous conducting wires. After
Smith et al. (2000). (b) Transmission power of the SRR array only (solid line) has a
notch that corresponds to the frequency region where the SRR array act as an effective
media with negative effective permeability. In contrast, the transmission power of the
composition of the interlaced conducting SRRs and continuous conducting wires (dashed
curve) has a passband that can be interpreted as due to the double negative behavior
of the structure in this frequency region. After Smith et al. (2000).

wideband invisibility cloaking, especially at optical frequencies (Cai et al. 2007, Valen-
tine et al. 2008, Alitalo and Tretyakov 2009, Dubinov and Mytareva 2010, Zheng et al.
2010, Monti et al. 2011).

2.4 Analysis of Artificial Transmission Lines

Soon after the first realization of left-handed media, the concept of metamaterials was
applied to the implementation of left-handed transmission lines (TLs) in planar and
multilayer technologies (Caloz and Itoh 2002, Iyer and Eleftheriades 2002, Oliner 2003,
Martı́n et al. 2003a). In contrast to conventional TLs, artificial TLs benefit from higher
level of miniaturization, and more importantly more flexibility in tailoring the phase
constant and characteristic impedance to suit the requirements of each design.

Page 21
2.4 Analysis of Artificial Transmission Lines

Figure 2.5. The first practical realization of cloaking metamaterials. The first practical realiza-
tion of cloaking metamaterials in order to achieve invisibility over a band of microwave
frequencies was demonstrated by Schurig et al. After Schurig et al. (2006).

Figure 2.6. Simulated metamaterial cloak. A snapshot of the simulated instantaneous electric
field pattern of the structure in steady-state. The black lines indicate the direction of
the electromagnetic power flow, clearly showing that the radiation is not reflected by
the object, and the propagation behind the object is nearly identical as to when there
is no obstacle. After Schurig et al. (2006).

This section provides the formulation for analysis of the artificial TLs from two differ-
ent perspectives: TL perspective and periodic structures perspective.

Page 22
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

2.4.1 Transmission Line Perspective

When it comes to the study of metamaterial TLs, it is instructive to make an analogy be-
tween the electromagnetic parameters of an effective medium, i.e., effective permittiv-
ity ǫeff and effective permeability µeff , with the impedance per unit length Z′ = Z/∆x
and admittance per unit length Y ′ = Y/∆x of a TL. Fig. 2.7(a) depicts the general in-
cremental circuit model of a TL, where Z′ = Z/∆x represents the impedance per unit
length of the line, while the line’s admittance per unit length is shown by Y ′ = Y/∆x.
From an analogy between telegraphers’ equations for this TL with Maxwell’s equations
for an effective medium it can be concluded that it is possible to make an equivalence
between the effective permeability and permittivity of the medium with the equivalent
impedance per unit length and admittance per unit length of the TL, respectively (Iyer
and Eleftheriades 2002)

Zs′ = jωµeff , (2.12)

Yp′ = jωǫeff . (2.13)

Δx Δx Δx

Z'=Z/Δx

Y'=Y/Δx

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 2.7. TLs circuit model. (a) General incremental circuit model of a TL, where Z ′ = Z/∆x
represents the impedance per unit length of the line, while the line’s admittance per
unit length is shown by Y ′ = Y/∆x. (b) Circuit model of a conventional TL, and (c)
circuit model of a dual TL.

Note that, since there is no assumption regarding the nature of the immittances of the
model, the TL immittances generally could be either positive or negative. Considering
the incremental circuit model of a conventional TL of Fig. 2.7(b) we have

Page 23
2.4 Analysis of Artificial Transmission Lines

jωL′ = jωµeff =⇒ µeff = L′ , (2.14)

jωC′ = jωǫeff =⇒ ǫeff = C′ . (2.15)

Thus, the analogy shows that for a conventional TL effective parameters are both pos-
itive, resulting in the forward propagation of electromagnetic waves in this medium.

In contrast, effective parameters of the dual TL of Fig. 2.7(c) are both negative:
1 −1
= jωµeff =⇒ µeff = , (2.16)
jωC′ ω2 C′
1 −1
= jωǫeff =⇒ ǫeff = 2 ′. (2.17)
jωC′ ω L

As expected from this analogy to double negative effective media, electromagnetic

waves can propagate (although backward) in such TL with double negative param-
eters, i.e. with both negative Z′ and Y ′ .

Finally, based on the same analysis it can be concluded that in TLs described by the
incremental circuit models of Fig. 2.8 where Z′ and Y ′ have opposite signs, i.e. in
single negative TLs, the propagation of electromagnetic waves is inhibited.

Δx Δx

(a) (b)

Figure 2.8. Circuit models of artificial single negative TLs. (a) Circuit model of an artificial
TL with negative Y ′ , and (b) circuit model of an artificial TL with negative Z ′ . From
the analogy to the single negative effective media in can be concluded that propagation
of electromagnetic waves in these TLs is inhibited.

In summary, as listed in Table. 2.1, similarly as discussed in Section. 2.2 and represented
in Fig 2.1, four types of TLs can exist depending on the sign of Z′ and Y ′ . Forward and
backward wave propagations are allowed in right-handed (RH) and left-handed (LH)

Page 24
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

Table 2.1. Four possible types of TLs. Depending on the sign of impedance per unit length Z ′ and
admittance per unit length Y ′ , four types of TLs can exist. Forward and backward wave
propagations are allowed in right-handed (RH) and left-handed (LH) TLs, respectively,
whereas the propagation of electromagnetic waves in single negative TLs is inhibited.

Immittances
Medium Propagation
Z ′ (∼ µeff ) Y ′ (∼ ǫeff )
>0 >0 Conventional TL (DPS) Forward
>0 <0 SNG None
<0 >0 SNG None
<0 <0 Dual TL (DNS) Backward

TLs, respectively, whereas the propagation of electromagnetic waves in single negative

TLs is inhibited.

2.4.2 Periodic Structures Perspective

The analysis of the previous section was based on the assumption of homogeneity of
the artificial TLs. However, in many of the metamaterial-inspired designs proposed in
microwave, the condition of homogeneity does not necessarily hold in a satisfactory
approximation. Thus, the concept of effective electromagnetic parameters cannot be
used to analyze such a media, and similarly the telegraphers’ equations might not be
appropriate for describing artificial TLs. Thus in many cases, the theory of periodic
structures is more appropriate to analyze the characteristics of this type of artificial
TLs, either considering infinite periodicity or perfect matching to ports. From this
theory, the dispersion characteristic of a periodic artificial TL can be inferred as (Collin
2000, Pozar 2009)

A+D
cos( βl ) =
, (2.18)
2
where A and D are the diagonal parameters of the ABCD matrix of the structure’s unit
cell. This relation is valid for any periodic structure of arbitrary cell size, and can be
used for the analysis of an artificial TL with general T- or π-circuit models of Fig. 2.9
as
Zs (ω )
cos( βl ) = 1 + (2.19)
Z p (ω )

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2.4 Analysis of Artificial Transmission Lines

where Zs (ω ) and Z p (ω ) are series and shunt impedances of the unit cell circuit model.

Zs Zs Zs

Zp Zp Zp

(a) (b)

Figure 2.9. T and π unit cell circuit model. General (a) T-, and (b) π-circuit model of a unit
cell of a periodic structure.

The dispersion relation of (2.19) can be expressed in terms of the scattering parameters
simply by considering the relation between the ABCD and S parameters:

1 − S11 S22 + S21 S12

cos( βl ) = . (2.20)
2S21

For the case of a lossless, reciprocal, symmetric and passive periodic structure this last
equation can be further reduced to

cos(Φ21 )
cos( βl ) = , (2.21)
|S21 |

where Φ21 is the phase of S21 .

Beside the propagation constant, the characteristic impedance is one of the most rel-
evant parameters for the characterization of TLs. However, since the infinitesimally
small unit cell condition is not satisfied for non-homogeneous TLs, the classical concept
of TL characteristic impedance cannot be used. Therefore, we consider the so-called
Bloch impedance ZB , which is a characteristic impedance defined at the unit cell termi-
nals of a periodic structure (Pozar 2009). Note that the concept of Bloch impedance in
periodic structures relates the voltage and currents at unit cell terminals and plays the
same role as the characteristic impedance in homogeneous TLs. That is why sometimes
it is even called characteristic impedance (Marqués et al. 2008). The Bloch impedance
can be obtained from the ABCD matrix of the periodic structure’s unit cell by

−2 B Z0
ZB± = p , (2.22)
A − D ∓ ( A + D )2 − 4

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Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

where A, B and C are parameters of the ABCD matrix and Z0 is the reference charac-
teristic impedance. In the case of symmetric unit cells, this relation can be reduced to

± B Z0
ZB± = p , (2.23)
( A )2 − 1

where ± corresponds to the Bloch impedance for positively and negatively traveling
waves, respectively. Taking this into account, the Bloch impedance of a periodic struc-
ture is related to the structure’s general T- or π-models of Fig. 2.9 by

q
ZB T = Zs (ω ) [ Zs (ω ) + 2Z p (ω )] , (2.24)

s
Z2p (ω ) Zs (ω )
Z Bπ = , (2.25)
2Z p (ω ) + Zs (ω )

where ZBT and ZBπ are the Bloch impedances of the structure using T- and π-model,
respectively.

It is very important to note that while both T- and π-models of a periodic structure
result in the same propagation constant, we have two different equations (2.24) and
(2.25) for evaluating the Bloch impedance of an identical structure. The reason is that,
according to the definition, Bloch impedance relates the voltages and currents at the
unit cell terminals, thus, it will vary when changing the location of the cutting plane
defining the unit cells (Collin 2000, Pozar 2009, Caloz and Itoh 2005). This is in contrast
to the case of the characteristic impedance for a homogeneous TL, which is identical at
any cutting plane along the TL.

Another important point is that for a lossless passive structure, which is only com-
posed of reactive components, the equations (2.24) and (2.25) result in a purely real or
purely imaginary Bloch impedance. The frequency band in which the Bloch impedance
is purely real corresponds to the passband of the periodic structure, whereas the region
with a purely imaginary Bloch impedance corresponds to the frequency band where
wave propagation is inhibited (Caloz and Itoh 2005). Thus, for any kind of lossless
periodic structure, which can be modeled with reactive components, propagation con-
stant and Bloch impedance can be used to control and/or analyze the behavior of the
structure to achieve a desired frequency response.

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2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines

2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines

In the previous section we discussed artificial TLs from two different perspectives,
namely using homogeneous TL theory or considering the theory of periodic structures.
It can be emphasized that the theory of periodic structures is a more general method,
which converges to the theory of TLs when dealing with infinitesimally small unit
cells. Thus, in this section the described theory of periodic structures is used to analyze
lossless right- and left-handed TLs, as well as composite right/left-handed (CRLH)
TLs.

2.5.1 Purely Right- or Left-Handed Transmission Lines

First, lets us focus on a right-handed TL. The unit cell of such TL can be modeled with
the T-network of Fig. 2.10(a). Thus, the series impedance Zs and shunt impedance Z p
of the equivalent T-network are

LR
Zs = jω , (2.26)
2

1
Zp = , (2.27)
jωCR
where LR and CR are the series inductance and shunt capacitance of the unit cell, and
subscript R refers to the right-handedness of the line. Therefore, using equations (2.19)

(a) (b)

Figure 2.10. Unit cells of purely right-handed and purely left-handed TLs. The T-network of
a unit cell of (a) a right-handed TL, and (b) a left-handed TL.

and (2.24) the propagation constant and Bloch impedance of the line can be obtained

Page 28
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

from:
L R CR 2
cos( β R l ) = 1 − ω , (2.28)
2
and v
u !
uL ω2
ZBR = t R 1− 2
, (2.29)
CR ωcR

√
where l is the length of the unit cell, and ωcR = 2/ LR CR is the angular cutoff fre-
quency of the transmission line.

On the other hand, the series and shunt impedances of T-circuit model of the left-
handed TL of Fig. 2.10(b) are

1
Zs = , (2.30)
jω2CL

1
Zp = , (2.31)
jωL L

where CL and L L are the series capacitance and shunt inductance of the unit cell, re-
spectively, and the subscript L refers to the left-handedness of the line. Therefore, by
substituting (2.30) and (2.31) into equations (2.19) and (2.24), the propagation constant
and Bloch impedance of the line can be obtained as:

1
cos( β L l ) = 1 − , (2.32)
2L L CL ω2

and v !
2
u
uL ωcL
ZBR = t L 1− 2 , (2.33)
CL ω

√
where ωcL = 1/2 L L CL is the angular cutoff frequency of the left-handed transmis-
sion line (Marqués et al. 2008).

As an example, the dispersion diagram and Bloch impedance of a right-handed TL

with LR = 4 nH and CR = 1 pF, and those of a left-handed TL with L L = 1 nH and
CL = 0.25 pF are depicted in Figs. 2.11 and 2.12. Note that transmission is allowed in
the frequency band where propagation constant and Bloch impedance are real. Thus,
as shown in the figures, the right-handed medium behaves as a lowpass structure,
whereas the left-handed medium has a highpass nature.

Page 29
2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines

150 150
ω (Giga rad/s)

ω (Giga rad/s)
100 100

50 50
ωcL ωcL

0 0
−π −π/2 0 π/2 π −π −π/2 0 π/2 π
βR l βL l

(a) (b)

Figure 2.11. Dispersion diagram of right- and left-handed TLs. Dispersion diagram of (a)
a right-handed TL with L R = 4 nH, CR = 1 pF, and (b) a left-handed TL with
L L = 1 nH, and CL = 0.25 pF.

80 80

60 60
ZBR

ZBL

40 40

20 20

0 0
0 50 100 150 0 50 100 150
ω (Giga rad/s) ω (Giga rad/s)

(a) (b)

Figure 2.12. Bloch impedance of right- and left-handed TLs. Bloch impedance of (a) a right-
handed TL with L R = 4 nH, CR = 1 pF, and (b) a left-handed TL with L L = 1 nH,
and CL = 0.25 pF.

Figure 2.11 also shows that both structure are dispersive. It is worth recalling that in
the long wavelength limit, i.e. at those frequencies that condition λ g ≫ l is satisfied,
these models converge to the homogeneous TL line models. In other words to correctly
model a homogeneous TL at higher frequencies we need to reduce the unit cell size to
have a valid long wavelength approximation. Under this approximation propagation

Page 30
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

constant and Bloch impedance of a right-handed TL, i.e. expressions (2.28) and (2.29)
are reduced to the following well known expressions:

p
βR l = ω L R CR , (2.34)

and s
LL
ZBR = . (2.35)
CL

From (2.34), the phase velocity vpR and the group velocity vgR of the right-handed
medium are given as:

ω l
νpR = = √ , (2.36)
βR L R CR

  −1
∂β R
νgR = = νpR . (2.37)
∂ω
Note that for a homogeneous right-handed medium, both phase and group velocities
are positive and constant.

In a similar manner, under the long wavelength approximation the propagation con-
stant and Bloch impedance of a left-handed medium can be reduced to:

1
βLl = − √ , (2.38)
ω L L CL

and s
LL
ZBL = . (2.39)
CL

Thus, the phase velocity vpL and the group velocity vgL of the left-handed medium can
be obtained from (2.38) as:

ω
= − ω 2 l L L CL ,
p
νpL = (2.40)
βL
and   −1
∂β L p
νgL = = +ω2 l L L CL . (2.41)
∂ω

It is important to note that the phase and group velocities of a left-handed medium
have opposite signs. As shown in the dispersion diagrams of Figs. 2.11(a) and (b),

Page 31
2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines

equations (2.28) and (2.32) show an ambiguity in the sign of propagation constant, that
is, β can be either positive or negative. This ambiguity comes from the two possible
propagating waves, i.e., positively and negatively traveling waves. However, if we
focus on one of the waves, for instance the wave traveling from left to right, and adopt
an appropriate coordinate system, the group velocity must be positive in order to sat-
isfy causality. Thus, in Figs. 2.11(a) and (b) the portions of the curves with positive
group velocity (shown by solid lines) correspond to a positively traveling wave. Ac-
cordingly, the figures show that for a right-handed medium both β and v p are positive,
while these parameters are negative for a left-handed medium.

2.5.2 Composite Right/Left-Handed Transmission Lines

So far, we analyzed ideal artificial TLs that support either purely right-handed or
purely left-handed wave propagation. However, it is also possible to design artifi-
cial TLs that behave as a right-handed TL in certain frequency band, while their be-
havior in another part of the spectrum is left-handed (Eleftheriades 2002, Caloz and
Itoh 2002, Grbic and Eleftheriades 2002, Oliner 2003). In fact, unlike the purely right-
handed TLs, the practical realization of pure left-handed transmission lines is not pos-
sible. This is because in order to implement the required negative series impedance
and negative shunt admittance, a host conventional transmission line is required to be
loaded with series capacitive and shunt inductive elements. Thus, as will be shown in
the next section, the resulting TL has both right- and left-handed behaviors depending
on the frequency region. Such artificial lines are known as composite right/left-handed
(CRLH) transmission lines (Caloz and Itoh 2005, Marqués et al. 2008). Figs. 2.13(a) and
(b) depict the T- and π-circuit model of the first implementation of a CRLH line (Caloz
and Itoh 2002, Eleftheriades 2002, Grbic and Eleftheriades 2002, Oliner 2003). Note that,
depending on the frequency region, series and/or shunt branch could be capacitive or
inductive.

Fig. 2.14(a) depicts the typical dispersion diagram of a CRLH TL with unit cell of
Fig. 2.13(a) with LR = 1 nH, CR = 1 pF, L L = 2 nH, and CL = 1 pF. Notice that
the dispersion diagram shows two passbands that are separated with a band gap. The
lower passband corresponds to the frequency region where reactances of the induc-
tance L L and the capacitance CL are dominant. Thus, the line has a left-handed behav-
ior in this frequency band. Conversely, in the upper passband the line acts as a right-
handed medium, because the capacitance CR and the inductance LR are the dominant

Page 32
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

LR/2 2CL 2CL LR/2 LR CL

LL CR 2LL CR/2 2LL CR/2

(a) (b)

Figure 2.13. Circuit models of CRLH TLs. Composite right/left-handed TL (a) T-model (b)
π-model.

reactances. The band gap between the both bands corresponds to the region where
the TL acts as a single negative medium, and thus, the propagation of electromagnetic
waves is inhibited in this frequency band. The lower and upper frequency limits of the
band gap, i.e., f G1 and f G2 are

f G1 = min( f s , f p ), (2.42)
f G2 = max( f s , f p ), (2.43)

where f s and f p are the resonance frequency of the series and shunt branches, respec-
tively (Marqués et al. 2008):
1
fs = √ , (2.44)
2π LR CL
1
fp = √ . (2.45)
2π L L CR
Thus, the lower and upper frequency limits of the bandgap are determined by the res-
onance frequency of the series and shunt branches, depending on which one resonates
at a lower frequency.

In the special case when both series and shunt impedances of the T-circuit model of the
unit cell resonate at the same frequency, i.e., f s = f p = f 0 , the bandgap is suppressed
and a continuous transition between the right- and left-handed passbands appears, as
shown in Fig. 2.15(a). This CRLH TL is known as balanced TL, whereas a CRLH TL
with non-continuous transition from left-handed to right-handed band is denoted as
an unbalanced line.

The Bloch impedance of the unbalanced and balanced CRLH TLs are also depicted in
Figs. 2.14(b) and 2.15(b), respectively. Fig. 2.14(b) shows that the Bloch impedance of an

Page 33
2.5 Metamaterial Transmission Lines

10 80

8
60
f (GHz)

ZBL (Ω)
fG2
40
4
fG1
2 20

0 0
−π −π/2 0 π/2 π 0 2 4 6 8 10
βL l (rad) f (GHz)

(a) (b)

Figure 2.14. Propagation constant β and Bloch impedance ZB of a lossless CRLH line. (a)
Dispersion diagram and (b) real part of the Bloch impedance of an unbalanced CRLH
TL with L R = 1 nH, CR = 1 pF, L L = 2 nH, and CL = 1 pF. The dispersion
diagram shows two passbands that are separated with a band gap. The lower passband
corresponds to the frequency region where the line has a left-handed behavior, whereas
the upper passband relates to the frequency region where the line acts as a right-handed
medium. The band gap between the both bands corresponds to the region where the
TL acts as a single negative medium, thus, the propagation of electromagnetic waves
is inhibited in this frequency band.

40
12

10 30
f (GHz)

ZBL (Ω)

8
20
6
f0
10
4

2 0
−π −π/2 0 π/2 π 2 4 6 8 10 12
βL l (rad) f (GHz)

(a) (b)

Figure 2.15. Propagation constant β and the Bloch impedance ZB of a balanced CRLH line.
(a) Dispersion diagram and (b) real part of the Bloch impedance of a balanced CRLH
TL with L R = 1 nH, CR = 1 pF, L L = 1 nH, and CL = 1 pF

unbalanced line is real in the same frequency bands as the passbands in the dispersion
diagram of the line. In the bandgap region, the Bloch impedance of the line is purely

Page 34
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

imaginary. It was shown that in this frequency region an unbalanced line can be used
for the impedance matching for complex impedances (Damm et al. 2007). One the other
hand, Fig. 2.14(b) shows that the Bloch impedance of the balanced TL presents a con-
tinuous transition from left-handed to right-handed region, having its maximum value
at transition frequency f 0 . In summary, it can be concluded that while the unbalanced
TLs can be used to the design of dual-band structures, the balanced CRLH TLs are
suitable to achieve broad-band responses (Gil and Bonache 2007, Bonache et al. 2008).

Figure 2.16 depicts the unit cell and typical dispersion diagram of the so-called dual
composite right/left-handed (dual-CRLH) line (Caloz 2006). Note that in contrast
to the conventional CRLH lines, in the dual-CRLH line the elements of the series
branch are in parallel and those of the shunt branch are in series. The duality in
the structure gives rise to a duality in the dispersion diagram of the structure, i.e.
having a right-handed behavior in the lower passband and a left-handed behavior
in the higher passband. However, even when the resonance frequency of the series
branch coincides with that of the shunt branch a bandgap exists between the two pass-
bands (Caloz 2006).

LR/2 LR/2

2CL LL 2CL

CR

(a) (b)

Figure 2.16. Dual composite right/left-handed. Unit cell (a) and typical dispersion diagram
(b) of a dual composite right/left-handed (dual-CRLH) line.

2.6 Implementation of CRLH TLs: CL-Loaded Lines

The CRLH TLs of the previous section can be implemented with different approaches.
A simple method of implementation, which directly can be inferred from the unit cell
circuit models of the CRLH TLs, is by means of loading a host conventional line with

Page 35
2.6 Implementation of CRLH TLs: CL-Loaded Lines

lumped or semi-lumped capacitors and inductors (Grbic and Eleftheriades 2002, Caloz
and Itoh 2004b). Fig. 2.17(a) depicts the layout of a CL-loaded artificial TL in coplanar
waveguide (CPW) technology, where the required series capacitances are realized with
capacitive gaps in the CPW’s signal strip line, and the narrow metallic connections
from the signal strip line to the CPW grounds are used for the implementation of the
required shunt inductances (Grbic and Eleftheriades 2002). Two different CRLH TLs
implemented in microstrip technology are also shown in Figs. 2.17(b) and (c) (Caloz
and Itoh 2002, Caloz and Itoh 2004b, Aznar et al. 2008a). In the first implementation
capacitive gaps and vias to ground are used for the realization of the required series
and shunt impedances, while in the second implementation interdigital capacitors and
short-circuited stubs are used to achieve higher values of series capacitance and shunt
inductance.

(b)

(a) (c)

Figure 2.17. CL-loaded artificial TLs. A simple method for implementing CRLH TL is by loading
a host conventional line with lumped or semi-lumped capacitors and inductors. (a)
Layout of a CL-loaded artificial TL in CPW technology, and (b) and (c) two different
layouts for implementation of CRLH lines in microstrip technology. After Aznar et al.
(2008a)

Note that, as mentioned earlier, this method initially was used to realize pure left-
handed TLs, i.e. TLs with series capacitances and shunt inductances. However, since
the implementation method requires a conventional right-handed host TL, which has
distributed series inductance and shunt capacitance, the resulted line is a CRLH line.

Page 36
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines

Soon after implementation of CRLH TLs based on CL-loaded lines, a second approach
for the implementation of CRLH TLs was presented. In this approach, a host TL is
loaded with different types of electrically small resonators to obtain the CRLH be-
havior, thus the method is known as resonant-type approach. Different types of res-
onators can be used to obtain CRLH or dual-CRLH TLs. Since the focus of this thesis
is mostly on the resonant-type metamaterial TLs, it is useful to review the structures
and equivalent circuit models of some of the major types of metamaterial resonators.
Split ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split ring resonators (CSRR), which
are the most well-known metamaterial particles, can be used for the implementation
of conventional CRLH TLs, while open split ring resonators (OSRRs) and open com-
plementary split ring resonators (OCSRRs), which have been recently introduced, are
generally used for the implementation of dual-CRLH TLs.

2.7.1 Split Ring Resonator (SRR)

Fig. 2.18(a) depicts an illustration of a split ring resonator (SRR), which consists of two
concentric metallic rings with two slits etched in opposite sides of the rings. This meta-
material particle was first introduced by Pendry et al. (1999) for the synthesis of bulk
artificial media with negative effective permeability. An axial time-varying magnetic
field (parallel to z axis in the figure) can induce electric currents to flow in the split
rings. Since the rings have slits in opposite sides, the induced currents are forced to
transform to displacement currents and flow across the inter-ring slots from one ring
to another. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2.18(b), the SRR can be modeled near resonance
with an LC resonator composed of an equivalent inductor Ls , which models the induc-
tive behavior of the SRR’s metallic rings, and an equivalent capacitor Cs , which rep-
resents the distributed capacitances between the two split rings (Marqués et al. 2002).
The equivalent inductance can be calculated from the inductance of a ring of radius
r0 and width c, where r0 is the mean radius of the SRR’s rings and c is the width of
the metallic rings (Marqués et al. 2002). The SRR’s total equivalent capacitance is the
series connection of the equivalent capacitances of both halves of the SRR. Thus, Cs =
C0 /2 k C0 /2 = C0 /4, where C0 is the total capacitance between the two rings, which
can be approximated from the per-unit-length capacitance Cpul of two parallel strips of
width c and space d as C0 = 2πrCpul . There are some other methods of calculating the

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2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines

values of the SRR’s equivalent inductance and capacitance (Marqués et al. 2003, Sha-
monin et al. 2005, Baena et al. 2005), however, they all lead to the similar results.

x R
g
z C0/2 C0/2

(a) (b)

Figure 2.18. SRR structure and circuit model. (a) The structure of a split ring resonator (SRR),
which consists of two concentric metallic rings with two slits etched in opposite sides
of the rings, and (b) the SRR’s equivalent circuit model.

Based on the SRR’s equivalent circuit model the resonance frequency ω0 of an SRR can
be obtained from
1
ω0 = √ . (2.46)
Ls Cs
Note that due to the relatively large value of the equivalent capacitance, the SRRs gen-
erally have a very small electrical size. It was shown by Pendry et al. (1999) that effec-
tive permeability of a medium loaded with an array of SRRs is given by:

Fω2
µ = 1− , (2.47)
ω2 − ω02

where F is the fractional area of the unit cell occupied by the SRR, and ω0 is the res-
onance frequency of the SRR. The equation shows that the effective permeability of
such media is frequency dependent and for a certain frequency range becomes nega-
tive. These two characteristics of the SRR, i.e., small electrical size and negative effec-
tive permeability, are the important features of this particle that opened doors to the
realization of first double negative medium (Smith et al. 2000).

Beside the application of SRRs in the synthesis of different types of bulk metamateri-
als with engineered electromagnetic properties, these resonators have been also used
in the design of one- and two- dimensional metamaterial TLs. Fig. 2.19(a) illustrates

Page 38
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

the layout of a typical configuration of an SRR-based metamaterial TL in CPW tech-

nology. The structure consists of a CPW that is loaded with pairs of SRRs etched on
the back side of the CPWs substrate, with the center of the rings symmetrically located
underneath the two slots of the CPW. In this configuration, the CPWs axial magnetic
field is induced in the inner region of the SRRs and excite the SRRs. Thus, as shown in
Fig. 2.19(b) electromagnetic wave propagation along the CPW is inhibited in a narrow
band in the vicinity of the SRRs resonance frequency (Martı́n et al. 2003b, Martı́n et al.
2003a).

(a) (b)

Figure 2.19. SRR-based metamaterial TL in CPW technology. (a) The layout of a typical
configuration of an SRR-based metamaterial TL in CPW technology. The structure
consists of a CPW that is loaded with pairs of SRRs etched on the back side of the
CPWs substrate, with the center of the rings symmetrically located underneath the two
slots of the CPW. (b) Simulated and measured transmission and reflection coefficints
of the structure. Electromagnetic wave propagation along the CPW is inhibited in
a narrow band in the vicinity of the SRRs resonance frequency. After Martı́n et al.
(2003b).

Metamaterial TLs with negative effective permeability can also be synthesized in mi-
crostrip technology by loading a microstrip line with pairs of SRRs that are etched
on the same layer as the microstrip line. Fig. 2.20(a) shows an illustration of a typ-
ical configuration of SRR-loaded microstrip line in which square-shaped SRRs are
used to achieve a high magnetic coupling between the line and the SRRs (Garcı́a-
Garcı́a et al. 2005a, Gil et al. 2005). Fig. 2.20(b) depicts a bandgap in the measured
transmission coefficient of the structure in the vicinity of the SRRs resonance frequency.

The stopband in the transmission coefficient of the SRR-loaded lines, in both CPW
and microstrip technologies, can be interpreted as the spectrum where the SRR-loaded

Page 39
2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines

(a) (b)

Figure 2.20. SRR-based metamaterial TL in microstrip technology. (a) Layout of an SRR-

loaded microstrip line, and (b) measured transmission and reflection coefficients of the
structure. After Marqués et al. (2008).

transmission line behaves as a single-negative one-dimensional medium, i.e. with neg-

ative effective permeability. It has been shown in (Martı́n et al. 2003a, Falcone et al.
2004c, Bonache et al. 2004) that this bandstop behavior can be switched to a band-
pass behavior simply by introducing inductive shunt elements to the TL structure.
Fig. 2.21(a) shows the layout of such TL in CPW technology. The structure is identi-
cal to the single negative TL of Fig. 2.19(a) where a CPW is loaded with SRRs that are
etched on the back side of the CPW’s substrate, except that signal-to-ground induc-
tive strips are located above the SRRs. These shunt-connected inductive strips cause
the medium to act as a negative-permittivity medium up to a frequency, namely a cut-
off frequency f c known as plasma frequency. Thus, if this cutoff frequency is set to
occur above the resonance frequency of the SRRs, a frequency region (above the res-
onance of the SRRs) exist where both effective permeability and effective permittivity
are negative. Thus, as shown by the simulated and measured frequency response of
the structure in Fig. 2.21(b) a backward electromagnetic wave propagation is allowed
in this band. As shown in Fig. 2.22 a similar left-handed bandpass behavior can be
achieved in microstrip technology by introducing shunt-connected inductive metallic
vias to the structure of the SRR-loaded microstrip line of Fig. 2.20.

2.7.2 Complementary Split Ring Resonator (CSRR)

Based on the concept of duality (Booker 1946), the complementary counterparts of a

planar metallic structure is obtained by replacing the metallic parts of the structure

Page 40
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

(a) (b)

Figure 2.21. CRLH TL in CPW technology. (a) Layout of an SRR/strip-loaded CPW. The
structure is identical to the single negative TL of Fig. 2.19(a) where CPW is loaded
with SRRs that are etched on the back side of the CPW’s substrate, except that signal-
to-ground inductive strips are located above the SRRs. (b) Frequency response of the
structure. After Martı́n et al. (2003a).

0
S11
-20

-40

-60 S21

-80

-100
0 1 2 3 4

(a) (b)

Figure 2.22. CRLH TL in microstrip technology. (a) Layout of an SRR/via-loaded microstrip

line, and (b) the structure’s frequency response. The passband in the transmission
coefficient of the structure corresponds to the frequency region where both effective
permittivity and effective permeability of the structure are negative.

with slots, and vice versa (Booker 1946, Deschamps 1959, Getsinger 1983). Thus, as
illustrated in Fig. 2.23(a), a complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) can be consid-
ered as a negative image of an SRR in a metallic plane (Falcone et al. 2004a). While the
SRRs can be essentially (although not exclusively) excited by an axial magnetic field
to achieve negative effective permeability in a frequency band close to their resonance
frequency, the CSRRs can essentially be driven by time varying axial electric fields, as
expected from duality, to obtain negative values of effective permittivity. Fig. 2.23(b)

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2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines

depicts the equivalent circuit model of a CSRR, which is the dual of the SRR’s equiva-
lent circuit model. In this model, the SRR’s inductance Ls is substituted with CSRR’s
equivalent capacitance Cc , and the series connected capacitors C0 /2 of the SRR’s cir-
cuit model are replaced with parallel combination of two inductors L0 /2. Considering
the average radius of the CSRR’s slot rings r0 and the slots’ width c, the value of the
CSRR’s equivalent capacitance Cc can be obtained from the capacitance of a metallic
disk of radius r0 − c/2 that is separated with a slot of width c from the surrounding
ground plane. Also, the inductance L0 /2 of each of the two strips that connect the
inner disk to the ground plane can be obtained from L0 = 2πr0 Lpul , where Lpul is
the per-unit-length inductance of a CPW line with same dimensions as the connecting
strips (Marqués et al. 2002, Baena et al. 2005). Thus, the CSRR’s resonance frequency is
√
given by ω0 = 1/ Lc Cc , where Lc = L0 /4.

L0/2

d r0
g L0/2 R
Cc
c

(a) (b)

Figure 2.23. CSRR structure and circuit model. (a) The structure of a CSRR, which is the
complementary counterpart of an SRR, and (b) the CSRR’s equivalent circuit model.

Similarly to the SRRs, beyond applications in the implementation of bulk metama-

terials with negative effective permittivity, CSRRs can be also used for the synthesis
of planar one- and two-dimensional TLs with engineered properties. Since CSRRs
need to be etched in a metallic plane and excited by an axial electric field, the natural
(although not exclusive) host TL for the CSRRs is in microstrip technology, where a
metallic ground plane and normal electric field are readily available. Fig. 2.24(a) de-
picts an illustration of a microstrip line which is loaded with four CSRRs that are etched
in the microstrip ground plane. As expected from the duality theorem, and shown in
Fig. 2.24(b), due to the negative effective permittivity of the structure, propagation of
electromagnetic waves is inhibited in a frequency region in the vicinity of the CSRR’s
resonance frequency.

Page 42
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

(a) (b)

Figure 2.24. CSRR-loaded microstrip line. (a) Layout of a microstrip line which is loaded with
four CSRRs that are etched in the ground plane, and (b) typical frequency response of
the structure; from (Falcone et al. 2004a). The stopband corresponds to the frequency
region where the structure acts as a one-dimensional medium with negative effective
permittivity.

This bandstop behavior can be switched to a bandpass behavior by introducing a se-

ries capacitive element to the host TL, as shown in Fig. 2.25(a). This series capacitive
element provides a negative effective permeability up to a cutoff frequency f c , which is
known as magnetic plasma frequency. This cutoff frequency depends on the resonator
formed by the series capacitive element and series inductance of the host TL, and as
long as it is above the resonance frequency of the CSRRs, a narrow frequency region
exists where both effective permeability and effective permittivity are simultaneously
negative. Thus, as depicted in Fig. 2.25(b) the structure acts as a left-handed medium
that allows a backward propagation of electromagnetic waves.

2.7.3 Open Split Ring Resonator (OSRR)

Open split ring resonator (OSRR), which is an open version of SRR was first proposed
by Martel et al. (2004). As shown in the illustration of Fig. 2.26(a), unlike SRR that need
to be magnetically (or electrically) coupled to a TL, the OSRR has two terminals for ex-
citation by a voltage or a current source. Thus, as depicted in Fig. 2.26(b), the resonator
can be modeled with a series LC resonant tank, where the equivalent inductance Ls is
equal to that of an SRR with the same dimensions, and the OSRR’s equivalent capac-
itance C0 is the distributed capacitance between the two metallic hooks (Martel et al.
2004). Note that the equivalent capacitance of the OSRR is four times larger than that

Page 43
2.7 Implementation of CRLH TLs: Resonator-Loaded Lines

(a) (b)

Figure 2.25. CSRR/gap-loaded microstrip line. (a) Layout of a CSRR/gap-loaded microstrip

line, and (b) typical frequency response of the structure. After Gil et al. (2006).

c
r0 Ls C0

P1 P2

(a) (b)

Figure 2.26. OSRR structure and its circuit model. (a) The structure of an OSRR, which is the
open version of an SRR, and (b) the OSRR’s equivalent circuit model.

of an SRR with the same dimensions. Thus, the resonance frequency and consequently
the electrical size of an OSRR is half of those of an SRR with the same physical dimen-
sions.

2.7.4 Open Complementary Split Ring Resonator (OCSRR)

In the same way that the CSRR is the complementary counterpart of the SRR, the dual-
ity principle can be used to derive the dual counterpart of the OSRR, i.e., the open com-
plementary split ring resonator (OCSRR) (Velez et al. 2009, Duran-Sindreu et al. 2009).
Fig. 2.27(a) illustrates the typical layout of the OCSRR. As indicated in the figure, the

Page 44
Chapter 2 Metamaterials and Metamaterial Transmission Lines

L0

Cs

(a) (b)

Figure 2.27. OCSRR structure and its circuit model. (a) The structure of an OCSRR, which is
the complementary counterparts of an OSRR, and (b) the OCSRR’s equivalent circuit
model.

structure has two terminals that are connected with a metallic strip that can be mod-
eled with its equivalent inductance L0 . The two terminals are also coupled through the
capacitance of the metallic disk of radius r0 − c/2 (r0 being the average radius of the
OCSRR slot rings) which is separated by a slot of width c from the surrounding ground
plane. Thus, the resonator can be modeled with the parallel LC tank of Figs. 2.27(b).
Note that the equivalent inductance of an OCSRR is L0 , while that of a CSRR is four
times smaller, i.e. L0 /4. Thus, the resonance frequency and consequently the electrical
size of an OCSRR is half of a CSRR with the same physical dimensions.

2.8 Summary
From the unit cell point of view, metamaterials can be classified in two general cate-
gories: Electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures, and effective media. Since all the
structures proposed in this thesis fall into the category of effective media, this chapter
has predominantly reviewed this category, which consists of metamaterials whose unit
cells dimensions are much smaller that the operating wavelength. In order to achieve a
general intuition for the concept of metamaterials, electrodynamics of effective media
have been discussed, with focus on the left-handed metamaterials.

Using the equivalence between the parameters of transmission lines and effective me-
dia, it has been shown that the concept of metamaterials can be used to implement
one-dimensional artificial TLs. As two important tools, the dispersion diagram and

Page 45
2.8 Summary

Bloch impedance have been used to analyze the behavior of the artificial TLs. Finally
different methods of implementation of artificial TLs have been discussed: Since this
thesis is mostly focused on the application of metamaterial resonators in planar tech-
nologies, the most important types of metamaterial resonators and their equivalent
circuit models have been reviewed.

The chapter has provided the required fundamental knowledge for the following chap-
ters of the thesis. Based on this fundamental understanding of the electrodynamics
of metamaterials and their implementation methods in planar technologies, several
metamaterial-inspired structures are presented in the following chapters of the thesis.

Page 46
Chapter 3

High Quality Factor

Coplanar Strips Resonators
for CMOS MMICs

I
N recent times, continuing technological improvement has started
enabling low-cost silicon technology to operate at millimeter-wave
frequencies. High carrier frequencies allow higher bandwidths to
be realized for increased throughput or for an increased number of users
sharing the spectrum. Voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) are one of the
main building blocks of any communication system for upconversion of
data from baseband to the transmitter RF band and downconversion from
RF to the receiver baseband. Design of CMOS millimeter-wave VCOs, how-
ever involves a complex set of tradeoffs between DC power consumption,
on-chip area, tuning range, phase noise, and output power. Among these
factors, reducing the VCO phase noise and on-chip area are of great im-
portance for most applications. It is well known that increasing the quality
factor of the VCO’s resonator is the most efficient method of decreasing the
phase noise in a VCO. Therefore, this chapter is focused on the applica-
tion of metamaterial transmission lines to the design of high quality factor
quarter-wavelength balanced resonators for 60 GHz CMOS VCOs. We also
show that the proposed resonators benefit from a high level of miniaturiza-
tion, which is a favorable feature for on-chip MMICs.

Page 47
3.1 Millimeter-Wave Silicon CMOS Technology

3.1 Millimeter-Wave Silicon CMOS Technology

Our world is becoming more and more dependent on the digital multimedia devices
such as high-definition video systems, digital cameras, portable audio/video players
and compact devices for data and multimedia storage. As the number of such high-
quality multimedia devices and the volume of data to be transfered are increasing there
is a stronger demand for multi-gigabit/second data rate links. High speed cables are
today’s reliable and moderate-cost industry standard for such high speed data trans-
fers. Compared to the wired data transfer systems, wireless systems are generally
preferred due to the ease of setup, lower cost and possibility of application in mo-
bile systems. However, it can be shown that the bandwidth of today’s commercially
available wireless systems operating at low GHz frequencies has a theoretical upper
bound on the information rate that cannot provide such a multi-gigabit/sec transfer
rate. Based on the Shannon’s theorem, the capacity of a channel C (in bits/s) with
additive white Gaussian noise can be obtained from (Shannon 1949)
 
S
C = B log2 1 + , (3.1)
N

where B is the channel bandwidth in Hertz and S and N are the average power of
the received signal and noise over the bandwidth in Watts, respectively. The theorem
clearly shows that a large bandwidth and a large signal power is required for a channel
to provide the desired multi-gigabit/sec information rates.

3.1.1 60 GHz Unlicensed Band

In December 1995, Federal Communication Commission (FCC) allocated a 5 GHz band

for unlicensed applications in the millimeter-wave regime at around 60 GHz. Later
on, this unlicensed band was extended to 7 GHz (57 – 64 GHz) (Van Tuyl 1996). As
depicted in Fig. 3.1 in many other countries, including Australia, similar frequency
bands have been allocated for high data rate unlicensed communications at millimeter-
wave frequencies.

Because of a strong attenuation caused by the resonance of oxygen molecules close

to 60 GHz, this band is in principle not suitable for long-range wireless communica-
tion (order of a few kilometers). However, a positive aspect of this range limitation
is that the spectrum can be reused by multiple systems within close proximity of one

Page 48
Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

Table 3.1. License-free wireless communication bands. A comparison between different features
of some of the license-free wireless communication bands, currently in use, and those of
60 GHz band.

802.11b Bluetooth 802.11a UWB 60 GHz

Cell radius (m) 100 10 50 10 10
Information rate per channel (Mbps) 11 1 54 50 500
Number of channels 3 10 12 6 10
Capacity (Mbps/m2 ) 0.001 0.03 0.1 1 16

another. Furthermore, in addition to the larger available bandwidth at higher frequen-

cies that results in higher capacity in data communication, one other advantage of
using millimeter-wave frequencies is the small required antenna size and spacing in
multiple-antenna systems, which contribute to making the systems more compact and
potentially affordable (Niknejad and Hashemi 2008).

Australia 59.3 - 63 GHz

USA 57 - 64 GHz

Korea 57 - 64 GHz

Europe 59 - 66 GHz

Japan 59 - 66 GHz

57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
Unlicensed Spectrum (GHz)

Figure 3.1. Unlicensed 60 GHz bandwidth regulation in different countries. In many countries
including Australia an ultrawide band has been allocated for high data rate unlicensed
communications at millimeter-wave frequencies around 60 GHz.

The allocation of 7 GHz (54 – 60 GHz) bandwidth for the next generation of license-free
communication devices provides an unprecedented information transfer rate. Such a
high data rate is far beyond the capacity of previously used bands at low GHz frequen-
cies (Howarth et al. 2005, Smulders 2003). Table 3.1 provides a comparison between
different features for some of the currently in use license-free wireless communication
bands versus those in the 60 GHz band.

Page 49
3.1 Millimeter-Wave Silicon CMOS Technology

3.1.2 Voltage Controlled Oscillators in Silicon CMOS Technology

Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are usually designed using III-
V semiconductor technologies, such as GaAs, due to their higher electron mobility,
higher breakdown voltage, and the availability of high quality factor passive compo-
nents on chip. In contrast, silicon technology suffers from a standard low-resistivity
substrate (∼ 10 − 20 Ω · cm), compared to the typical GaAs substrate resistivity (∼
107 − 109 Ω · cm). Despite the drawbacks associated with the use of low-resistivity sil-
icon substrates, silicon CMOS technology, offers high level of integration at low cost.
Furthermore, a direct benefit of using this technology is the exploitation of rapid tech-
nology scaling (Doan et al. 2005). Moreover, with the scaling of the CMOS transistors
to sub-100 nm dimensions, the intrinsic frequency has increased dramatically, mak-
ing this technology very attractive for the design of circuits operating at microwave
and millimeter-wave frequencies. This has assisted with increased market demand for
low-cost electronics that operate in the license-free band at 60 GHz (Doan et al. 2004,
Lai et al. 2006).

One of the essential building blocks of almost any wireless communication system, in-
cluding millimeter-wave communication systems, are VCOs. As shown in the generic
communication system block diagram of Fig. 3.2, a high frequency local signal is needed
for up-conversion of data signals on the transmitter side. Correspondingly, at least one
local oscillator is necessary on the receiver side for down-conversion of the RF received
signal (two local signals in heterodyne receivers). Note that VCOs are also the core
component of phase locked loop systems and generally have great influence on the
performance of PLLs and transceivers.

3.1.3 Chapter Objective and Framework

Despite significant improvements of VCOs in silicon RF technologies in the last two

decades, high performance oscillator design in millimeter-wave frequencies is still
a challenge even in today’s nanometer silicon technologies (Niknejad and Hashemi
2008). As will be shown in the next section, this is mainly due to the conductive loss
in the silicon substrate, which in turn results in the poor quality factor of the VCO’s
resonator in this technology.

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

Data PA LNA Data

LO LO
(a) Transmitter (b) Receiver

Figure 3.2. Oscillator in transmitter and receiver. Note that VCOs are one of the essential
building blocks of almost any wireless communication systems. For the transmitter, a
high frequency local oscillator signal is needed for up-conversion of data signals, while
for the receiver at least one local oscillator is necessary for down-conversion of the RF
received signal.

To address this issue, this chapter provides a study on the design of balanced meta-
material transmission lines as high-quality-factor resonators for the realization of low-
phase-noise VCOs in CMOS technology. To this end, a short introduction to the con-
cept of phase noise is first provided in Section 3.2, with emphasis on its importance
and the most effective methods of reducing it. Application of TL resonators, instead
of LC tanks, is then discussed in Section 3.3. In Section 3.4, a comprehensive paramet-
ric study, on the geometrical dimensions of a slow-wave CPS structure in a standard
90 nm CMOS process is conducted based on 3D electromagnetic simulations. This
leads to the derivation of guidelines for the design of slow-wave CPS resonators with
high quality factor, small on-chip area and a desired characteristic impedance. Then,
using the extracted guidelines, a high quality factor slow-wave CPS resonator is de-
signed. Since this work aimed to the design of slow-wave CPS for MMICs, all the
simulations are conducted in the millimeter-wave band at 60 GHz.

As an alternative application to the implementation of low phase noise VCOs, Sec-

tion 3.5 is focused on the characterization of the complex permittivity of thin films of
dielectrics, based on the resonance properties of the previously proposed slow-wave
CPS resonator. It is shown in Section 3.5 that permittivity and loss tangent of an un-
known thin film at millimeter-wave frequencies can be accurately determined using
the resonant frequency and the quality factor of the resonator. The method is validated
by characterizing a silicon dioxide layer in a standard CMOS process as the thin film
under test.

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3.2 Phase Noise of Voltage Controlled Oscillators

In order to address the need for balanced resonators with higher quality factors, this
chapter proposes two other metamaterial-inspired quarter-wavelength resonators for
operation at 60 GHz. In Section 3.6, based on the split ring resonator’s (SRR) rejec-
tion and phase shift properties in the vicinity of its resonance, a high quality factor
λ/4 composite right/left handed (CRLH) CPS resonator is designed. Seeking even a
higher quality factor, Section 3.7 is focused on the improvement of the quality factor
of the quarter-wavelength slow-wave CPS resonator through the optimization of the
structure’s layout based on the standing wave profile of the current and voltage along
the resonator. Section 3.7 presents an optimization process for a quarter wavelength
slow-wave CPS resonator with a maximum quality factor at 60 GHz. Finally, the con-
clusions of the research are highlighted in Section 3.8.

3.2 Phase Noise of Voltage Controlled Oscillators

The output signal of a VCO can be ideally described as:

Vout (t) = V0 cos(2π f c t + φ), (3.2)

where φ is a fixed phase. As shown in Fig. 3.3, this signal is represented in the fre-
quency domain by a delta function located at f c .
Ideal
power
density

ƒ
ƒc

Figure 3.3. Output voltage of an ideal VCO. In the frequency domain, the output voltage of an
ideal VCO is represented by a delta function located at f c .

Any practical oscillator, however, has fluctuations in its amplitude and frequency due
to noise and interference sources such as shot and flicker noise or substrate and supply
noise (Hajimiri and Lee 1999). Since variation in the oscillation frequency is the most
relevant in VCOs, let us assume that the amplitude of oscillation is constant. Thus, the
output voltage can be represented as:

Vout (t) = V0 cos(2π f c t + φ(t)), (3.3)

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

where φ(t) is a small random excess phase representing variation in the frequency, or
period in time domain (Razavi 1998). In the time domain, thus, this fluctuation can be
seen as a random perturbation of zero crossing of the periodic signal, which is called
“jitter” (see Fig.3.4(a)). In the frequency domain, however, these fluctuations create
side bands close to the frequency of oscillation, f c , as illustrated in Fig. 3.4(b). These
side bands are called phase noise side bands. They are usually characterized by the
single side band noise spectral density normalized to the carrier signal power. This
can be expressed at a certain offset from the central frequency ∆ω as (Kinget 1999)

noise power in 1 Hz BW at (ω0 + ∆ω )

L(∆ω ) = (3.4)
total carrier power

or in the units of decibels below the carrier per Hertz (dBc/Hz) as

Psideband (ω0 + ∆ω )
 
L(∆ω ) = 10 log . (3.5)
Pcarrier

Signal Practical
amplitude power
density

∆T
t ƒ
ƒc

(a) (b)

Figure 3.4. Jitter and phase noise of an oscillator. Representation of variations in the frequency
of oscillation in (a) time domain, and (b) frequency domain.

3.2.1 Importance of Phase Noise

To understand the importance of the phase noise, let us consider Fig. 3.5 that depicts
the effect of phase noise in the local oscillator signal used for downconversion in a
receiver. We further assume the presence of an undesirable signal with large power in
an adjacent channel to the desired signal. After mixing with the local oscillator output,
the down-converted spectrum consists of two overlapping spectra. As illustrated in
the figure, the desired signal can be overlapped and corrupted by the down-converted
adjacent signal due to the side bands of the local oscillator output (Hajimiri and Lee

Page 53
3.2 Phase Noise of Voltage Controlled Oscillators

1999, Tiebout et al. 2006). The same problem exists in the upconversion process in the
transmitter.
Strong Adjacent
RF Channel
Desired Signal

fRF f

LO

fLO f

IF Desired Signal

fIF f

Figure 3.5. Effect of phase noise in a reciever. The presence of phase noise sidebands in the
local oscillator signal in a receiver results in sidebands in the downconverted signals.
Thus, a desired signal can suffer from the sidebands of the down-converted adjacent
signals. After Hajimiri and Lee (1999).

3.2.2 Effect of Resonator Quality Factor on the Phase Noise

The performance of various VCOs is difficult to compare for different central frequency,
output power, power consumption and phase noise. Therefor, to compare VCOs, a fig-
ure of merit (FOM) definition is required. A widely accepted FOM for VCOs has been
introduced by Kinget (1999) as
 
ω0 2 Psupply
FOM = L(ω0 + ∆ω ) + 10 log . (3.6)
∆ω [mW]

The first term in the right hand side of the equation is the phase noise of the VCO at
the offset frequency ∆ f from the carrier frequency. A better VCO has a negative FOM
with a higher absolute value. Thus, to have a VCO with a high (negative) FOM, the
VCO phase noise need to be minimized.

Based on Leeson’s (1966) mathematical model the phase noise of a VCO is a function
of the known or expected noise, signal level, and resonator characteristics according to
ω1/ f 3
 
2FKT ω0 2
L(∆ω ) = 10 log [1 + ( ) ](1 + ) , (3.7)
Ps 2Q L ∆ω |∆ω |

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

where Q L is the loaded quality factor of the resonator, ∆ω is the offset frequency and F
is an empirical parameter. This expression can be rewritten after some approximation
for ∆ω ≪ ω0 as "  2 #
2FKT ω0
L = 10 log · . (3.8)
Psig 2Q L ∆ω

From this expression, it can be seen that increasing the output power Psig or using a
resonator with a higher quality factor reduces the phase noise. However, increasing
the output power results in a higher power consumption. Thus, using a high quality
factor resonator is the most efficient method of reducing the VCO’s phase noise.

3.3 TL Resonators at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

The most common resonators in VCOs are LC tanks, and accordingly different meth-
ods for improving their quality factor have been proposed in literature (Razavi 1997,
Razavi 1998, Niknejad and Meyer 1998, Niknejad and Meyer 2000, Tiebout et al. 2002,
Tiebout et al. 2006). However, at high frequencies in the millimeter-wave band, the
size of these lumped elements becomes an appreciable fraction of wavelength. Thus,
for these high frequencies, their distributed behavior needs to be considered. Alter-
natively, TL resonators can be used at these high frequencies, because they explic-
itly take into account distributed behavior. Furthermore, due to the relatively small
wavelength, significantly long structures like quarter-wavelength TLs have reasonable
size for on chip realization (Niknejad and Hashemi 2008). Another advantage of the
quarter-wavelength resonators is that they are inherently scalable in length, allowing
for the realization of precise values of small reactances (Niknejad and Hashemi 2008).
Among the various commonly used TLs, coplanar strips (CPS) are amenable to a high
level of integration and as a balanced structure, they provide a favorable basis for the
realization of VCOs (Arif and Peroulis 2009). Furthermore, CPS have both their sig-
nal and ground paths on the same layer (Gupta et al. 1996). Consequently, the physical
gap between signal and ground paths is not dictated by the thickness of the inter-metal
dielectrics of the CMOS process. Thus, in contrast to the microstrip lines, implementa-
tion of a desired characteristic impedance with moderate resistive loss is possible even
on thin and high-permittivity substrates such as those common in silicon technology
by keeping both signal and ground strips relatively wide (Yang et al. 2009). As shown
in Fig. 3.6, a short ended λ/4 CPS can be used as a balanced resonator, instead of a
classical LC tank, for the realization of a cross-coupled VCO.

Page 55
3.3 TL Resonators at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

Vdd

Vdd

Out- Out+ Out- Out+

Bias Bias

Figure 3.6. LC- versus TL-based Oscillator. Due to relatively small wavelength at millimeter-
wave frequencies, quarter-wavelength TLs can be realized on chip. Thus, a quarter-
wavelength short-circuited CPS can be used, instead of an LC tank, in the monolithic
integrated VCOs in the millimeter-wave regime.

3.3.1 Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

Although coplanar TLs such as CPS have the advantage of low resistive losses, they
typically suffer from substrate conductive loss. More specifically this conductive loss
is mainly due to the penetration of the electric field of the CPS into the low resis-
tivity silicon substrate (Reyes et al. 1994). One solution to reduce the penetration of
the electric field into the lossy substrate, is to place a solid metal shield under the
CPS (Kleveland et al. 2001). However, this approach is not a suitable solution because
the solid metal shield removes the substrate losses by preventing the electric field from
penetrating into the lossy substrate, but it adds another type of loss due to the eddy
currents flowing in the solid metal shield (Kleveland et al. 2001, Kaddour et al. 2009).

An effective solution to this problem is to shield the CPS with an array of closely spaced
narrow floating metallic strips. Figure 3.7 shows an illustration of such structure,
which is composed of a CPS and an array of floating metallic strips that are separated
with a thin dielectric layer. In contrast to the solid metal shield, if the floating strips are
narrow enough, eddy current loss is negligible. Therefore, the shield efficiently reduces
the substrate losses and it does not add a considerable eddy current loss (Cheung and
Long 2006). This is known as a slow-wave structure because the TL loaded with the
array of floating strips can be considered as a one-dimensional metamaterial medium

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

W
S
Ss
Sw

Figure 3.7. 3D view of a slow-wave CPS. Three-dimenesional view of a slow-wave CPS that is
composed of a CPS and an array of the floating metallic strips, which are separated
with a thin layer of dielectric. The floating metallic strips prevent the electric field from
penetration into the lossy silicon substrate.

with effective relative permittivity that is much higher than the relative permittivity
of the constitutive dielectrics, resulting in the reduced velocity of propagation of the
guided electromagnetic waves in the medium.

From the equivalent circuit point of view, in a conventional CPS, inductance per unit
length L and capacitance per unit length C of the TL are dependent on each other , thus,
increasing one, decreases the other. For example increasing the spacing between signal
and ground strips of a CPS increases the inductance per unit length, which results in
a decrease in the capacitance per unit length of the line. As a result, reducing the elec-
tromagnetic wave velocity is only dependent on the effective dielectric constant of the
surrounding media (Cheung and Long 2006). Slow-wave transmission line structures
in contrast, are essentially structures with spatially separated electric and magnetic en-
ergy storage. Thus, in these structures it is possible to increase L and C simultaneously
and as a result reduce the propagation velocity of the guided waves (Gorur 1994, Kad-
dour et al. 2008). For instance for the structure of Fig. 3.7, the line inductance is not
affected by the floating strips. However the floating metallic strips add parasitic ca-
pacitances between the two traces of the transmission line and consequently reduces
the velocity of propagation of electromagnetic waves.

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3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

It is worth mentioning that, considering the wavelength as the ratio between veloc-
ity and frequency, another important feature of the slow-wave TLs in MMIC design
is revealed: The decrease of the propagation speed results in a shorter the guided
wavelength (Cheung and Long 2006). Therefore, more compact components based on
shorter TLs can be implemented on-chip, hence resulting in a reduction of the required
silicon area (Kaddour et al. 2008, Lai and Fujishima 2007).

3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

The aim of this section is to design a high quality factor shorted λ/4 slow-wave CPS
resonator for 60 GHz CMOS VCOs with minimal on-chip area. To this end, a compre-
hensive parametric study, based on 3D electromagnetic simulations, is conducted on
the geometrical dimensions of a slow-wave CPS structure in a standard 90 nm CMOS
process. On that basis guidelines are derived for the design of slow-wave CPS with
high quality factor, small on-chip area and desired characteristic impedance. Then,
using the extracted guidelines, a high quality factor slow-wave CPS resonator is de-
signed.

3.4.1 CAD Tool Settings

All simulations for this work are conducted with Ansoft HFSS, 3D full-wave EM sim-
ulator. Since the physical dimensions of the structure varies from less than 1 µm for
the width of the floating strips, to hundreds of micrometers for the length of the CPS
conductors, the simulation requires an extremely large number of small tetrahedrons
to discretize the structure with sufficient resolution. To reduce the number of tetrahe-
drons and consequently, reduce the simulation time and required memory, all simula-
tions are conducted for a relatively short length of the TL. The minimum length of the
TL necessary for accurate results depends on the floating strips width. Convergence
study in this case shows that in order to have an accurate simulation result, a TL with
at least 20 floating strips is required.

To extract the propagation properties of the TL in a usable form for cascading, the S-
parameters are converted to ABCD parameters. Then, the following set of equations
for characteristic impedance Zc , propagation constant γ, guided wavelength λ g , and
quality factor Q are used to calculate the corresponding parameters:

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

r
B
Zc = , (3.9)
C
γ = α + jβ = cosh−1 ( A)/l , (3.10)
2π
λ = , (3.11)
β
β
Q = , (3.12)
2α

where l is the transmission line length and α and β are the attenuation coefficient and
propagation constant, respectively.

3.4.2 Technology and Design Parameters

The design guidelines are derived in the following using parameters for a 90 nm CMOS
process with nine metallic layers made of copper. For the full-wave electromagnetic
simulations, typical parameters and dimensions of the CMOS process are as follows.
Silicon substrate thickness, relative permittivity and resistivity are tsi = 700 µm, ǫr =
11.9 and ρ = 10 Ω · cm, while the relative permittivity of the dielectric layer between
the CPS and the floating strips is ǫr = 3.8 and its thicknesses is tox = 1 µm. Metal layers
thicknesses are 2.8 µm for the CPS and 0.64 µm for the array of floating strips. These
parameters are used for modeling both conventional and slow-wave CPS transmission
lines. However, the guidelines are generic and can be used for designing similar struc-
tures in other processes. Because the upper metallic layer is the thickest, it is used for
the realization of the CPS in order to have minimum conductive losses as well as the
maximum distance away from the lossy silicon substrate (Kleveland et al. 2001). All
simulations are targeted for 60 GHz operation.

It is recommended that the passivation layer be kept to achieve a higher effective per-
mittivity (Kaddour et al. 2008) and consequently, smaller guided wavelength and lower
penetration of electromagnetic wave into the lossy substrate. The design parameters
for the structure shown in Figure 3.7 are as follows: W is the width of the signal strips,
S is the spacing between the strips, Sw is the width of the floating strips, and spacing
between the floating strips is denoted by Ss . The period (or pitch) of the floating strips
is defined as p = Sw + Ss and the duty cycle as d = Sw /Ss .

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3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

In the following sections the influence of each of these parameters on the quality factor,
characteristic impedance, and guided wavelength of the propagating electromagnetic
wave is studied and design guidelines are extracted.

3.4.3 CPS Dimensions: S and W

This section covers the effect of the width and spacing of the strips on the TL quality
factor, characteristic impedance, and guided wavelength at 60 GHz for a conventional
CPS in 90 nm CMOS technology. Figures 3.8 and 3.9 show the simulated characteristics
of the conventional CPS for different values of the CPS width and spacing from 1 µm
to 15 µm.

As shown in Fig. 3.8(a), an increase in the spacing between the strips S results in an
increase in the characteristic impedance of the line. This can be explained by the fact
that as the spacing is increased, the capacitance per unit length of the line decreases
and the inductance per unit length of the line increases. Thus, it can be inferred from
√
the definition of Zc = L/C that an increase in S leads to an increase in Zc . Fig. 3.8(b)
shows that an increase in S from 0.2 µm to 15 µm results in a slight increase in the
guided wavelength from 2200 µm to 2550 µm. This can be explained from the defini-
√
tion of the guided wavelength as λ g = 2π/ LC. The different curves in the figures
also illustrates the variation of characteristic impedance and guided wavelength with
W. Considering that an increase in W increases the capacitance per unit length and
decreases the inductance per unit length of the line, it can be explained that an in-
crease in W, results in a decrease in the characteristic impedance, whereas the guided
wavelength does not change significantly.

Simulation results for the variations of the quality factor versus the spacing between
the strips of the conventional CPS for different values of the strips width W are illus-
trated in Fig. 3.9(a). The figure shows that Q increases with an increase in S and has a
maximum for a specific value of S. To explain the effect of the physical TL parameters
on the quality factor it is useful to review the most commonly used definition for the
quality factor, which can be expressed as

average energy stored β

Q = ω0 . ≈ , (3.13)
average power loss 2α
where
R GZ0
α≈ + , (3.14)
2Z0 2

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

2600
W=15µm
200 W=10µm
Characteristic Impedance (Ω)

2500 W=5µm
W=1µm W=1µm

Wave Length (µm)

150
2400
W=5µm
100 W=10µm 2300
W=15µm
2200
50
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15
S (µm) S (µm)

(a) (b)

Figure 3.8. Characteristic impedance and guided wavelength of conventional CPS. Effect
of width and spacing of transmission line tracks on (a) characteristic impedance and
(b) wavelength. The parameteric study shows that an increase in the spacing between
conductors results in an increase in both the characteristic impedance and the guided
wavelength.

and
√
β = ω0 LC , (3.15)

R and G being the resistance and conductance per-unit-length of the TL. With this def-
inition it can be explained that, the maximum quality factor is achieved for a specific
value of spacing between the transmission line’s strips that maximizes the propaga-
tion constant β. Whereas, very small or very large values of S correspond to small
inductance or capacitance per unit length, resulting in a small quality factor.

In a similar manner, Fig. 3.9(b) shows that for small values of the strips width W,
the quality factor is low. By increasing W, the quality factor increases, reaching its
maximum value for W ≈ 6 µm, and a further increase in the strips width results in a
decrease in the TL’s quality factor. This behavior can be explained with the different
effects of W on resistance, conductance, capacitance and inductance of the line. Low
values of W lead to higher values of inductance and lower values of conductance,
but they also increase the resistive loss and decreases the capacitance of the line. On
the other hand, although, a wide line has low resistive loss and higher capacitance
per unit length, it suffers from high conductance and low inductance per unit length.
Thus, as shown in Fig. 3.10, there is a specific point in the 2D space of W and S for
which, a conventional CPS has the maximum quality factor. For the 90 nm CMOS

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3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

9 9

8 8

Quality Factor
Quality Factor

7 7

5 6

4 5
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15
S (µm) W(µm)

(a) (b)

Figure 3.9. Qualtity factor of a conventional CPS. Effect of width and spacing of the transmission
line tracks on the quality factor of a conventional CPS.

process parameters mentioned earlier in this section, the maximum quality factor of
8.8 is achieved for W = 6 µm and S = 6 µm.

8.8

W (µm)

Figure 3.10. Two-dimensional parametric study on the qualtity factor of a conventional

CPS. Effect of width and spacing of a conventional CPS tracks on quality factor.
The two-dimentional parametric study shows that maximum quality factor of 8.8 is
achieved for a S = W = 6µm.

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

3.4.4 Floating Strips Width: Sw

Let us now focus on the effect of the width Sw of the floating strips of the slow-wave
CPS of Fig. 3.7 on different characteristics of the TL. In order to reduce the simulation
time and required memory, slow-wave CPSs with different width W and spacing S,
both varying from 5 µm to 65 µm, are simulated, first. A maximum quality factor is
achieved for W = 20 µm. Thus, to study the influence of the width of floating strips
Sw on the quality factor, wavelength, and characteristic impedance of the slow-wave
CPS, a slow-wave CPS with W = 20 µm is simulated. Also, the period of the floating
strips, i.e. ( p = Sw + Ss ), is kept constant. In Fig. 3.11, the simulated quality factors of
the slow-wave CPS for three different values of the width Sw of the floating strips are
compared with that of a conventional CPS. The figure shows that the quality factor of
the slow-wave CPS is increased when decreasing the width of the floating strips, and
the maximum quality factor of 16 is obtained for Sw of 0.2 µm. This can be explained by
considering that using wider floating strips results in higher eddy current loss in the
shield (Cheung and Long 2006). Thus, in order to achieve the maximum quality factor,
the narrowest floating strips available in the design rules for the considered process
(0.2 µm in this specific case) should be used.

Figure 3.12(a) compares the guided wavelength of the conventional CPS to that of the
slow-wave CPS for different values of Sw from 0.2 µm to 0.8 µm in steps of 0.2 µm. The
simulation results clearly show that the guided wavelength is decreased from above
2200 µm for a conventional CPS to around 800 µm in the case of the slow-wave CPS.
As mentioned in Section 3.3.1 this is one of the most important advantages of the slow-
wave structure, which is especially useful for the miniaturization of microwave and
millimeter-wave components. The figure also shows that an increase in Sw results in
a slight decrease in the on-chip wavelength (increasing the Sw from 0.2 µm to 0.8 µm,
results in only a 5% decrease in the guided wavelength). That is because, using wider
floating strips increases the capacitance per unit length of the line, which results in a
larger phase constant.

Figure 3.12(b) shows the simulated characteristic impedance of a slow-wave CPS with
the strip width W = 20 µm for different values of the strip spacing S, versus the
floating strips width Sw . The figure shows that, as expected from the theory and TL
circuit model, an increase in Sw results in an increase in the capacitance per unit length
of the TL, and consequently a decrease in its characteristic impedance. For instance for
a line with W = 20 µm and S = 25 µm, the characteristic impedance decreases from

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3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

20
S w = 0.2 µm

S w = 0.5 µm

Quality Factor S w = 0.6 µm

15
Conv CPS

10

5
0 20 40 60 80
S (µm)

Figure 3.11. Comparison between the quality factor of a conventional and a slow-wave CPS.
Simulation results for the quality factor of a slow-wave CPS with W = 20 µm, for dif-
ferent values of Sw , as well as the simulated quality factor of an optimized conventional
CPS with W = 6 µm. The quality factor of the slow-wave CPS is increased with a
decrease in the width of the floating strips, and the maximum quality factor of 16 is
obtained for Sw of 0.2 µm.

Zc = 41 Ω for Sw = 0.2 µm to Zc = 37 Ω for Sw = 0.8 µm. Thus, the simulation

results show that the floating strips width can be used as an extra degree of freedom
to achieve a desired value of the characteristic impedance, if needed.

3.4.5 Floating Strips Duty Cycle: p

From the previous section we know that the best quality factor is achieved with the
narrowest floating strips. Thus, in order to study the influence of the floating strips
period ( p = Sw + Ss ) on the quality factor and wavelength of the slow-wave CPS,
all simulations of this section are conducted with Sw = 0.2 µm and only the spacing
between strips Ss is changed. Note that, in order to save the computing time and mem-
ory, this study assumes that Sw and p are more or less independent. Otherwise, they
need to be optimized concurrently. Figures 3.13(a) and (b) show the simulated quality
factor and guided wavelength of a slow-wave CPS with W = 20 µm and S = 25 µm
for different values of the floating strips period from 0.6 µm to 7.2 µm. Assume that the

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

44
2600
Conventional TL
S=45µm

Characteristic Impedance (Ω)

2200 42
S=35µm
40
(µm)

1800
S=25µm
1400 38

1000 Sw = 0.2 µm 36 S=15µm

Sw = 0.4 µm
Sw = 0.6 µm
Sw = 0.8 µm
600 34
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
S (µm) Sw (µm)

(a) (b)

Figure 3.12. Guided wavelength and characteristic impedance of a conventional and a slow-
wave CPS. (a) Comparison between simulated guided wavelength of the optimized
conventional CPS with with W = 6 µm and that of a slow-wave CPS for different
values of Sw . The comparison shows that the guided wavelength is decreased from
above 2200 µm for the conventional CPS to around 800 µm in the case of the slow-wave
CPS. (b) Characteristic impedance of slow-wave CPS with W = 20 µm,

parameters are more or less independent, and that this assumption allows to save com-
puting power. Figure 3.13(a) shows that a maximum quality factor of 16.2 is achieved
for p = 2.4 µm. This can be explained with the fact that an increase in the spacing
between the floating strips Ss increases the inductance per unit length and reduces the
capacitance per unit length of the slow-wave CPS. Thus, for small values of the Ss , the
TL has low inductance and for large values of Ss it has low capacitance. Since the qual-
ity factor is directly proportional to the stored electromagnetic energy, the maximum
quality factor can be achieved when the TL has large values for both equivalent in-
ductance and equivalent capacitance. Figure 3.13(b) shows that decreasing the period
of floating strips, reduces the guided wavelength of the structure. Thus, in order to
achieve miniaturized components, a dense array of floating strips is required.

3.4.6 Discussion

By using the guidelines of the previous sections, a quarter-wavelength slow-wave CPS

with at 60 GHz is simulated S = 25 µm, W = 20 µm, Sw = 0.2 µm and p = 2.4 µm.

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3.4 Design Guidelines for the Slow-Wave Coplanar Strips

17 1200

16

Guided Wavelength (µm)

1100
Quality Factor

15
1000
14

13 900

12
00
11
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Period (µm) Period (µm)

(a) (b)

Figure 3.13. Quality factor and guided wavelength of a slow-wave CPS versus duty cycle
of floating strips. Effect of duty cycle of the floating strips p on (a) quality factor
and (b) guided wavelength of the slow-wave CPS. A maximum quality factor of 16 is
achieved for p = 2.4 µm, while in order to minimize the guided wavelength, a dense
array of floating strips is required.

The properties of this device are compared with those of a corresponding quarter-
wavelength conventional CPS with optimized performance obtained with S = 6 µm
and W = 6 µm. Although the S and W of the slow-wave CPS are much larger than
those of the conventional CPS the total on-chip area of both structures are almost equal
(13000 µm2 for slow-wave CPS and 11200 µm2 for conventional CPS). That is because,
the guided wavelength for slow-wave CPS at 60 GHz is 800 µm while the guided wave-
length for a conventional CPS operating at same frequency is 2500 µm. However, the
aspect ratio of the slow-wave CPS is significantly different from the conventional coun-
terpart, leading to an efficient utilization of the chip area. As shown in Figure 3.14 the
quality factor of the optimized slow-wave CPS is 16.2, which is 84% more than the
maximum quality factor of the conventional CPS. Furthermore, when using Sw and Ss
of the floating strips as two extra degrees of freedom for adjusting the properties of
the transmission line, a characteristic impedance near 50 Ω is achieved for slow-wave
CPS, while the characteristic impedance for the optimal conventional CPS is greater
than 100 Ω.

It is worth mentioning that while the effective relative permittivity of the conventional
CPS is about 4, the optimized slow-wave CPS behaves as a one-dimensional metamate-
rial medium with an effective relative permittivity of about 25. This, elegantly explains

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

W: 20
: 25
:1

15

a tor W: 6
10 :6
:88
ualit

0 0
40 20
20 40
60
W (µm) 0 80

Figure 3.14. Comparison between the quality factor of a conventional and a slow-wave CPS.
A comparison between the simulated quality factor of a conventional and a slow-wave
CPS for different values of width W and spacing S of the CPS strips. The simulation
results show that a maximum Q-factor of 16.2 is achieved for the slow-wave CPS with
W = 20 µm and S = 25 µm, which is loaded with an array of floating strips with
Sw = 0.2 µm and p = 2.4 µm.

√
the reduced guided wavelength that is defined as λ g = λ0 / ǫeff . As mentioned in
Section 3.3, this miniaturized high quality factor balanced resonator an be used for the
realization of millimeter-wave low-phase noise VCOs in CMOS technology.

3.5 Characterization of the Complex Permittivity of Thin

Films
Further to application as a balanced resonator for the realization of low phase noise
VCOs, the optimized slow-wave CPS can be used for thin film characterization. Char-
acterization of thin films of dielectrics for integrated circuit applications, where thin
films of dielectrics are used as isolations between metallic layers, is of great impor-
tance in microelectronics (Baker-Jarvis et al. 1998). At microwave and millimeter-wave
frequencies, characterization is usually based on transmission lines (TLs), in contrast
to parallel plate capacitors used at low frequencies (Baker-Jarvis et al. 1990, Janezic and
Jargon 1999). The main limitation of the TL method is that extremely thin film lay-
ers, as encountered in integrated circuit technologies, result in a too low characteristic

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3.5 Characterization of the Complex Permittivity of Thin Films

impedance in microstrip lines, and are not sufficient to provide mechanical support for
coplanar structures. Recently, Franc et al. (2012) proposed adding a thick layer of an al-
ready known material underneath the unknown thin film to provide the required me-
chanical support for coplanar waveguide technology. However, since adding a thick
layer reduces the sensitivity, a patterned shielded coplanar waveguide was used to
confine the electric field to the unknown thin film, resulting in an increased sensitivity
to the thin film electromagnetic properties.

In the previous section we derived the guidelines for the design of high quality factor
slow-wave CPS. As an alternative application benefiting from a high quality factor, this
section proposes the characterization of both relative permittivity and conductivity of
an unknown thin film using a slow-wave CPS. The proposed concept is demonstrated
through simulation by characterizing a thin silicon dioxide layer in a CMOS process.

3.5.1 Proposed Method and Simulation Results

Figure 3.15 depicts the structure of the proposed slow-wave CPS for the characteri-
zation of the thin SiO2 layer, which is sandwiched between the CPS and the floating
strips. If the far end of the CPS is short-circuited a balanced resonator is realized. It is
shown that resonant frequency and quality factor of the resonator can be used for de-
termination of the complex permittivity of the sandwiched layer. In order to maximize
the sensitivity of the thin film characterization the balanced resonator needs to have a
high quality factor. To this end, based on the guidelines proposed in the previous sec-
tions, as well as in (Horestani et al. 2010, Horestani et al. 2011a), in order to reduce the
resistive loss, the thick top metal layer is used for the implementation of the CPS. Fur-
thermore, an array of very narrow floating strips are placed in the underlying metal
layer to confine the electric field to the thin film under test and reduce the substrate
conductive loss. In this structure the floating strips also reduce the resonator length.

For full-wave electromagnetic simulations, typical parameters and dimensions of a

standard CMOS process, mentioned in the caption of Fig. 3.15 are used. Metal layers
thicknesses are 2.8 µm for the CPS and 0.64 µm for the array of floating strips. The
short circuited CPS resonator has a length of 230 µm, width of W = 25 µm and spacing
S = 30 µm and it is loaded with an array of floating strips with width Ws = 0.6 µm and
spacing Ss = 1.8 µm to resonate at 59 GHz.

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs











Figure 3.15. Slow-wave CPS structure for thin film characterization. Slow-wave CPS with
underlying floating strips in a CMOS process. The top SiO2 layer is the thin film
under test. For the full-wave EM simulations following parameters and dimensions are
used: silicon substrate thickness, relative permittivity and resistivity are tsi = 700 µm,
ǫr = 11.9 and ρ = 10 Ω · cm, while the dielectric layers, relative permittivity is ǫr = 3.8
and their thicknesses are tox1 = 2.8 µm and tox2 = 1 µm.

Figure 3.16 shows the simulated normalized (relative to 1 Ω) input impedance of the
resonator. Comparing the simulated resonant frequency and quality factor of the res-
onator for a lossless thin film with ǫr = 3.8 (black dashed line) to those of a lossless
dielectric with ǫr = 3.9 (red solid line) shows that since the electric field is mostly
confined to the thin film under test, the resonant frequency of the structure is highly
dependent on the permittivity of the thin film. Furthermore, the simulation results for
a lossy thin film with ǫr = 3.8 and tan δ = 0.02 (blue dot line) shows that while any
change in the loss tangent of the thin film does not have a considerable effect on the
resonant frequency, it effectively changes the quality factor of the resonator.

Figure 3.17 depicts the resonant frequency (blue solid line) and the quality factor (red
dashed line) of the resonator versus relative permittivity of the thin film under test.
The figure clearly shows that while the change in the thin film relative permittiv-
ity from ǫr = 3.6 to ǫr = 4 changes the resonant frequency from f 0 = 60.4 GHz to
f 0 = 57.5 GHz, the resonance quality factor is almost unchanged. Thus, the resonant
frequency of the proposed slow-wave resonator can be used for the characterization of
the relative permittivity of a thin film of an unknown dielectric.

In contrast to Fig. 3.17, effect of the thin film conductivity on the central frequency and
quality factor of the proposed slow-wave resonator is depicted in Fig. 3.18. The figure
clearly shows that while a change in the loss tangent of the thin dielectric layer has

Page 69
3.5 Characterization of the Complex Permittivity of Thin Films

65

ε = 3.8, tanδ = 0
ε = 3.9, tanδ = 0
ε = 3.8, tanδ = 0.02
60

55
(dB)
in
Z

50

45

40
50 55 60 65 70

Frequency (GHz)

Figure 3.16. Normalized input impedance of a slow-wave CPS. Simulation results for normal-
ized input impedance, demonstrating the variation of resonant frequency and quality
factor of the resonator by small changes in the permittivity and conductivity of the
thin film under test.

"
!

Figure 3.17. Affect of relative permittiviy on a slow-wave CPS resonator. Simulated reso-
nant frequency and quality factor of the proposed slow-wave resonator versus relative
permittivity of the thin film under test with tan δ = 0.02. Simulation results show
that while an increase in the relative permittivity of the thin film under test effectively
decreases the resonant frequency of the structure, it does not have a significant affect
on the resonance quality factor.

Page 70
Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

! "#
Figure 3.18. Affect of loss tangent. Simulated resonant frequency and quality factor of the
resonator versus the loss tangent of a thin film with ǫr = 3.8. Simulation results
show that quality factor of the resonator can be used for determining the conductivity
of the thin film under test.

very small affect on the resonance frequency of the structure, it effectively changes the
quality factor of the resonance. Thus, the quality factor of the resonance can be used
for the characterization of the thin film loss tangent tan δ.

3.6 Design of High Quality Factor SRR-Based Coplanar

Strip Resonator

The resonance frequency of a conventional TL resonator is determined by its electrical

length. In fact, a conventional short-ended TL acts as a quarter-wavelength resonator
when ∆φ = βl = π/2, where ∆φ is the traveling wave phase delay, β is propagation
phase constant and l is the physical length of the line (Abielmona et al. 2006). Based
on this criterion, the traveling wave phase shift along a quarter-wavelength resonator
at the resonance frequency f r is π/2 and for the waves at other nearby frequencies, i.e.
f r + ∆ f , the phase shift has some deviation from π/2. In other words, assuming a TL
loaded with the load impedance ZL the reflection coefficient at the input port is given
by
S12 ΓL S21
Γin = S11 + , (3.16)
1 − S22 ΓL

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3.6 Design of High Quality Factor SRR-Based Coplanar Strip Resonator

where Si,j are the TL S-parameters and ΓL is the load reflection coefficient (Gonzalez
1997). For a reciprocal quarter-wavelength short-ended TL resonator, such as CPS res-
onator of this work, S12 = S21 , S11 = S22 , and ΓL = −1. Thus, (3.16) can be simplified
to
2
S21
Γin = S11 − . (3.17)
1 + S11

For a resonator at resonance frequency, Γin should be 1∠2kπ. One solution is the case
of an ideal quarter-wavelength short-ended TL, where |S11 | = 0 and S21 = 1∠90◦ .
Resonance occurs at a frequency where ∠Γin = 0◦ . For the frequencies either higher
or lower than f r , ∠Γin 6= 0◦ . The key point is that, since the resonator quality factor
is determined by the rate of deviation of Γin ( f ) from Γin ( f r ), the quality factor of a
quarter-wavelength TL resonator in CMOS technology can be improved by increasing
the deviation rate around the resonance frequency. Here we show that by loading
a CPS resonator with split ring resonators (SRRs) an increased deviation rate in the
reflection coefficient, and consequently an improved quality factor can be achieved.

Figure 3.19 depicts an illustration of the proposed structure, which is composed of a

short-ended conventional CPS in the top metal layer of the CMOS process and a pair of
SRRs which are located in a lower metal layer. The CPS resonator, without the SRRs, is
designed to operate at 60 GHz, and the SRRs are symmetrically laid out below the slot
between the CPS strips to obtain high inductive coupling at resonance (Martı́n et al.
2003b).

Figure 3.19. SRR-loaded high quality factor quarter-wavelength resonator. Three-dimentional

illustration of an SRR-loaded high quality factor quarter-wavelength CPS resonator.
The structure is composed of a short-ended conventional CPS in the top metal layer
of the CMOS process and a pair of SRRs which are aligned with the symmetry plane
of the CPS and located in the lower metal layer.

The introduced SRRs are tuned to resonate at 65 GHz. According to (3.17), the rejection
band caused by SRRs leads to an increased phase and amplitude deviation rate of the
Γin at frequencies above 60 GHz.

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

Figure 3.20 compares the normalized simulated input impedances for the proposed
quarter-wavelength CPS resonator with and without the pairs of loading SRRs. The
figure clearly shows that while the bare CPS resonator has a bandwidth of 6.1 GHz,
loading the CPS with the SRRs that are tuned to resonate around 65 GHz decreases
the bandwidth to about 3.4 GHz. In other words, as listed in Table 3.2, the proposed
structure has a quality factor of 17.7 compared to the quality factor of 8.8 for the bare
CPS resonator. In terms of the quality factor of the resonance, this shows a 100% im-
provement.

0
SRR Loaded
Host CPS
65
n ut m edan e (d )

60

55

50

45
50 55 60 65 0
re uen (G )

Figure 3.20. Input impedance of the SRR-loaded CPS. Comparison between the input
impedance of a conventional CPS resonator and that of the SRR-based CPS resonator.
Impedances are normalized to 1 Ω.

Table 3.2 also compares the length of the two resonators, that shows about 20% minia-
turization in the case of the SRR-loaded CPS resonator. As shown in Fig. 3.20, the
proposed resonator also benefits from a 2 dB higher normalized input impedance at
resonance. This high input impedance results in lower bias current of the oscillator,
which implies lower power consumption.

3.7 Tapered Transmission Line Resonator

As explained in the previous sections, using slow-wave TL-based resonator is an ef-

fective solution for reducing substrate losses in CMOS technologies and achieving a

Page 73
3.7 Tapered Transmission Line Resonator

Table 3.2. Conventional CPS versus SRR-loaded CPS. Comparison between the quality fac-
tor, resonance frequency and length of the quarter-wavelength CPS resonator with and
without SRRs.

Resonator Type Length f0 Q-factor Q-factor

(µm) (GHz) Improvement
Host CPS without SRRs 600 60 8.8 -
SRR-loaded CPS 490 60 17.7 100%

high quality factor resonator. Furthermore, the standing wave behavior of the quarter-
wavelength resonator can be exploited by varying the shape along the transmission
line to reduce the effective wavelength and consequently achieve even higher quality
factor (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b). A quarter-wavelength differential CPS, which is
shorted at one end, exhibits a standing wave mode at its resonance frequency, as shown
in Figure 3.21 (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b, Marcu and Niknejad 2008a). Keeping this
in mind and considering the general TL model of Fig. 3.22, the quality factor of a TL is
given by
Rl 1 2
Estored (V ( x )C( x ) + I 2 ( x ) L( x )) dx
Q=w = ω R 0l 4 . (3.18)
Pdiss 1
(V 2 ( x )G( x ) + I 2 ( x ) R( x )) dx
0 2

From this equation, it can be concluded that to reach a higher quality factor, the TL res-
onator needs to be more capacitive at the beginning of the transmission line, where the
voltage is maximum. Also it needs to be more inductive at the end of the transmission
line, where the current is maximal. Furthermore, to minimize the dissipated power,
the TL needs to have its minimum conductance at the beginning and its minimum
resistance at the end of the line. With this explanation, it has been shown by Marcu
and Niknejad (2008b) that a maximum quality factor can be achieved with a numerical
optimization of the width and spacing of two strips of the CPS.

3.7.1 Transmission Line Equations

Considering the general RLGC model of Fig. 3.22, with all R, L, G and C, functions of
position x, the well known telegrapher’s equations can be written as (Pozar 2005).

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

Voltage/Current (a.u.)
1.5

vo
lt a
1 nt ge
r re
cu
0.5

0
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0

Normalized Position

Figure 3.21. Standing wave behavior of the quarter-wavelength resonator. Standing wave
voltage and current in a quarter-wavelength resonator. After Marcu and Niknejad
(2008b).

dV ( x )
= −( R( x ) + jωL( x )) · I ( x ) (3.19)
dx
dI ( x )
= −(G( x ) + jωC( x )) · V ( x ). (3.20)
dx

Rdx Ldx

Cdx Gdx

dx

Figure 3.22. RLGC TL model. General RLGC model of transmission lines.

Page 75
3.7 Tapered Transmission Line Resonator

Assuming low-loss condition, i.e. R = G = 0, the above equations can be combined

to from the following differential equations (Womack 1962, Youla 1964)

d2 V ( x ) 1 dL( x ) dV ( x )
2
− − ω 2 L ( x ) C ( x )V ( x ) = 0 (3.21)
dx L( x ) dx dx
1 dV ( x )
I (x) = − · . (3.22)
jωL( x ) dx

The equations can be transformed from the physical domain to the phase domain by
using (Andress and Ham 2005)
Z x
θ (x) = β( x ′ )dx ′ , (3.23)
0
s
L( x ) 1 L( x ) Z (x)
Lθ (θ ) = = = 0 , (3.24)
β( x ) ω C( x) ω
s
C( x) 1 C( x) 1
Cθ (θ ) = = = . (3.25)
β( x ) ω L( x ) ωZ0 ( x )

After transforming the variables of (3.21) from physical length into electrical length,
the voltage distribution along the line can be described as

d2 V ( θ ) 1 dZ0 (θ ) dV (θ )
2
− − V (θ ) = 0. (3.26)
dθ Z0 (θ ) dθ dθ

Solution of this equation can be found analytically if the characteristic impedance pro-
file is a well-behaved function, e.g. linear or exponential. However, for an a priori un-
known arbitrary variation of the characteristic impedance along the line, as assumed
in the present work, (3.26) cannot be solved analytically (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b).

3.7.2 Numerical Optimization

The optimization of the tapering is performed based on the data gathered from the
parametric study of uniform slow-wave CPS segments in Section 3.4. For convenience,
the illustration of the uniform slow-wave CPS is repeated here (Fig. 3.23). Based on
the guidelines given in Section 3.4, the slow-wave floating strips have been chosen to
be SW = 0.2 µm wide with a spacing SS = 2.4 µm between strips. Taking on-chip
area limitation into account, the maximum of width W and spacing S of the CPS strips
are set to 65 µm. Since the resonator is also used as DC bias line, the minimum width
of the lines was set to 5 µm. The full wave 3D EM simulator, HFSS, was first used

Page 76
Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

for ABCD matrix extraction of uniform 100 µm long differential coplanar strips. The
values of widths and spacings are varied between 5 µm and 65 µm and simulated at
60 GHz. The computed scattering matrices are saved in a file as a database for the
optimization. Parameters of a standard 90 nm CMOS process are used for modeling
the silicon substrate, dielectric and metal layers in HFSS. Top metal is used for CPS
paths and metal 5 for the underneath floating strips. The S-parameters are converted
to ABCD parameters using Matlab, which is also used in the subsequent optimization
of the resonator tapering.

W
S
Ss
Sw

Figure 3.23. Uniform slow-wave CPS. Three-dimensional illustration of a uniform slow-wave

coplanar strips structure.

The optimization is initiated from a uniform CPS resonator with l = λeff,1 /4, where
λeff,1 is the effective wavelength in the first iteration. Then the resonator is divided
into 100 cascaded uniform sections of equal length of l/100. After assigning the S and
W, as depicted in Figure 3.23, varying for each section along the resonator length as
determined by the optimization algorithm, the resonator ABCD parameters are calcu-
lated from multiplication of ABCD matrices of all the small sections as shown in (3.27)
" # " #
A B 100 A B
=∏ . (3.27)
C D i =1 C D
Tot l/100 (Si ,Wi )

The HFSS simulations of the uniform lines are performed for 100 µm long lines, there-
fore, the ABCD matrix of the corresponding sections with 1 µm length is
v
" # u" #
A B u A B
= 100 . (3.28)
u
t
C D C D
1 µm(Si ,Wi ) 100 µm(Si ,Wi )

Page 77
3.7 Tapered Transmission Line Resonator

From this equation, the ABCD matrix of the corresponding sections with length l/100
needs to be adapted by using appropriate exponentiation according to
" # " #l/100 µm
A B A B
= . (3.29)
C D C D
l/100 (Si ,Wi ) 1 µm(Si ,Wi )

From the total ABCD matrix (3.27) of the tapered resonator, the characteristic impedance
Zc , the propagation constant γ, the effective wavelength λeff and the quality factor Q
can be readily obtained as
r
B
Zc = , (3.30)
C
γ = α + jβ = cosh−1 ( A)/l, (3.31)
2π
λeff = , (3.32)
β
β
Q = . (3.33)
2α

It must be mentioned that since the effective wavelength of the tapered transmission
line is not constant along the line, the total length varies with the resonator shape.
A scaling factor therefore needs to be introduced for the resonator length. The opti-
mization procedure starts then from an initial effective wavelength, λeff,1 , and after
calculation of the more accurate effective wavelength (λeff,2 ) of the tapered transmis-
sion line from (3.32), the calculation of the total ABCD matrix is repeated with the new
resonator length i.e. λeff,2 /4. This process continues iteratively until the scaling factor
λeff,n /l in the nth iteration converges satisfactorily to one. Then the optimizer starts
the next set of W and S to form another tapered resonator and this process continues
iteratively until the tapered CPS converges to the optimum resonator with a maximum
quality factor.

In this work a Harmony Search (HS) optimization algorithm is used to optimize the
geometric configuration of the slow-wave CPS to achieve the maximum quality factor.
This method was developed based on the process of music improvisation (Geem 2009).
The harmony of a piece is analogous to the quality of the solution in HS and the mu-
sicians improvisation is analogous to the global and local search schemes. Note that,
HS has been successfully applied to various optimization problems including the trav-
eling salesperson problem, water supply networks, hydrologic model parameter cali-
brations and thermal systems optimization (Fesanghary 2009).

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

3.7.3 Optimization Results

The optimum tapered shape of the slow-wave coplanar strips resonator derived in this
work is shown in Figure 3.24. To confirm the results of the optimization, simulations of
both the optimized tapered slow-wave CPS, and uniform slow-wave CPS resonators
are performed using HFSS. Table 3.3 compares the resonance frequency, length and
quality factor of four types of quarter-wavelength CPS resonators. The reference for the
comparison is the measured characteristics of the conventional uniform CPS resonator
which was simulated and fabricated by Marcu and Niknejad (2008b). This resonator
has a length of 635 µm to resonate at 57.9 GHz and has a quality factor of 8.8. All other
resonators are also designed to resonate at around 60 GHz. The second resonator in
the table is a conventional tapered CPS resonator from (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b).
It has a length of 498 µm and quality factor of 15, which shows 70.4% improvement in
quality factor, compared to the uniform resonator.

Comparing the simulation and measurement, some variations in the resonance fre-
quency are observed in both cases, however, there is a good match in quality factors of
simulation and measurement results. The table also shows the slow-wave uniform and
slow-wave tapered CPS resonators from Horestani et al. (2010) and the optimized vari-
able width CPS of this section, respectively. The uniform slow-wave resonator has a
length of 222 µm and quality factor of 16.2. The optimum tapered slow-wave resonator
designed in this section has a length of 320 µm that is relatively short and reasonable
for on-chip implementation. The quality factor can be calculated from the resonator
input impedance curve which is shown in Figure 3.25. The optimum resonator has
a quality factor of 28.4 which is a significant improvement in quality factor by 220%
compared to the conventional uniform resonator, or 75% improvement, compared to
the tapered resonator proposed by Marcu and Niknejad (2008b). Figure 3.25 also shows
the resonator input impedance that is calculated from optimizer results. Since the op-
timization has been done just in one frequency, 60 GHz, the input impedance is shown
just in that frequency. The figure shows a very good match between optimization re-
sults and HFSS simulation results.

3.8 Conclusion
In this chapter, the influence of the geometric dimensions of conventional and slow-
wave CPS on their characteristic performance have been studied by using full wave

Page 79
3.8 Conclusion

85 um

320 um

Figure 3.24. Optimum slow-wave tapered resonator. Top view of the optimum tapered slow-
wave coplanar strips resonator. The resonator has a length of 320 µm that is relatively
short and reasonable for on-chip implementation.

electromagnetic simulations. The quality factor, characteristic impedance and guided

wavelength of the lines have been investigated and compared towards this aim. De-
sign guidelines for high quality factor slow-wave CPS in a standard 90 nm CMOS
MMICs technology have been extracted. For high quality factor slow-wave CPS, in
a standard 90 nm CMOS MMICs technology, we have shown that exploiting the nar-
rowest floating strips available in the process results in the maximum quality factor.
Note that, although reducing the strips spacing results in smaller guided wavelength,
it does not result in the maximum quality factor of the slow-wave CPS. It also has been
concluded that starting from a conventional CPS optimized for maximum quality fac-
tor, adding the floating strips leads to a higher quality factor in a smaller on-chip area.
However, further optimization on the CPS parameters allows an even higher quality
factor of the slow-wave CPS. In other words, to achieve the maximum quality factor
of the slow-wave CPS, a search using 3-dimensional space of S, W and Ss , while using
smallest Sw allowed by the design rules, is required.

As a potential application, in addition to its use as a compact waveguide structure,

resonance properties of an optimized slow-wave CPS resonator has been used for elec-
tromagnetic characterization of thin films of dielectrics. It has been shown through
simulation that the resonant frequency of the structure is proportional to the relative
permittivity of the thin film, while its quality factor is a function of conductivity of the
thin film. Thus, it is demonstrated that the resonant frequency and the quality factor
of the resonator can be used for accurate determination of the complex permittivity of

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Chapter 3 High Quality Factor Coplanar Strips Resonators for CMOS MMICs

2600
2400

Resonator Input Impedance ( Ω)

2200
2000
1800 BW = 2.1 GHz

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
57 57.5 58 58.5 59 59.5 60 60.5 61
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 3.25. Input impedance of the optimum tapered slow-wave CPS resonator. HFSS sim-
ulation results for the input impedance the optimum slow-wave tapered CPS resonator.
The single red point shows the calculated input impedance from the optimizer results.

Table 3.3. Comparison between the characteristics of different CPS resonators. Comparison
of quality factor, resonance frequency and length of different types of quarter-wavelength
CPS resonators.

Resonator Type Length f 0 (GHz) Q-factor Q-factor Improvement

Uniform, Simulated
635 (µm) 62 8.8 reference
(Marcu and Niknejad 2008b)
Uniform, Measured
635 (µm) 57.9 8.8 reference
(Marcu and Niknejad 2008b)
Tapered, Simulated
498 (µm) 58 15 70.4%
(Marcu and Niknejad 2008b)
Tapered, Measured
498 (µm) 54.4 15 70.4%
(Marcu and Niknejad 2008b)
Slow-wave Uniform, Simulated
222 (µm) 60.5 16.2 84%
(Horestani et al. 2010)
Slow-wave Tapered Simulated
320 (µm) 59.9 28.4 220%
(this work)

Page 81
3.8 Conclusion

the thin film. It is worth mentioning that, since the method exploits a balanced slow-
wave CPS, the on-chip sensing structure is very compact and the measurement process
benefits from higher immunity to environmental noise.

The results of the parametric study of this chapter show that slow-wave CPS resonators
are promising structures for use as high quality factor resonators in CMOS VCOs at
millimeter-wave frequencies. Thus, the chapter has proposed two other high quality
factor quarter-wavelength resonators operating at 60 GHz. The quality factor of the
first resonator is 17.7, which is a 100% improvement compared to the quality factor of
an optimized conventional CPS resonator (Q = 8.8) operating at the same frequency,
and a 10% improvement compared to the slow-wave CPS resonator of this chapter.
It also shows a 2 dB improvement in the normalized input impedance at resonance,
which results in lower bias current and consequently lower power consumption, when
the resonator is used in an oscillator.

In the last section of the chapter, the optimization process for a quarter-wavelength
slow-wave CPS resonator with an optimum quality factor at 60 GHz has been pre-
sented. Using the Harmony Search optimization method a slow-wave tapered res-
onator has been designed, demonstrating a significant quality factor improvement of
220% compared to the conventional uniform CPS resonator and 75% improvement
compared to the uniform slow-wave resonator. Due to the limitations of certain ge-
ometrical and material parameters that we have applied in the optimization process,
the on-chip area of the optimized resonator using a slow-wave structure remains rea-
sonable. The minimum width of the signal paths is also limited to 5 µm, to guarantee
a sufficient width for safe use as DC bias of the VCO core. Experimental validation
has not been possible in the timeframe of this work, but the validation with published
results (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b, Marcu and Niknejad 2008a) provides confidence
in the validity.

Inspired from the promising results of the tapered slow-wave CPS, the next chapter is
focused on miniaturized metamaterial-inspired resonators with enhanced functional-
ity.

Page 82
Chapter 4

Miniaturization of
Metamaterial-Inspired
Filters

M
INIATURIZATION of microwave components is of
great importance especially for the development of light-
weight microwave circuits and antennas for portable
wireless devices. In the previous chapter it was shown that metamaterial
transmission lines have the potential to be applied as compact high quality
factor resonators for cross-coupled CMOS VCOs in millimeter-wave fre-
quency band. This chapter is focused on the miniaturization of microwave
filters that is achieved either by miniaturizing metamaterial resonators or
through creating resonators with dual-band functionality. To this end, the
chapter proposes three compact resonators: In the first section of the chap-
ter a compact double-resonance structure based on the combination of a
pair of CSRRs and a defected ground structure (DGS) is proposed. The pro-
posed structure can be used as the building block of dual-band or wideband
filters. Next it is shown that complementary spiral resonators can be used
for the design of compact bandpass filters with wide upper stopband. Fi-
nally, a modified edge-coupled SRR with tapered strip width is proposed
in the third section of the chapter. It will be shown both theoretically and
experimentally that the proposed shape modification results in a 33% re-
duction in the resonator’s size, or 84% wider fractional bandwidth.

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4.1 Introduction

4.1 Introduction
During the last decades RF and microwave technology has had a dramatic impact on
the ever-expanding world of information. This impact can be clearly seen from the way
people access voice, video and data in virtually every corner of the world, using smart
phones, computers and other electronic devices, from various wireless networked ser-
vices such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), satellites, and so on.

Miniaturization of the electronic devices is of great importance, especially in order to

develop light-weight portable devices, or in the areas such as aerospace, where every
gram sent into the outer space contributes to the costs. While during the last decades
rapid scaling of microelectronic devices resulted in a high level of miniaturization of
electronic devices, the progress was not evenly achieved in other areas. Thus, signifi-
cant effort is focused on the miniaturization of devices and components in critical areas
such as planar microwave circuits, where components generally exhibit large dimen-
sions.

Utilizing metamaterial-inspired TLs, consisting of a host TL loaded with electrically

small resonators proves to be an efficient approach towards the miniaturization of pla-
nar microwave circuits. Moreover, the electromagnetic properties of these lines can be
engineered to achieve enhanced functionalities such as wideband or dual-band oper-
ation. Thus, by using metamaterial-inspired TLs, a size reduction can be achieved by
miniaturizing each component and/or through providing components with enhanced
functionalities.

Thus, arising from the need for compact microwave components, three different struc-
tures for the miniaturization of the metamaterial-inspired microwave filters are pro-
posed throughout this chapter.

Section 4.2 proposes a double resonance defected ground resonator. The resonator is
composed of complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) embedded in a defected
ground structure (DGS) with a dumbbell shape. Through a parametric study, it is
demonstrated that the two resonance frequencies can be independently tuned. There-
fore the structure can be used for different applications such as dual-band or wide
bandstop filters. Furthermore, since the CSRRs are embedded inside the defection ar-
eas of the DGS the proposed structure is very compact.

In Section 4.3, complementary spiral resonators are used in the design of coupled res-
onator bandpass filters. It will be shown that compared to the bandpass filters based

Page 84
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

on open-loop resonators, the proposed filter not only has a more compact size but also
benefits from a wider upper stopband.

Finally, Section 4.4 presents a modified edge-coupled split ring resonator (SRR), com-
posed of two concentric metallic rings with a nonuniform strip width. It will be shown
that , the shape-modification, which is based on the current and voltage profile in the
SRR structure, enables us to reduce the SRR electrical area. Furthermore, it is shown
that compared to a uniform SRR, a tapered SRR with the same electrical size provides a
stronger resonance as well as a wider bandwidth, as desired in wideband filter design.
The theory and simulation results are validated through measurement.

4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on Complementary

Split Ring Resonator and Defected Ground Structure

It is well known that periodic arrangements such as photonic bandgap (PBG) struc-
tures can be combined with planar transmission lines (TLs) in order to obtain different
types of filters (Radisic et al. 1998, Yang et al. 1999, Kim et al. 2000, Yun and Chang 2001).
Photonic bandgap structures, however have some drawbacks: Firstly, they consume a
large layout area because usually a number of periodic patterns are required for satis-
factory operation. Furthermore, it is difficult to define and extract an equivalent circuit
model for a PBG unit element. Equivalent circuit models allow for direct application
of well known circuit design theories, such as those commonly used in the theory of
RF and microwave filters. Because of the lack of an equivalent circuit model for PBG
structures, their applications in microwave and millimeter wave circuits are relatively
limited (Lim et al. 2005).

Recently, defected ground structures (DGSs) have attracted an increasing interest due
to their simple planar structure, ease of design, and fabrication with photolitographic
techniques (Radisic et al. 1998, Yang et al. 1999, Kim et al. 2000, Lim et al. 2002a). Unlike
PBGs, a unit element of DGS can be easily modeled and the parameters of the circuit
model can be conveniently extracted from electromagnetic simulations or measured
data. Furthermore, only a few unit elements of the DGS are required in order to achieve
the same frequency response as that of a photonic bandgap structure using many unit
cells. This property of the DGS, which results in miniaturized circuits, makes it very
popular particularly in the microwave filter design.

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4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS

In brief, the simplicity of modeling, ease of fabrication and compactness have resulted
in vast applications of these structures in many microwave and millimeter wave cir-
cuits such as filters, power dividers, couplers or amplifiers (Lim et al. 2001, Lee et al.
2002, Lim et al. 2002b, Lim et al. 2002c, Lim et al. 2002d, Lee et al. 2003). It is worth
mentioning that in addition to the intrinsic compactness, a DGS also adds a slow wave
characteristic to the host TL. As a result, TLs loaded with DGS can also be applied to
design miniaturized microwave structures and components (Yang et al. 1999, Yun and
Chang 2001, Lim et al. 2002d).

On the other hand, as shown in Chapter 2 the complementary split ring resonator
(CSRR) is a resonant element that is relatively small compared to the wavelength at
the frequency of operation and can be excited by an external time varying magnetic
field parallel to the ring axis. Due to negative effective permittivity near the resonance
frequency, a CSRR element coupled to a TL is able to inhibit the propagation of electro-
magnetic waves in a narrow frequency range (Falcone et al. 2004a, Falcone et al. 2004b).

There are both advantages and disadvantages in using DGS and CSRR structures. A
CSRR provides a sharp transition between the stopband and passbands. However,
it provides a very narrow rejection band. By contrast, in spite of providing a rela-
tively wide stopband, a DGS suffers from slow transitions between passbands and the
stopband. Thus, in this section a novel structure based on the combination of DGS
and CSRRs is proposed. The proposed structure is a double-resonance structure that
provides a relatively wide rejection band with sharp transitions in the transmission
spectrum of the loaded TL. Alternatively, since the two resonances can be controlled
independently, the structure can be used to the design of dual-band filters. Further-
more, the structure benefits from a compact size.

4.2.1 Defected Ground Structure

Fig. 4.1 shows the three dimensional and top views of a microstrip line with a dumbbell-
shaped defected ground (Kim et al. 2000). The defected structure is composed of two
rectangular areas etched in the ground layer on both sides of the microstrip line. The
two rectangular areas are connected through a narrow slot laid beneath and across the
microstrip line.

Page 86
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

b
g
a

(a) (b)

Figure 4.1. Layout of a microstrip line with defected ground. 3D view (a) and top view (b) of
a microstrip line loaded with a dumbbell-shape DGS.

The TL, shown in Fig. 4.1(a), has a width of w = 1.34 mm resulting in a characteristic
impedance of 50 Ω at frequencies in the C band (4 to 8 GHz) on a substrate with a rel-
ative permittivity of 10 and a thickness of 1.65 mm. All the simulations are performed
using the full-wave 3D electromagnetic field simulation tool HFSS. Fig. 4.2 depicts the
simulated transmission coefficients of the structure for slot widths g = 0.1 mm, 0.3
mm and 0.5 mm, and rectangular defect lengths a = 1.6 mm, 2.2 mm and 2.8 mm. For
simplicity, the rectangular defect width b = 1.6 mm is kept constant in all simulations.
The figures clearly show that the TL loaded with DGS provides a stopband with slow
transitions between stopband and passbands. The simulation results also show that
in a TL with a dumbbell shape DGS, an increase in the dimensions of the rectangular
defects results in a decrease in the resonance frequency. Narrowing the slot width de-
creases the resonance frequency as well. These effects can be explained by the current
and charge distributions in the ground layer. In fact, charges are accumulated on both
sides of the slot and therefore this adds some series capacitance to the TL, while the
return current route becomes longer because of the rectangular defects, which results
in an increase in the inductance of the TL (Guan et al. 2005). Therefore, a microstrip
line loaded with a dumbbell shape DGS can be modeled with a parallel LC resonator
connected in series with the transmission line model as shown in Fig. 4.3(a). In this
model the capacitor represents the slot while the inductor represents the rectangular
defects. Thus, the resonance occurs at ω0 = 1/( LC)1/2 , which shows that a TL with

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4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS

0 0

−5 −5

−10 −10
S21 (dB)

(dB)
a = 1.6 mm
g = 0.1 mm

21
a = 2.2 mm

S
−15 g = 0.3 mm −15 a = 2.8 mm
g = 0.5 mm

−20 −20

−25 −25
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)

Figure 4.2. Transmission coefficient of a DGS. Variation of the resonance frequency in terms of
(a) the rectangular defect slot width g, with a = 2.8 mm and (b) the width a, with
g = 0.1 mm. The substrate thickness is 1.65 mm with a relative permittivity of 10 for
all cases.

dumbbell shape DGSs has a bandstop property.

Two different approaches can be exploited to extract the parameters of the equiva-
lent circuit model, i.e., the curve fitting approach and the analytical approach. In the
curve fitting approach the S-parameters of the DGS-loaded TL are first simulated or
measured. In a second step an optimization technique is used to fit the S-parameters
of the circuit model to the simulated or measured S-parameters. In the analytical ap-
proach, the frequency response of the DGS is compared to the response of a standard
prototype filter. Based on this comparison, the values of the circuit model components
are extracted through appropriate analytical equations. Fig. 4.3 depicts the equiva-
lent circuit of the DGS and the prototype of the one-pole Butterworth low-pass fil-
ter (Lim et al. 2002a). These two circuits must have an equivalent impedance and ad-
√
mittance at the cutoff frequency. Also, L and C must comply with ω0 = 1/ LC to
have a resonance at ω0 . Thus, L and C in the equivalent circuit model can be obtained
from

ωc 1
C = · 2 , (4.1)
Z0 g1 ω0 − ωc2
1
L = , (4.2)
ω02 C

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Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

C
g1

Z0 L Z0 g0 g2

(a) (b)

Figure 4.3. Equivalent circuit model of a DGS. (a) Equivalent circuit model of the microstrip line
with dumbbell-shaped defected ground (Lim et al. 2002a), and (b) one-pole Butterworth
lowpass filter prototype.

where ωc is the 3-dB cutoff frequency, g1 (= 2) is the element value of the one-pole
Butterworth LPF prototype and Z0 = 50 Ω is the port impedance of the filter.

4.2.2 Complementary Split Ring Resonators (CSRRs)

The top view of a microstrip line loaded with two CSRRs etched in the ground layer
is depicted in Fig. 4.4(a). Note that in contrast to the conventional method of loading
a TL with CSRRs, in this configuration a pair of CSRRs are etched on both sides of
the line. For 3D electromagnetic simulation of the structure the substrate thickness
of 1.65 mm and the relative permittivity of 10 are again used. The CSRR dimensions
are chosen as a = 2.8 mm, b = 1.6 mm, c1 = c2 = 0.2 mm, d = 0.1 mm and the
gap g = 0.1 mm. The simulated transmission coefficient of the structure, depicted
in Fig. 4.4(b), shows that the CSRR-loaded microstrip line of Fig. 4.4(a) inhibits the
transmission of electromagnetic waves in a narrow band of frequency in the vicinity
of the CSRRs’ resonance frequency. Compared to the stopband of the microstrip line
loaded with a DGS, the rejection band of the CSRR-loaded TL is sharper and narrower.

As mentioned in Chapter 2 a unit cell of the CSRR-loaded TL can be modeled as a

parallel LC resonator, which is capacitively coupled to the microstrip line as shown
in Fig. 4.5. In this model Ccpl represents the electric coupling between the CSRR and
the TL whereas the parallel LC represents the equivalent capacitance and inductance
of the CSRR itself (Baena et al. 2005). The parameters of the equivalent circuit model
can be extracted using either analytical method or curve fitting method (Bonache et al.
2006b). It is well known that the resonance frequency of a TL loaded with CSRRs can

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4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS

−2

c2 c1 b −4

S21 (dB)
g a −6

−8
d
w
−10

−12
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Frequency (GHz)

(a) (b)

Figure 4.4. CSRR-loaded microstrip line. Microstrip line loaded with a pair of CSRRs, (a) the
top view and (b) the simulated transmission coefficient of the structure.

be changed by manipulating the physical dimensions of the CSRRs. For instance, an

increase in c1 or c2 results in a decrease in Cc , which in turn results in an increase in the
resonance frequency.

Again, it is worth emphasizing that the present circuit models provide a significant
advantage for the DGS and CSRR, namely that a single element of the structure can be
modeled and all the parameters of the model can be extracted. In contrast, periodic
structures such as photonic bandgaps impose difficulties in the definition and model-
ing of the unit elements.

4.2.3 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR and DGS

Fig. 4.6 shows the three dimensional and top view of a microstrip line loaded with a
combined CSRR-DGS structure. The defected structure can be assumed either as two
CSRRs connected to each other through a slot line, or as two CSRRs embedded inside a
dumbbell-shape DGS. The latter consideration gives a better intuition about the behav-
ior of the structure. Fig. 4.7 illustrates the effects of changing the different dimensions
of the CSRRs on the transmission coefficient S21 of the CSRR-DGS loaded microstrip
line. The same substrate and TL dimensions as in the two previous simulations are
used for the simulations of the CSRR-DGS structure. For all the simulations shown
in Fig. 4.7 a = 2.8 mm, b = 1.6 mm, and g = 0.1 mm to keep the DGS dimensions

Page 90
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

Ll Ll

Ccpl

Cc Lc

Figure 4.5. Equivalent circuit model of a CSRR-loaded microstrip line. Equivalent circuit
model of a microstrip line loaded with a pair of CSRRs. In this model, Ccpl represents
the electric coupling between the CSRR and the TL, whereas the parallel LC represents
the equivalent capacitance and inductance of the CSRR itself.

c2 c1 b

g
gap a

d
w

(a) (b)

Figure 4.6. Layout of the proposed CSRR-DGS. Three dimensional (a) and top view (b) of a
microstrip line loaded with a CSRR-DGS. The structure can be either considered as a
pair of complementary split ring resonators connected to each other through a slot or
two CSRRs embedded inside the rectangular defect of a DGS.

Page 91
4.2 Compact Filter Element Based on CSRR-DGS

0 0
−5
−5
−10
−15 −10 c2 = 0.1 mm
S21 (dB)

S21 (dB)
c2 = 0.15 mm
−20
c1 = 0.1 mm c2 = 0.2 mm
−25 c1 = 0.15 mm −15 c2 = 0.25 mm
c1 = 0.2 mm
−30
−20
−35
−40 −25
5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)
(a) (b)
0

−5

−10
gap = 0.1 mm
S21 (dB)

gap = 0.15 mm
gap = 0.2 mm
−15 gap = 0.25 mm

−20

−25
5 6 7 8 9
Frequency (GHz)

(c)

Figure 4.7. Simulated transmission coefficients of a CSRR-DGS-loaded microstrip line. Sim-

ulation results for the S21 of a microstrip line loaded with a CSRR-DGS. The results
show that any change in c1 , c2 and gap size only changes the resonance frequency of
the CSRR and does not have a significant affect on the DGS resonance frequency.

constant. Fig. 4.7.(a) depicts the variation of the resonance frequencies in terms of c1 ,
which is the width of the outer slot of the CSRRs as shown in Fig.4.6(b). This paramet-
ric study shows that although a decrease in c1 leads to an increase in the frequency of
the lower resonance it has a very small effect on the higher resonance frequency. Thus,
it can be deduced that one of the resonances (lower resonance in this case) is related to
the CSRR, while the other resonance (higher resonance in this case) is due to the DGS.
In a similar manner Figs. 4.7(b) and (c) show that varying c2 and the gap size, does
not have a significant effect on the frequency of the second resonance. As shown in

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Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

Section 4.2.1, the second resonance can be changed by adjusting the dimensions of the
rectangular defect or the slot of the DGS.

Therefore, from these simulations it can be deduced that the resonance related to the
CSRRs can be tuned independently from the resonance of the DGS. This is one of the
most important advantages of the proposed structure compared to other dual reso-
nance structures such as combined SRR-DGS, where there is a strong coupling between
the two components (Safwat et al. 2007). This feature makes it much easier to design
and realize different RF and microwave circuit components such as dual stopband fil-
ters or wide stopband filters. It is worth mentioning that since the CSRR is located
inside the rectangular defect of the DGS the structure footprint is kept compact. This
is another important characteristic of the proposed structure, which can lead to minia-
turized circuits.

4.3 Miniaturized Complementary Spiral Resonator for use

as Bandpass Filter with Wide Upper Stopband
This section is focused on the application of complementary spiral resonators to the
design of compact planar bandpass filters with wide upper stopband. Based on an
inductively loaded transmission line model for the complementary spiral resonator it is
shown that the ratio of the spurious resonance frequency to the fundamental resonance
frequency can be increased. Comparing two filters realized by conventional open-
loop resonators and complementary spiral resonators it is shown that the utilization
of complementary spiral resonators not only results in a more compact filter but also a
wide upper stopband is achieved.

4.3.1 Introduction

Because of their planar structure and ease of fabrication, conventional microstrip band-
pass filters such as end-coupled and parallel-coupled half-wavelength resonator filters
are widely used in many microwave applications (Hong and Lancaster 2001). How-
ever, since the conventional bandpass filters are relatively large in size, large efforts
were invested in the miniaturization of these types of filters, for example by using
slow-wave or metamaterial inspired structures (Hong and Lancaster 1997, Bonache et al.
2004, Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2006, Bonache et al. 2006a).

Page 93
4.3 Miniaturized Complementary Spiral Resonator for use as Bandpass Filter with
Wide Upper Stopband

Furthermore, while bandpass filters with wide stopband are required in many ap-
plications, conventional bandpass filters suffer from unwanted harmonic passbands
(Li et al. 2010). To overcome the spurious passband limitation, many approaches have
been proposed. For instance, modification of the capacitance and inductance of the
coupled line bandpass filters by wiggly-lines have been proposed by Lopetegi et al.
(2004) and Lopetegi et al. (2001) to create a rejection band that suppresses the spuri-
ous passband. Utilizing dissimilar resonators such as half- and quarter-wavelength
resonators is another approach for spurious passband suppression (Lin et al. 2006).
Several dissimilar resonators with discriminating coupling can be used to obtain zero
coupling coefficient at third harmonic that results in suppressing the third spurious
passband and increases the rejection level in the filter’s stopband (Li et al. 2010). How-
ever, these methods are rather complicated and since they are based on either half- or
quarter-wavelength resonators the synthesized filters are relatively large in size. Other
approaches such as adding metamaterial particles, e.g. SRRs or CSRRs to conventional
bandpass filters have been used to eliminate the spurious passband (Garcı́a-Garcı́a and
Martı́n 2004). Due to the slow-wave effect of these structures, utilizing these methods
also results in more compact filters. Note that in these cases, metamaterial-inspired
resonators are not the main building blocks of the filter, they are rather used as an
extra part to eliminate the harmonic passband (Abdel-Rahman et al. 2005).

Thus, in this section an alternative approach is used in which complementary spiral

resonators (CSRs) are utilized as the central building blocks of a coupled resonator
bandpass filter. It is shown that by utilizing the CSRs, a coupled resonator bandpass
filter can be designed that is not only compact in size but more importantly has a wide
upper stopband.

4.3.2 Complementary Spiral Resonator and Analysis of Spurious Pass-

band

One of the widely used methods for designing compact bandpass filters with wide
stopband is based on capacitively loaded coupled microstrip open-loop resonators
(Hong and Lancaster 1997). Here, the dual approach is proposed in which CSRs are
used as the building blocks of a compact bandpass filter with suppressed spurious
passband.

Page 94
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

(a) (b)

Figure 4.8. Layout and circuit model of a CSR. (a) Layout of a CSR. The gray shading shows
the patterning of the ground plane. (b) The equivalent circuit model of the CSR. The
model is composed of a TL with characteristic impedance Za , propagation constant β a
and length d, which is loaded with 2L inductors on each end.

Figure 4.8 illustrates the geometry and a circuit model of the CSR. The model is com-
posed of a TL with characteristic impedance Za , propagation constant β a and length
d, which is loaded with 2L inductors at each end. Following the same approach as for
the analysis of the capacitively loaded microstrip line resonators presented by Hong
and Lancaster (1997) or using the duality theorem, it can be shown that loading the
half-wavelength resonator with inductors not only reduces fundamental ( f 0 ) and sec-
ond harmonic ( f 1 ) resonant frequencies but also results in a higher ratio of the second
harmonic resonance frequency to the fundamental resonance frequency, i.e. f 1 / f 0 . Fig-
ure 4.9 demonstrates the simulated f 0 and f 1 calculated with a circuit model for of an
ideal λ/2 resonator (at 2 GHz), which is loaded with different inductor values. As ex-
pected, when L = 0 the first and second resonant frequencies are at 2 GHz and 4 GHz,
respectively. However, as the loading inductance is increased both f 0 and f 1 are shifted
down, thus the resonator’s electrical size is decreased. The figure also depicts the ratio
of the second harmonic resonance frequency to the fundamental resonance frequency
f 1 / f 0 of the structure versus inductance value L. The graph clearly shows that even
though both resonant frequencies are decreased, the ratio f 1 / f 0 is increased. This prop-
erty of the CSR can be used in the design of compact coupled resonator bandpass filters
with a wide upper stopband.

Page 95
4.3 Miniaturized Complementary Spiral Resonator for use as Bandpass Filter with
Wide Upper Stopband








Figure 4.9. f 1 / f 0 of an inductively loaded TL. Simulated fundamental resonance frequency f0
and second harmonic resonance frequency f 1 of an inductively loaded TL resonator along
with the ratio of f 1 / f0 . The results are computed for the circuit model of Fig. 4.8(b)

4.3.3 Two-pole Bandpass Filter with Wide Upper Stopband

This section provides a comparison between the level of compactness and the band-
width of the upper stopband in two narrow-band bandpass filters based on coupled
complementary resonator. The first filter, shown in Fig. 4.10, is a two-pole filter in
which conventional complementary open-loop resonators are used, while the second
one, illustrated in Fig. 4.11, is a similar filter in which CSRs are used as the filter build-
ing blocks. The filters are designed to meet the following specifications

Center frequency 2.7 GHz

3-dB bandwidth 200 MHz
Passband loss 3 dB Max

Given the specifications of the filter, the coupling coefficient M12 and the external qual-
ity factor Qe are obtained from (Hong and Lancaster 2001)

g0 g1
Qe = = 41 (4.3)
FBW
FBW
M12 = √ = 0.058, (4.4)
g1 g2

Page 96
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters







Figure 4.10. Second-order bandpass filter based on coupled open-loop resonators. Struc-
ture of a second-order bandpass filter based on coupled complementary open-loop
resonators. The black lines indicate the 50 Ω feeding microstrip lines on the top of
the substrate, whereas the gray shading shows the patterning of the ground plane on
the bottom side of the substrate.


 

 

Figure 4.11. Second-order bandpass filter based on coupled CSRs. Structure of a second-
order bandpass filter based on coupled CSRs. The black lines indicate the 50 Ω
feeding microstrip lines on the top of the substrate, whereas the gray shading shows
the patterning of the ground plane on the bottom side of the substrate.

where g0 , g1 and g2 are the lowpass prototype elements, and FBW denotes the frac-
tional bandwidth of the filter. The structure of both bandpass filters and the variables
describing the dimensions of the resonators are depicted in Figs. 4.10 and 4.11. The
structure is realized on a substrate with a relative permittivity of 10.2 and a thickness
of 0.78 mm. In the figure, the black lines indicate the 50 Ω feeding microstrip lines on
the top of the substrate, whereas the gray shading shows the patterning of the ground
plane on the bottom side of the substrate.

The next step of the filter design is the characterization of the coupling between the
adjacent resonators as well as the external quality factors. The coupling coefficient of
the adjacent resonators can be obtained from (Hong and Lancaster 2001)
f 22 − f 12
Mij = , (4.5)
f 22 + f 12

Page 97
4.3 Miniaturized Complementary Spiral Resonator for use as Bandpass Filter with
Wide Upper Stopband

!"
,-./0122-(3.42/5627
8-975:(3.42/5627
!&'

!&



! '

!" !# !$ !% & &!" &!# &!$ &!% "

()**+

Figure 4.12. Coupling coefficients of open-loop and CSR resonators. Simulated coupling
coefficient of pairs of complementary open-loop resonators (blue solid line) and that
of pairs of CSRs (red dashed line) as a function of the distance between the paired
resonators s.

where f 1 and f 2 are the two resonant frequencies of the pair of coupled resonators. The
external quality factor Qe can be characterized by (Hong and Lancaster 2001)

2π f 0 τ11
Qe = , (4.6)
4

where f 0 is the resonance frequency and τ11 is the group delay of S11 .

The electromagnetic simulation tool Agilent Momentum is used for the characteriza-
tion of the coupling coefficients and the external quality factors. Figure 4.12 depicts
the simulated coupling coefficient of a pair of coupled complementary open-loop res-
onators (blue solid line) and that of a pair of coupled CSRs (red dashed line) versus
the spacings between the resonators in each pair. The simulated quality factor of the
external coupling between the complementary open-loop resonator as well as that of
the CSR with 50 Ω microstrip line, are depicted in Fig. 4.13. On the basis of the graphs
of the extracted coupling coefficients and the external quality factors, two bandpass
filters with the given specifications are designed and simulated. Dimensions of the
designed filters are given in Table. 4.1.

Figure 4.14 compares the simulated transmission coefficients of both bandpass filters,
showing that both filters meet the specifications, however, the bandpass filter based

Page 98
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters



Figure 4.13. External quality factor of open-loop- and CSR-loaded microstrip lines. Sim-
ulated external quality factor of the coupling between complementary open-loop res-
onators (blue solid line) as well as CSRs (red dashed line) with their microstrip feed
line as a function of the distance between feed line and symmetry line of the resonators
d.

Table 4.1. Dimensions of the designed filters. Dimensions of complementary open-loop filter,
shown in Fig. 4.10, as well as the CSR filter, shown in Fig.4.11.

Dimension Complementary Complementary

Open-loop Resonator Spiral Resonator
a 6.8 mm 4.1 mm
c 0.4 mm 0.4 mm
g 0.1 mm 0.1 mm
d 0.8 mm 0.6 mm
s 1.6 mm 0.4 mm

Page 99
4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for Wider Bandwidth and
Enhanced Resonance

Figure 4.14. Comparison between the transmission coefficinets of filters based on open-loop-
and CSR-loaded lines. Comparison between the simulated transmission coefficients
of narrowband coupled resonator bandpass filter realized with complementary open-
loop resonators (blue dashed line) and that of the same filter realized with CSRs (red
solid line).

on CSRs benefits from an 85% wider upper stopband (defined at 20 dB rejection). Fur-
thermore, the filter based on the CSR has a more compact size, i.e. a patterned area
of 35 mm2 compared to 103 mm2 in the case of the filter based on complementary
open-loop resonators.

These results demonstrate how geometrical modifications of the metamaterial-inspired

resonators can enhance the performance of compact filters. A further example is shown
in the next section.

4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for

Wider Bandwidth and Enhanced Resonance
This section presents a modified edge-coupled split ring resonator. The proposed SRR
is composed of two concentric metallic rings with a nonuniform strip width, which
is tapered based on the current and voltage profile in the SRR structure. In contrast
to other SRR miniaturization methods, which are based on increasing the equivalent
capacitance of the SRR, the proposed SRR benefits from both increased capacitance and

Page 100
Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

inductance to preserve the strength and bandwidth of the resonance. It is also shown
that compared to a uniform SRR, a tapered SRR with the same electrical size provides
a stronger resonance with 84% wider bandwidth, as desired in wideband filter design.
The theory and simulation results are validated through measurement.

4.4.1 Introduction

Generally there are two main methods for the realization of planar metamaterials
with negative permeability. In the first method a composite right/left-handed TL is
achieved by periodically loading a conventional TL with series capacitors and shunt
inductors (Lai et al. 2004). The second method is based on loading a conventional TL
by sub-wavelength resonators, such as SRRs (Pendry et al. 1999, Smith et al. 2000). In
spite of the advantages of the metamaterial structures based on the SRRs, such as eas-
ier fabrication and application in bulk metamaterial media, SRRs are more lossy and
have a narrower bandwidth (Lin and Cui 2008).

Many investigations have aimed at achieving SRRs with small electrical size, wide
bandwidth and strong resonance (Marqués et al. 2002, Baena et al. 2004, Hao et al. 2005).
It has been shown using equivalent circuit models for SRRs that the fractional area oc-
cupied by the interior of the resonator’s ring within the unit cell can be enlarged in or-
der to achieve a relatively wider bandwidth resonance (Marqués et al. 2002, Baena et al.
2005). However, this is in conflict with the miniaturization of the structure, which is
required for compact filters or to realize an effective medium. In order to create minia-
turized left-handed media, other sub-wavelength resonators have been proposed. For
instance, compared to the edge-coupled SRR proposed by Pendry et al. (1999), the
broad-side coupled split ring resonator (BC-SRR) proposed by Marqués et al. (2002)
benefits from smaller electrical size. However, due to the increased equivalent capac-
itance, the resonator has a narrower bandwidth. Furthermore, the fabrication of the
structure is technologically more complex because of the need for a multilayer sub-
strate. Other structures such as spiral resonators proposed by Baena et al. (2004) are
compact and uniplanar, but compared to the edge-coupled SRRs, they are less efficient
and provide weak resonances. Alternatively, methods, such as loading a single split
ring resonator with a semi-lumped LC resonator suggested by Lin and Cui (2008) have
been used for controlling the resonance bandwidth. However, this method results in
narrower bandwidths with weaker resonances, and since it is based on single split ring,
the structure has a relatively larger electrical size.

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4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for Wider Bandwidth and
Enhanced Resonance




 

 





  


  


(a) (b)

Figure 4.15. Equivalent circuit model of an SRR-loaded TL. Equivalent circuit model (Lin
and Cui 2008) of an SRR loaded TL, including the SRR loss (a), and the simplified
equivalent circuit model (b).

In this section a modified edge-coupled SRR with reduced electrical size is proposed.
The proposed SRR has a strip width tapered in steps determined by considering the
distribution of the current and voltage in the SRR structure. It is also shown that com-
pared to the conventional SRRs, a tapered SRR with the same electrical size provides a
wider bandwidth and a stronger resonance.

4.4.2 Resonance Characteristics of Split Ring Resonators Coupled to

a Transmission Line

Fig. 4.15(a) depicts a simple circuit model for a unit cell of a TL loaded with an SRR,
where Lr and Cr are equivalent inductance and capacitance of the SRR, respectively,
and Rr models the SRR’s losses. The magnetic coupling between the SRR and the
loaded TL, M, can be approximated by M = Lr · αF (Baena et al. 2005), where F
is the fraction of the cell area occupied by the SRR and α is a fitting parameter. Near
resonance, the model can be further simplified into the circuit model of Fig. 4.15(b) (Lin
and Cui 2008), where L = M2 /Lr , C = Lr /(ω02 M2 ), R = ω0 Q0 M2 /Lr . The resonance
frequency can be obtained from

1 1
ω0 = √ = √ . (4.7)
LC Lr Cr

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Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

The coupling factor of the TL with a loading resonator is defined as the ratio of the
resonator resistance at the resonance frequency to the sum of the external resistances
which are observed from the resonator ports (Khanna and Garault 1983). Using the
simplified model of the SRR-loaded TL, Fig 4.15(b), the coupling factor β can be ex-
pressed in terms of the circuit model parameters as
R R 1 Lr
β = = = . .(αF)2 . (4.8)
Rext 2Z0 2Z0 Rr Cr
The coupling factor can also be obtained from simulated or measured scattering pa-
rameters as (Khanna and Garault 1983)
|S110 |
β = , (4.9)
|S210 |
where S110 and S210 are the reflection and the transmission coefficients of the structure
at the resonance frequency f 0 , respectively. It is worth emphasizing that based on
(4.9) a high coupling factor translates into a high ratio of |S11 | and |S21 | at resonance,
which means a stronger (i.e. higher Q) resonance. Thus, even though based on (4.7) the
resonance frequency and electrical size of the SRR can be reduced by increasing either
Cr or Lr , (4.8) and (4.9) show that decreasing the resonance frequency by increasing
the SRR’s equivalent capacitance results in a smaller coupling factor and consequently
a weaker resonance. For instance, as shown by Withayachumnankul et al. (2010), a
smaller electrical size, which is achieved by using interdigital capacitor, leads to a weak
resonance. In contrast, (4.8) shows that increasing the SRR’s equivalent inductance not
only reduces the electrical size of the particle but also increases the coupling coefficient
and results in a stronger resonance.

By using the following simplified equation of the loaded bandwidth for the structure
(Lin and Cui 2008), s
Lr (αF)2
BWL ≈ . , (4.10)
Cr 2Z0
it is also clear that while increasing the Cr reduces the resonance bandwidth, increasing
the SRR’s equivalent inductance Lr results in a resonance with a wider bandwidth,
which is required in applications such as wideband filter design.

4.4.3 Tapered Split Ring Resonator

High level of miniaturization, while preserving the strength and bandwidth of the res-
onance, can be achieved by simultaneously increasing the equivalent capacitance and

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4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for Wider Bandwidth and
Enhanced Resonance

inductance of the SRR. However, there is a conflict between increasing the inductance
and capacitance of the SRR, i.e., increasing the equivalent inductance of the SRR by
using widely spaced narrow rings results in a smaller equivalent capacitance, and vice
versa.

In order to simultaneously increase the equivalent inductance and capacitance of an

SRR structure, an SRR with tapered strips width is proposed here. A concept of ta-
pering a TL based on the voltage and current distribution along the TL to improve
the TL’s quality factor has been used for different applications, especially for obtaining
high quality factor resonators (Marcu and Niknejad 2008b, Horestani et al. 2011a), as
also demonstrated in Chapter 3. Since there is a similar current distribution along the
SRR rings (Baena et al. 2004), as schematically shown with arrows in Fig. 4.16 (a), a
similar tapering strategy can be used to achieve an SRR with simultaneously increased
equivalent inductance and capacitance. In fact, as shown in Fig. 4.16(b), an SRR with a
lower resonance frequency can be realized by narrowing the SRR’s rings where the cur-
rent is maximal, i.e., in the middle of the rings, and widening the rings where voltage
is maximal, i.e., close to the rings’ splits.

To verify the theory, TLs loaded with two types of tapered SRRs are simulated and
compared to a uniform SRR loaded TL. In all the cases, SRRs with outer edge length
a = 10 mm are coupled to a 50 Ω microstrip line with width w = 2.3 mm on a
0.78 mm thick Duroid substrate with relative permittivity ǫr = 2.2 and loss tangent
tan(δ) = 0.0009. For the uniform SRRs, c = 1 mm, g = 0.5 mm, and d is set to be
0.2 mm. The tapered SRRs have the same dimensions as the uniform SRRs, however,
the ring widths are narrowed in their middle segment to cl = 0.2 mm and they are
widened on each side of the split to cc = 1.5 mm. Note that as shown in Fig. 4.16, for
the sake of simplicity, square-shaped piecewise tapered SRRs are used.

Fig. 4.17 compares the simulated transmission coefficient of the structure based on the
tapered SRRs (black line) to that of the structure based on the uniform SRRs (blue line).
As predicted by the theory, the figure shows that by adapting the segment width of the
SRRs, the resonance frequency is reduced by about 18% from 2.88 GHz for the uniform
SRRs to 2.35 GHz in the case of tapered SRRs, which translates into 33% reduction in
the SRRs’ electrical area. Furthermore, the fractional bandwidth is increased slightly
from 1.5% to 1.8%.

Fig. 4.17 also shows the simulated transmission coefficient of a tapered SRR with in-
creased gap size g = 3.6 mm, and inter-ring spacing d = 1 mm (red line). Note that

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Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters






 

(a)





 




(b)

Figure 4.16. Layout of the microstrip lines loaded with uniform and tapered SRRs. Microstrip
line loaded with a pair of uniform SRRs (a) and tapered SRRs (b). The arrows
schematically depict the relative current distribution in different segments of the SRRs’
rings

while tapering the SRR increases the equivalent inductance of the SRR, increasing the
gap and inter-ring spacing decreases the equivalent capacitance of the SRR. Thus, the
tapered SRR can be designed with the same resonance frequency as the uniform SRR.
However, compared to the uniform SRR, the tapered SRR benefits from a higher Lr
to Cr ratio. As predicted from (4.8), (4.9) and (4.10), the simulation results show that
compared to the uniform SRR, the tapered SRR exhibits a stronger resonance and has
a fractional bandwidth of 2.8%, i.e., 84% wider than the uniform one.

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4.4 Split Ring Resonators with Tapered Strip Width for Wider Bandwidth and
Enhanced Resonance

(dB)
21

Tapered I
Tapered II

2 2 2 2
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 4.17. Comparison between the transmission coeffcients of TLs loaded with uniform
and tapered SRRs. Simulated transmission coefficients of TLs loaded with uniform
SRRs (blue dashed line) and two types of tapered SRRs (black dashed line and red
continuous line).

4.4.4 Experimental Results

In order to validate the theory and simulation results, microstrip lines loaded with
uniform and tapered SRRs have been fabricated and measured. Fig. 4.18 depicts the
top view of one of the fabricated samples with tapered SRRs. The material used and the
dimensions of the prototypes are same as the simulated structures given in Sec. 4.4.3.

Fig. 4.19 depicts the measured transmission coefficient of the TLs loaded with uniform
SRRs and two types of the tapered SRRs with different resonant frequencies (corre-
sponding to the simulated structures of the previous section). The graph shows good
agreement between the measured and simulated results. This agreement validates the
theoretical concept of tapering SRRs for miniaturization, while improving the strength,
and widening the bandwidth of the resonance. It is worth mentioning that the same
principle can be applied to SRR arrays for the realization of bulk metamaterials or
frequency-selective surfaces.

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Chapter 4 Miniaturization of Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

Figure 4.18. Fabricated prototype of the structure. Photograph of a fabricated sample of mi-
crostrip line loaded with a pair of tapered SRRs.

0
(dB)
21

Tapered I
Tapered II

2 2 2 2
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 4.19. Measurement results for tapered SRRs. Measured transmission coefficients of TLs
loaded with uniform SRRs and two types of tapered SRRs.

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4.5 Conclusion

4.5 Conclusion
In this chapter, three different geometries of compact metamaterial-inspired structures
have been proposed. The first structure was a novel defected structure based on CSRRs
and a dumbbell-shaped DGS. Since the CSRRs are embedded inside the square-shape
defection areas of the DGS the proposed structure is very compact. It has been demon-
strated that the structure has two resonant frequencies that can be independently ad-
justed by manipulating the physical dimensions of the CSRRs and DGS. Having a small
layout area and two independently adjustable resonances makes the structure a useful
component for compact microwave circuits such as wideband filters or double stop-
band filters.

In the second section of the chapter, using an inductively loaded TL model, it has been
shown that an increase in the equivalent inductance characteristic of a CSR results in
an increase in the ratio of the second harmonic to the fundamental resonance frequency
when compared to a complementary open-loop resonator with the same fundamental
resonance frequency. This effect has been used for the design of a narrowband cou-
pled resonators filter. Comparison of the CSR filter with an open-loop resonator filter
shows that while the proposed filter is 65% more compact it provides 85% wider upper
stopband.

Finally, a modified edge-coupled SRR with tapered strip width has been proposed in
the last section of the chapter. The tapered shape, developed based on the current and
voltage distribution in the SRR structure, has enabled us to reduce the SRR electrical
area by 33%. More importantly, it has been shown that the proposed structure with
the same electrical size as a uniform SRR has a stronger resonance with 84% wider
fractional bandwidth. This strong and wideband resonance is required in many appli-
cations such as a wideband filter design.

The realization of high dynamic range displacement and rotation sensors based on
similar shape modifications of metamaterial-inspired resonators will be presented in
the next chapter.

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Chapter 5

Metamaterial-Inspired
Displacement and Rotation
Sensors

B
EYOND the initial goals of creating artificially engineered ma-
terials with electromagnetic constitutive parameters not avail-
able in nature, such as double-negative materials, metama-
terials have opened new perspectives for other novel applications such
as directive antennas and compact filters. Also, it has been shown that
metamaterial-inspired resonators such as split ring resonators (SRRs) are
ideal structures for the design of high sensitivity and high resolution sen-
sors because of the high quality factor of their resonance, subwavelength
dimensions, as well as their sensitivity to changes in surrounding materials
and physical dimensions.

This chapter is focused on the application of metamaterial resonators in

displacement and rotation sensing. To this end, the chapter presents
three different metamaterial-inspired sensors. The first structure is a one-
dimensional displacement sensor based on a diamond-shaped tapered SRR
coupled to a coplanar waveguide (CPW). The second structure is a two-
dimensional displacement sensor based on broadside-coupled SRRs in mi-
crostrip technology. Finally, a rotation sensor based on a horn-shaped SRR
is presented and investigated, as a third structure.

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5.1 Introduction

5.1 Introduction

As mentioned in the previous chapters the concept of metamaterials was originally

proposed for the realization of artificially engineered bulk materials with positive,
near zero, or negative effective permittivity and/or permeability (Pendry et al. 1996,
Pendry et al. 1999, Smith et al. 2000). However, due to their sub-wavelength dimen-
sions, metamaterial fundamental elements such as SRRs, have also found applica-
tions in the design of compact one- and two-dimensional planar circuits such as fil-
ters (Martel et al. 2004, Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2006, Bonache et al. 2006a, Gil et al. 2007,
Velez et al. 2009, Horestani et al. 2011c, Horestani et al. 2012c), couplers (Caloz and
Itoh 2004a, Lai et al. 2004, Jarauta et al. 2006, Liu et al. 2007a, Wang et al. 2007), and an-
tennas (Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2011, Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2012, Paredes et al. 2012), or
to improve the performance of these components (Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2005b, Shi et al.
2012).

It has been also shown that resonators such as the SRR, inspired by metamaterials,
can be used for the design of high sensitivity and high resolution sensors (Huang and
Yang 2011, Huang et al. 2009, Yang et al. 2010). In fact, the high quality factor resonance,
subwavelength dimensions, and the sensitivity of the resonance to the constituent ma-
terials and physical dimensions of the SRR make it an ideal structure for sensing ap-
plications (Withayachumnankul et al. 2012). Furthermore, it has been shown that the
sensitivity of the conventional sensors can be dramatically enhanced by using meta-
material structures (Taya and Shabat 2011).

According to these unique properties, Zheludev (2010) pointed out that sensory de-
vices open another promising area for the future application of metamaterials. This
is evidenced by the increasing number of publications proposing the application of
metamaterial particles in various types of sensors such as chemical sensing with en-
hanced sensitivity (Jakšić et al. 2007), biosensing (He et al. 2005), enhanced molecu-
lar detection techniques based on metamaterials (Cubukcu et al. 2009, Pattnaik et al.
2005), metamaterial-based wireless strain sensors (Melik et al. 2009), dielectric sensing
(Alù et al. 2008) or structural defects detectors based on metamaterial lenses (Shreiber et al.
2011).

In this regard, this chapter presents three different metamaterial-inspired sensors: A

displacement sensor based on a diamond-shaped SRR coupled to a CPW will be pre-
sented in Section 5.2. Section 5.3 proposes a metamaterial-inspired two-dimensional

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

displacement sensor based on broadside-coupled SRRs in microstrip technology. Fi-

nally, Section 5.4 is focused on the application of a horn-shaped SRR coupled to a CPW
to the design of a rotation sensor.

5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Ta-

pered Split Ring Resonator
This section presents a displacement sensor based on a modified SRR coupled to a
CPW. The motivation for such a sensor over traditional methods (e.g. optical interfer-
ometry) is that it is low-cost, passive and hence not sensitive to environmental vari-
ations such as temperature, and easily integrable with , say, MEMS technology. The
basic principle of displacement sensing based on SRRs is first briefly outlined in the
next section. Two significant improvements over previous designs are then proposed
in Section 5.2.2. Firstly, a diamond-shaped SRR is introduced to increase the sensor’s
linearity and dynamic range of displacement sensing. Secondly, compared to a pre-
vious design (Naqui et al. 2011), where the displacement changed both the resonant
frequency and depth of the bandstop notch, a tapered shape SRR is introduced here
to keep a fixed resonant frequency. This is an important improvement since the sen-
sor does not require a frequency sweeping microwave source such as an expensive
network analyzer, but can be operated at a single frequency. It is also demonstrated
that, while retaining a compact size, the proposed sensor benefits from a lower oper-
ating frequency. A physical explanation involving the slot line mode is provided in
Section 5.2.3. The design principle is validated through measurements in Section 5.2.4,
followed by the concluding remarks.

5.2.1 Basic of SRR-based Displacement Sensor

Further to applications in extended array in metamaterial media, single SRRs can be

used along with planar transmission lines (TLs) in filter applications (Martı́n et al.
2003b, Garcı́a-Garcı́a and Martı́n 2004). An SRR coupled to a TL can inhibit the prop-
agation of the electromagnetic wave along the TL in the vicinity of the SRR reso-
nant frequency. This introduces a notch in the transmission spectrum that can be in-
terpreted as due to the negative effective permeability of the structure (Martı́n et al.
2003a). Metamaterial TLs and their sensitivity to slight environmental changes in

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator



(a) (b) (c)

Figure 5.1. CPW loaded with SRRs. Bottom view of a CPW loaded with SRRs, (a) typical
configuration in filter applications, which involves a pair of double ring SRRs under the
CPW slots, (b) one double ring SRR aligned with CPW symmetry plane, (c) one double
ring SRR displaced by d from the symmetry plane of the CPW. Adapted from Naqui et al.
(2011).

their vicinity can be exploited in various types of sensors such as thin-film sensors
(Withayachumnankul et al. 2012, He et al. 2010).

In order to implement SRR-based sensors, two main strategies have been used, both
based on alteration of the resonance properties of SRRs caused by the variable to
be sensed. Firstly, sensing can be based on changes of the resonance frequency of
the SRR, and secondly, it can use the variation of the quality factor of the resonance
(Withayachumnankul et al. 2012). Recently, displacement and rotation sensors based
on the variation in the depth of notch in the transmission spectrum have been proposed
by Naqui et al. (2011). The operation of these sensors relies on the loss of symmetry,
which is caused by a displacement or rotation of an SRR coupled to a CPW.

A typical SRR-loaded CPW configuration consists of a pair of double ring SRRs etched
on the back side of the CPW’s substrate with the centre of double ring SRRs symmetri-
cally located underneath the two slots of the CPW. The SRRs, which are magnetically
coupled to the CPW, inhibit the electromagnetic wave propagation along the CPW in a
narrow band in the vicinity of their resonant frequency (Martı́n et al. 2003a). As shown
in Fig. 5.1.(a), in this case the magnetic fields passing through the surfaces of the two
symmetrical SRRs are contra-directional.

In order to implement a displacement sensor, Naqui et al. (2011) used only a double
ring rectangular SRR etched on the back side of the CPW substrate, and centred below
the CPW line, instead of two SRRs aligned with the CPW’s slots. In the initial posi-
tion, shown in Fig. 5.1.(b), the SRR is therefore perfectly aligned with the symmetry

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

line of the CPW transmission line. Under these conditions, since the total magnetic
flux passing through the surface of the SRR is the vector summation of the fluxes com-
ing from both CPW’s slots, the total magnetic flux passing through the SRR surface is
zero. As a consequence, a symmetrically aligned SRR cannot be excited at resonance,
and consequently there is no spectral notch in the structure’s transmission coefficient.
However, if the symmetry is broken by a lateral displacement d of the SRR, as shown
in Fig. 5.1.(c), a net magnetic flux through the surface of the SRR appears. Thus, a
transmission zero at the resonant frequency of the SRR is expected. Since the depth
of the transmission notch depends on the deviation of the SRR from the symmetry
plane, the amount of the displacement d can be sensed from the magnitude of such a
transmission zero (Naqui et al. 2011).

5.2.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped SRR

In spite of the advantages of the displacement sensor proposed by Naqui et al. (2011)
such as high sensitivity for small values of displacement, the sensor has some limi-
tations, namely, a limited dynamic range and a displacement-dependent shift in the
resonant frequency. The first part of this section proposes a diamond-shaped SRR,
which increases the dynamic range and improves the linearity of the sensor, while the
second subsection addresses the shift in the resonant frequency.

Dynamic Range and Linearity1

The limited dynamic range and non-linearity of the displacement sensor based on a
rectangular SRR can be explained by the geometry. At first, for small values of the
displacement of the rectangular-shaped SRR from the symmetry plane of the CPW,
there is an increase in the amount of the net magnetic flux passing through the SRR
surface. However, while further increasing the displacement, the net magnetic flux
through the SRR surface reaches its maximum when the SRR’s horizontal side passes
the CPW slot. Beyond this point, as demonstrated by simulation and measurement
results by Naqui et al. (2011), the displacement sensor goes into saturation, and only
a minor increase in the notch magnitude can be observed. In fact, as will be shown
later in this section, the linear dynamic range of the displacement sensor based on the
rectangular-shaped SRR is approximately in the order of the CPW slot’s width, s.
1 Note that in this chapter “linearity” refers to the linearity of S21 in “dB” versus the displacement of
the SRR.

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

In order to address the non-linearity and dynamic range limitations, a diamond-shaped

SRR, shown in Fig. 5.2, is proposed. In this case, the magnetic flux through the SRR
surface becomes maximal when the SRR horizontal diagonal is aligned with the CPW’s
slot. Thus, in contrast to the rectangular geometry, the angle between the sides of the
diamond-shaped SRR and the slots of the CPW makes the spatial dynamic range of the
diamond-shaped sensor dependent on the width of the CPW’s signal strip (approxi-
mately half the width of the signal strip). Therefore, a diamond-shaped SRR coupled
to a wide CPW can be used to increase the dynamic range and linearity of the displace-
ment sensor. It is worth recalling that simultaneous increase of the width of the CPW’s
signal strip and its slots maintains the desired 50 Ω characteristic impedance.

Figure 5.2 depicts the bottom view of the proposed displacement sensor, which is com-
posed of a diamond-shaped SRR coupled to a CPW with a relatively wide signal strip.
For a specific design performed using 3D electromagnetic simulations, a 0.127 mm
thick Rogers RO3010 material with relative permittivity of 10.2 and copper thickness
of 17 µm is used as the substrate. The CPW’s signal trace width w is 3.1 mm and the
width of slots is s = 0.3 mm, which correspond to a 50 Ω characteristic impedance.
The horizontal and vertical diagonals of the diamond-shaped SRR are a = 10 mm and
b = 6 mm, respectively. Finally, the width c of the metal strips of the SRR as well as
the SRR’s gap, g, are set to 0.2 mm.

Note that the sensitivity of the sensor not only depends on the geometry of the SRR, but
is also affected by the coupling between the SRR and the CPW. Thus, in order to have
maximum coupling between SRR and CPW, and consequently maximize the sensor’s
sensitivity, a thin substrate with 0.127 mm thickness and high relative permittivity
(ǫr = 10.2) is selected. However, using a thin substrate results in weak inter-coupling
between the inner and outer rings of the SRR, and since there is a small difference
between the length of the inner and outer rings, the second resonance is very close
to the fundamental resonance of the SRR. In order to avoid the effect of the second
resonance a single ring SRR, as shown in Fig. 5.2, is used instead of a double ring SRR
as used by Naqui et al. (2011).

Figure 5.3 depicts the simulated transmission coefficient of the sensor based on the
diamond-shaped SRR for the SRR displacement d varying between 0 mm and 1 mm in
steps of 0.2 mm. As clearly observed from the figure, an increase in the displacement
of the SRR leads to an increase in the notch magnitude, which can be used to sense the
amount of the lateral displacement.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

Figure 5.4 compares the notch magnitude versus the lateral displacement of the SRR in
two different sensors, namely the displacement sensor based on the rectangular SRR
(black dashed line) and the displacement sensor based on the diamond-shaped SRR
(red solid line). It is clear from the simulation results that even though the sensor
with the rectangular-shaped SRR has a high sensitivity for small values of the lateral
displacement it suffers from limited dynamic range of about 0.6 mm. Furthermore,
as mentioned earlier in this section, its linear behaviour is limited to a small range
of displacement, approximately in the order of the CPW slot’s width, s = 0.2 mm. In
contrast, the sensor based on the diamond-shaped SRR benefits from a higher dynamic
range of 1.2 mm and superior linearity within its dynamic range.

In short, the simulation results show that using a diamond-shaped SRR instead of
rectangular-shaped SRR adds one degree of freedom to trade off sensitivity for dy-
namic range and linearity. In other words, the vertical diagonal of the diamond-shaped
SRR b along with the width of the CPW’s signal strip can be adjusted in order to achieve
a linear displacement sensor with desired dynamic range or sensitivity.




 


Figure 5.2. CPW loaded with a diamond-shaped SRR. CPW loaded with a diamond-shaped
SRR (bottom view).

Shift in Resonant Frequency

The second limitation of the displacement sensor based on the rectangular SRR is that
the displacement of the SRR not only changes the notch depth but also the resonant
frequency. As can be seen in Fig. 5.3, this is also the limitation of the diamond-shaped
sensor proposed in the previous subsection. In the following, the displacement sensor
design is further improved so that the resonant frequency remains fixed allowing the

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

0
d = 0 mm
d = 0.2 mm
d = 0.4 mm
d = 0.6 mm
−5 d = 0.8 mm
d = 1.0 mm
(d )

−10
21

−15

−20
1 1.5 2 2.5 3
requen (G )

Figure 5.3. Simulation results. Simulated transmission coefficient of the displacement sensor
based on the diamond-shaped SRR, shown in Fig. 5.2, for different values of displace-
ment of the SRR from d = 0 mm to d = 1.0 mm in steps of 0.2 mm.

0
w
Diamo d−s aped SRR w 3.1 mm
−5

−10
S21 d )

−15

−20

−25

−30
0 02 04 06 08 1 12
Disp aceme t mm)

Figure 5.4. Comparison between the sensors based on rectangular-shaped and diamond-
shaped SRRs. Comparison between the simulated linearity and dynamic range of
displacement sensor based on rectangular-shaped double ring SRR and those of the
displacement sensor based on the diamond-shaped SRR.

amount of displacement to be measured based on the notch magnitude in one fixed

resonant frequency. This is an important improvement since the sensor can then be

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

operated at a single frequency, which allows to bypass the need for a sophisticated
frequency sweeping microwave source and measurement system.

It is worth recalling that in the quasistatic limit the SRR’s fundamental resonant fre-
quency can be approximated from the SRR’s circuit model, which is a parallel LC res-
onator (Marqués et al. 2002). In such circumstances, the equivalent inductance of the
SRR can be calculated from the inductance of a single ring with the average dimen-
sions of the SRR and the equivalent capacitance can be calculated from the capacitance
of the split (Shamonin et al. 2005). However, in the case of the displacement sensor, the
magnetic flux passing through the SRR surface is not uniform. As shown in Fig. 5.3,
this results in a shift of the resonant frequency, which depends on the magnitude of
displacement.

Since the resonant frequency is dependent on the equivalent inductance and capac-
itance of the SRR, it can be shown that a decrease in the horizontal diagonal b of the
SRR can be used to reduce the equivalent inductance of the SRR. This will minimize the
effect of the non-uniformity of the magnetic flux passing through the SRR surface, and
consequently diminish the shift in the resonant frequency. However, as stated above, a
decrease in the diagonals of the SRR degrades the dynamic range and linearity of the
sensor. Furthermore, decreasing the equivalent inductance of the SRR by decreasing
b pushes the operating frequency of the sensor to high frequencies, which is generally
not desirable in sensory applications.

Alternatively, tapering and widening the SRR’s metallic strip, as illustrated in Fig. 5.5,
can be exploited to precisely compensate for the spatial non-uniformity of the magnetic
flux passing through the SRR surface and consequently minimize the shift in the res-
onant frequency. Furthermore, as will be shown later in this section, this also reduces
the operating frequency of the displacement sensor by increasing the SRR’s equivalent
capacitance.

Figure 5.5 depicts the bottom view of the proposed tapered diamond-shaped SRR.
For 3D electromagnetic simulation the substrate properties (ǫr = 10.2, thickness of
0.127 mm), the CPW dimensions (w = 3.1 mm, s = 0.3 mm) and the outer diamond
shape (a = 10 mm, b = 6 mm, and c = g = 0.2 mm) remain unchanged. The only
difference is in the width of the SRR’s metallic strip on both sides of the SRR’s split,
which is optimized to be cc = 8 mm to achieve a fixed resonant frequency.

Figure 5.6 depicts the simulated transmission coefficients versus frequency for the dis-
placement sensor based on the proposed tapered diamond-shaped SRR for different

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

values of the lateral displacement of the SRR from d = 0 mm to d = 1 mm with steps

of 0.2 mm. The figure, clearly illustrates that the shift in the resonant frequency can
be minimized through optimization of the parameter cc . In that cases, all resonances
occur at 1.17 GHz independently of the displacement.

As mentioned earlier in this section, an increase in cc also increases the SRR’s equiv-
alent capacitance. Thus, from the comparison between the resonant frequency in Fig.
5.6, at 1.17 GHz, and those in Fig. 5.3, which are higher than 1.75 GHz, it can be seen
that the proposed tapered shape of the SRR pushes the resonant frequencies to lower
frequencies without increasing the overall size of the SRR. That means that, in addi-
tion to having a fixed resonant frequency, the displacement sensor based on the tapered
diamond-shaped SRR also benefits from a lower operating frequency.





 


Figure 5.5. CPW loaded with a tapered diamond-shaped SRR. CPW loaded with a tapered
diamond shaped SRR (bottom view).

Figure 5.7 depicts the simulated response of the tapered diamond-shaped sensor pre-
sented in Fig. 5.5 versus the lateral displacement of the SRR. The red line represents
the notch magnitude in the transmission coefficient of the structure versus the lateral
displacement of the SRR, and the blue line depicts the transmission coefficient of the
structure at the fixed frequency f = 1.17 GHz. As clearly seen in the figure, for the
SRR displacement less than 1.1 mm the blue line is aligned with the red line, indicat-
ing a dynamic range of 1.1 mm, when it is used at the fixed frequency of 1.17 GHz.
Furthermore, the sensor can achieve wider dynamic range of 1.5 mm if it is not used at
a fixed frequency, i.e along with a frequency sweeping measurement system such as a
network analyzer.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

−5

S21 d ) −10
d = 0 mm
d = 0.2 mm
d = 0.4 mm
−15 d = 0.6 mm
d = 0.8 mm
d = 1.0 mm

−20

−25
0. 0.8 0. 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
re ue c H )

Figure 5.6. Simulated response of the displacement sensor based on the tapered diamond-
shaped SRR. Simulated transmission coefficient of the displacement sensor based on
the tapered diamond-shaped SRR, shown in Fig. 5.5, for different values of displacement
of the SRR.

0
S at = 1.1 H
21
mi S )
−5 21

−10
S21 d )

−15

−20

−25

−30

−35
0 0.2 0.4 0. 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
Disp aceme t mm)

Figure 5.7. Simulated response of the sensor versus displacement. Simulated response of the
displacement sensor based on the tapered diamond-shaped SRR corresponding to notch
magnitude at its minimum (red dashed line), and at the fixed frequency f = 1.17 GHz
(blue solid line)

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

5.2.3 Slotline mode

It is well known that any asymmetry and/or discontinuity in a CPW can excite the slot-
line mode (odd mode) in the line. For instance, the slotline mode is excited in a CPW
at right-angle bends or T-junctions (Dib and Gupta 1993, Simons and Ponchak 1988).
Note that, in all types of displacement sensors described in the previous sections, once
the SRR is displaced from the symmetry plane of the CPW, the slotline mode is excited
due to the asymmetry caused by the displaced SRR. As a result, the magnitude of the
transmission notch becomes dependent on the length of the CPW. In all the presented
simulations, the CPW’s length is set to 30 mm and the CPW is directly connected to
SMA coaxial connectors. In these cases, the length of the line becomes relevant as
the slotline mode is suppressed by the coaxial connectors at both ends of the CPW.
Nevertheless, in the case where a longer length of CPW would be required, the prop-
agation of the slotline mode can be suppressed by adding air-bridges along the CPW
structure on both sides of the SRR, as shown in Fig. 5.8, to connect the two lateral
ground planes and consequently equalize the voltages on two ground planes of the
CPW (Ponchak 2005).

Figure 5.8. Slotline mode suppression. Slotline mode can be suppressed by adding air-bridges
along the CPW structure on both sides of the SRR to connect two ground planes and
consequently equalize the voltages on two ground planes.

5.2.4 Experimental Results

Experimental results are presented to validate the SRR shape variation concept and
electromagnetic simulation results of the previous sections. Due to the high sensitivity
of the proposed sensor to small values of the SRR lateral displacement it is technically

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

complex to perform an experimental validation by fabricating the structure with mov-

ing SRR. Thus, instead of a moveable SRR, several devices with different values of the
SRR displacement are fabricated and measured as a proof-of-concept.

Figure 5.9 depicts the photograph of the top and bottom view of one of the fabricated
samples with d = 0.9 mm displacement from the symmetry plane of CPW. The material
used and the dimensions of the prototype corresponds to the simulation characteristic
given in Section 5.2.2.B. Figure 5.10 depicts the measured transmission coefficients of

(a)

(b)

Figure 5.9. Fabricated prototypes. Photograph of a sample of the fabricated sensors; (a) top view
of the CPW, and (b) the SRR on the back side substrate, which is displaced by 0.9 mm
from the symmetry plane of the CPW.

the sensor based on the tapered SRR for several values of the SRR’s displacement.
The figure shows a fixed resonant frequency at f = 1.13 GHz, which is in reasonable
agreement with the simulation results shown in Fig. 5.6. The small difference between
the measured and simulated resonant frequency can be attributed to variations in the
substrate relative permittivity.

These results demonstrate that unlike in the case of the sensor based on the uniform
diamond-shaped SRR (and rectangular SRR), the resonance in the sensor based on the
tapered SRR occurs as predicted at a fixed frequency f = 1.13 GHz. This also validates
the prediction that in addition to having a fixed resonant frequency, while maintaining

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5.2 Displacement Sensor Based on Diamond-Shaped Tapered Split Ring Resonator

a compact size, the displacement sensor based on the tapered diamond-shaped SRR
also benefits from a lower operating frequency.

In Fig. 5.11, the measured transmission coefficient of the tapered diamond-shaped

sensor versus the lateral displacement of the SRR at fixed frequency f = 1.13 GHz
(blue solid line) is compared with that of the simulation results at fixed frequency f =
1.17 GHz (red dashed line). The graph shows good agreement between measured and
simulated results.

−5
d = 0.1 mm
d = 0.3 mm
−10
d = 0. mm
d = 1.1 mm
−15

−20

−25

−30
0.5 0. 5 1 1.25 1.5 1. 5 2
re ue c H )

Figure 5.10. Measurement results. Measured transmission coefficients of the sensor based on
the tapered diamond-shaped SRR for different values of the SRR displacement. The
measurements are not as well aligned as the simulation in Fig. 5.6 due to the device-
to-device variations. This is a consequence of each displacement requiring a separate
device for this proof-of-concept. A movable SRR fabricated in MEMS technology will
not exhibit this problem.

To investigate the effect of the thermal expansion of the substrate and metallic layers
the transmission coefficient of a particular sample, specifically with 1.1 mm displace-
ment, is measured at different temperatures from 20◦ C to 50◦ C. The measured results,
depicted in Fig. 5.12, show that for a 30◦ C increase in the temperature, the measure-
ment yields only a 1% increase in the resonant frequency of the structure and less than
a 1 dB decrease in the depth of resonance. This demonstrates that the sensor has a good
thermal stability.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

0
measured S21 at = 1.13 H
simu ated S21 at = 1.1 H
−5

−10

S21 d )
−15

−20

−25

−30
0 0.2 0.4 0. 0.8 1
Disp aceme t mm)

Figure 5.11. Comparison between simulated and measured results of the tapered diamond-
shaped sensor. Comparison between the transmission coefficient of the tapered
diamond-shaped sensor versus the lateral displacement of the SRR measured at fixed
frequency f = 1.13 GHz (blue solid line) and those of the simulation results at fixed
frequency f = 1.17 GHz (red dashed line).

0
= 20°C
−5 = 30°C
= 40°C
−10 = 50°C
S21 d )

−15

−20

−25

−30

−35
0.5 0. 5 1 1.25 1.5 1. 5 2
re ue c H )

Figure 5.12. Effect of thermal expansions. Measured transmission coefficient of a 1.1 mm

displaced tapered diamond-shaped sensor for different temperatures from 20◦ C to
50◦ C with steps of 10◦ C.

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5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

The previous section presented a one-dimensional displacement sensor. Recently, a

two-dimensional displacement sensor based on symmetry properties of SRR-loaded
CPW has been proposed as well (Naqui et al. 2012a). In these sensors a displacement
was characterized by measuring the depth of the notch in the transmission coefficient
of the loaded CPW. Other displacement sensors based on the shift of resonance fre-
quency are reported by Mandel and Kubina (2011) and Shaterian et al. (2013). The main
advantage of the sensors based on symmetry properties over those based on the shift
of resonance frequency is that external (ambient) conditions may affect the resonators’
resonance frequency but not the transparency of the loaded lines with perfectly aligned
resonators. Thus, the sensors based on symmetry properties of SRR-loaded CPW are
more robust and specially suited for alignment purposes. However, they have a fun-
damental dynamic range limitation, set by the width of the CPW signal strip.

Thus, this section proposes a high dynamic range two-dimensional displacement sen-
sor. As a basis for this sensor, a one-dimensional displacement sensor based on a
microstrip line loaded with broadside-coupled split-ring resonators (BC-SRRs) is pre-
sented firstly. It is shown that in contrast to the above-mentioned displacement sensors
(Naqui et al. 2011, Horestani et al. 2013b, Naqui et al. 2012a), in which a fundamental
dynamic range limit was dictated by the CPW’s lateral dimension, the proposed sen-
sor has virtually no dynamic range limit. Secondly, it is shown that with modifications
in the geometry of the BC-SRRs, the proposed one-dimensional sensor can be modi-
fied and extended by adding a second element to create a high-dynamic range two-
dimensional displacement sensor. Since the proposed sensors operate based on the
shift in the resonance frequency, rather than the resonance depth, they benefit from a
high immunity to environmental noise, at a cost however of an increased system com-
plexity because of the requirement of sweeping frequency operation. Furthermore,
since the sensors’ principle of operation is based on the deviation from symmetry, they
are more robust to ambient conditions such as changes in the temperature, and thus
they can be used as alignment sensors as well. A prototype of the proposed two-
dimensional sensor is fabricated and the concept and simulation results are validated
through experiment.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

5.3.1 One-Dimensional Displacement Sensor Based on Broadside

Coupled Split Ring Resonators

Figures 5.13(a) and (b) illustrate the side and top view of the one-dimensional displace-
ment sensor (Shaterian et al. 2013), which is composed of a microstrip line loaded with
a pair of BC-SRRs. Each BC-SRR is composed of two U-shaped split-rings printed on
different layers, on top of each other and open in opposite directions. Note that in this
structure one of the rings is printed on the same layer as the microstrip line, so it is
fixed, while the second ring is on the top layer of a second substrate, which can be
displaced along the direction of the microstrip line, as shown by the red arrows in the
figure. The aim of the sensor is to measure this displacement.

The BC-SRR can be modeled as a parallel LC resonator (Marqués et al. 2003), in which
the equivalent capacitance corresponds to the capacitance of the overlapping metallic
area of the two U-shaped rings, and the equivalent inductance corresponds to the rect-
angular loop formed by the two U-shaped rings. The BC-SRR’s resonance frequency is
√
related to its equivalent capacitance and inductance by f = LC. In the configuration
shown in the figure, an increase in the displacement ∆x of the upper ring results in a
decrease in the equivalent capacitance and an increase in the equivalent inductance of
the BC-SRR. However, as shown in the simulation results of Fig. 5.14, the change in the
equivalent capacitance is dominant, which results in a shift of resonance frequency to
higher frequencies. The shift in the resonance frequency can therefore be used to sense
the amount of displacement in x direction. Note that the dynamic range of the sensor
has virtually no intrinsic geometric limitation and can be increased by using longer
BC-SRRs. Dimensions of the simulated structure are listed in the caption of Fig. 5.13.

Figures 5.15(a) and (b) illustrate the side and top views of a novel one-dimensional
sensor, in which the BC-SRRs are rotated such that a lateral displacement increases the
equivalent capacitance of one of the BC-SRRs, while it decreases the equivalent capac-
itance of the other BC-SRR. Also, the equivalent inductance of one of the resonators is
decreased, while that of the other resonator is increased. Therefore, as shown with the
blue solid line in Fig. 5.16, at the initial position, i.e. for ∆y = 0 mm, when the sym-
metry plane of the top substrate is aligned with the symmetry plane of the microstrip
line, both resonators are identical, and only one notch in the transmission coefficient of
the loaded TL appears at f y0 . However, when the symmetry is broken by a lateral dis-
placement of the upper substrate, one of the BC-SRRs becomes smaller than the other

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5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

(a) (b)

Figure 5.13. Layout of a 1-D displacement sensor based on BC-SRRs. (a) Side view and (b)
top view of the displacement sensor based on BC-SRRs. Rogers RO4003 substrates
with relative permittivity of 3.38 and copper metalization with thickness of 35 µm are
used. The thickness of the bottom and top substrates are 1.524 mm and 0.203 mm,
respectively. The width of the microstrip line is w = 3.3 mm which corresponds to a
50 Ω characteristic impedance. Other dimensions of the structure are a = 10.2 mm,
b = 12.4 mm, c = 0.4 mm, and s = 0.2 mm.

-5
Δx=0 mm
|S21|(dB)

-10 Δx=1 mm
Δx=2 mm
Δx=3 mm
-15
Δx=4 mm
Δx=5 mm
-20
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 5.14. Simulated transmission coefficints of the 1-D displacement sensor. Simulated
transmission coefficients of the structure of Fig.5.13 for different values of displacement
from ∆x = 0 mm to ∆x = 5 mm in steps of 1 mm.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

one, resulting in the splitting of the resonance in two notches f y0 and f y1 in the trans-
mission spectrum of the TL. Thus, the frequency difference between the two notches
def
∆ f y = f y1 − f y0 can be used to sense the lateral displacement.

s
w

(a) (b)

Figure 5.15. Layout of the modified 1-D displacement sensor based on BC-SRRs. (a) Side
view and (b) top view of the modified one-dimensional displacement sensor. Rogers
RO4003 substrates with relative permittivity of 3.38 and 35 µm thick copper met-
allization are used. The thickness of the bottom and top substrates are 1.524 mm
and 0.203 mm, respectively. The width of the microstrip line is w = 3.3 mm which
corresponds to a 50 Ω characteristic impedance. Dimensions of the BC-SRRs are as
follows: a = 13.2 mm, b = 12.4 mm, c = 0.4 mm, s = 0.2 mm, and e = 3 mm.

Simulation results show that compared to the previously published displacement sen-
sors (Naqui et al. 2012b, Horestani et al. 2013b) and the displacement sensor of the
previous section, where an intrinsic dynamic range limitation of about 1 mm was dic-
tated by the CPW’s lateral dimensions, the proposed sensor has a much larger dynamic
range of 3 mm, and its dynamic range can be further increased simply by using longer
BC-SRRs. Also, since the proposed sensor operates based on the shift in the resonance
frequency rather than the resonance depth, it benefits from a higher immunity to envi-
ronmental noise (Naqui et al. 2012b). Furthermore, since the operation principle of the
sensor is based on the break in symmetry arising from the displacement, the sensor is
robust to variable ambient conditions such as changes in the temperature, and can be
also used as alignment sensor (Naqui et al. 2012a, Horestani et al. 2013b).

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5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

-5
fy1
|S21|dB)

-10
fy0 Δy=0 mm
Δy=1 mm
-15
Δy=2 mm
Δy=3 mm
-20
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 5.16. Simulated transmission coefficints of the modified 1D displacement sensor.

Simulated transmission coefficients of the structure for different displacements ∆y =
0 mm to ∆y = 5 mm in steps of 1 mm.

5.3.2 Two-Dimensional Displacement Sensor

With some geometrical modifications, the proposed one-dimensional sensor can be ex-
tended to a dual-element configuration operating as a two-dimensional alignment and
displacement sensor. To this end, as shown in Fig. 5.17, one possible strategy is to
introduce a right angle bend in the microstrip line, and etch a pair of BC-SRRs with
orthogonal orientation in each section. The pairs of BC-SRRs need to have different
dimensions to resonate at sufficiently different frequencies such that a displacement
in x direction can be distinguished from that in y direction. Furthermore, the geom-
etry of the resonators needs to be modified so that the resonant frequency is altered
by the displacement in one direction only. To this end, the upper rings are replaced
with straight strips. In this configuration, provided the strips are long enough, the
pair of the modified resonators that are coupled to the horizontal section of the mi-
crostrip line is only sensitive to a displacement in y direction, while the pair of the
modified BC-SRRs coupled to the vertical section of the line is only responsive to a dis-
placement in x direction. In a practical system, in order to avoid abrasion of metallic
layers and substrates, metallic layers are printed face-to-face, and an air gap is added
between the top and bottom substrates, as shown in the side view of Fig. 5.17(a). In
order to increase the coupling between the modified BC-SRRs and the microstrip line,

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

based on the discussion in Section 4.4, the middle section of the U-shaped rings are
narrowed (Horestani et al. 2012b).

c1
ga Pair 2 y
c1 x
e c2
s
w

s
e
a
Pair 1
b1 e e
Bottom substrate
Top substrate

b2
Air gap

(a) (b)

Figure 5.17. Layout of the proposed 2D sensor. (a) Side view and (b) top view of the proposed
two-dimensional displacement sensor. Rogers RO4003 material with relative permit-
tivity ǫr = 3.38 and thickness of 0.81 mm is used for the bottom and top substrates.
The two substrates are separated with a air gap ga = 0.25 mm. The microstrip line
has a width w = 1.85 mm, which corresponds to a 50 Ω line. The dimensions of the
resonators are as follows: a = 12.2 mm, b1 = 15.5 mm, b2 = 10.5 mm, c1 = 2.5 mm,
c2 = 1.2 mm, s = 0.2 mm, and at initial position e = 4.8 mm.

Figure 5.18(a) and (b) depict the simulated response of the proposed two-dimensional
sensor to displacements in x and y directions, respectively. Both sets of simulations are
conducted by using parameters of Rogers RO4003 material with relative permittivity
ǫr = 3.38 and thickness of 0.81 mm for the bottom and top substrates. The two sub-
strates are separated with a 0.25 mm air gap. The structure’s dimensions are listed in
the caption of Fig. 5.17. Figure 5.18(a) depicts the simulated transmission coefficients
of the proposed two-dimensional sensor for different values of displacement in x di-
rection from 0 mm to 3 mm in steps of 1 mm when no displacement in y direction is
applied, i.e. ∆y = 0 mm. At initial position, when both pairs of the modified BC-SRRs
are aligned with the symmetry plane of the corresponding sections of the microstrip
line, only two notches at f x0 and f y0 appear in the transmission spectrum of the line
(blue solid line). The resonance at frequencies f x0 and f y0 are associated with Pair 1

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5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

and Pair 2, respectively. However, as shown in the figure, a displacement in x direc-

tion results in the splitting of the resonance of the Pair 1 in two notches at f x0 and f x1 .
def
The difference between the two frequencies, i.e. ∆ f x = f x1 − f x0 , is increased with
an increase in displacement in x direction, thus it can be used for sensing the value
of ∆x. Similarly, Fig. 5.18(b) shows the simulated transmission coefficients of the pro-
posed sensor for variation of ∆y from 0 mm to 3 mm in steps of 1 mm while the Pair 1
is aligned with the symmetry plane of the vertical section of the microstrip line, i.e.
def
∆x = 0 mm. The figure clearly shows that ∆ f y = f y1 − f y0 increases with ∆y, thus it
can be used for sensing a displacement in y direction.

Δx=0 mm Δx=2 mm Δy=0 mm Δy=2 mm

Δx=1 mm Δx=3 mm Δy=1 mm Δy=3 mm
0 0

-5 -5
|S21| (dB)

|S21| (dB)

-10
fx1 fy1
-10

-15 -15
fx0
fy0 fy0 fx0
-20 -20
1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)

(a) (b)

Figure 5.18. Simulated transmission coefficient of the proposed 2-D sensor. Simulated trans-
mission coefficients of the proposed sensor (a) for different values of displacement in
x direction from 0 mm to 3 mm in steps of 1 mm, while ∆y = 0 mm, and (b) for
different values of displacement in y direction from 0 mm to 3 mm in steps of 1 mm,
while ∆x = 0 mm.

5.3.3 Experimental Results

In order to validate the concept and the simulation results of the previous section,
the designed two-dimensional sensor has been fabricated and measured. Dimensions
of the prototype corresponds to the simulated structure of the previous section, as
given in the caption of Fig. 5.17. Photographs of the top and bottom substrates of
the fabricated prototype are depicted in Figs. 5.19(a) and (b). The measurements have

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

been performed at the Laboratory of GEMMA/CIMITEC, Departament d’Enginyeria

Electronica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain. Fig. 5.20 shows a photograph
of the measurement setup, which is composed of a pair of micrometer actuators for
adjusting the air space between the two substrates, as well as two pairs of micrometer
actuators for accurate displacement in x and y directions.

(a) (b)

Figure 5.19. Fabricated prototypes of the proposed 2D sensor. Photographs of the fabricated
prototype of the proposed two-dimensional sensor (a) top and (b) bottom substrates.

Figure 5.20. Measurement setup for the 2-D displacement sensor. Measurement setup, which
is composed of three sets of micrometer actuators for accurate adjustment of the air
gap between the substrates as well as displacement in x and y directions. The measure-
ments have been performed at the Laboratory of GEMMA/CIMITEC, Departament
d’Enginyeria Electronica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.

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5.3 2-D Displacement Sensor with High Dynamic Range

Figure 5.21(a) depicts the measured transmission coefficients of the sensor for different
values of ∆x = 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm, while the sensor has a fixed displacement
of 2 mm in y direction. The figure shows that while the frequency difference ∆ f x is
increased from 105 MHz to 267 MHz, ∆ f y does not change. Similarly, Fig. 5.21(b),
shows the measured results for a fixed displacement of 0.5 mm in x direction, resulting
in fixed notches at f x0 = 2.5 GHz and f x1 = 2.6 GHz, while ∆y is changed from
1 mm to 3 mm in steps of 1 mm, which can be sensed from the increase in ∆ f y from
95 MHz to 210 MHz. The experiment shows that each pair of the modified BC-SRRs are
exclusively responsive to a displacement either in x or y direction. Thus, the proposed
structure can be efficiently used as a two-dimensional alignment and displacement
sensor. In Figs. 5.22(a) and (b) the measured ∆ f x and ∆ f y versus displacement in x
and y directions, respectively, are compared with those of the simulation results. The
satisfactory agreement between the results validates the concept and the simulations.

Δx=1 mm Δx=3 mm Δy=1 mm Δy=3 mm

Δx=2 mm Δy=2 mm
0 0

-5 -5
fy1 fx1
|S21| (dB)
|S21| (dB)

fy1 fx1 -10

-10

-15
-15
fx0 fy0 fx0
fy0 -20
-20
1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)

(a) (b)

Figure 5.21. Measured transmission coefficients of the 2-D sensor. Measured transmission
coefficients (a) for three different values of displacement in x direction, while ∆y =
2 mm, and (b) for three different values of displacement in y direction, while ∆x =
0.5 mm.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

300 250
sim sim
250 meas meas
200
∆fx (MHz)

∆fy (MHz)
200
150
150
100
100

50 50
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
∆x (mm) ∆y (mm)
(a) (b)

Figure 5.22. Measured transmission coefficients versus displacement of the 2-D sensor.
Comparison between measured and simulated difference frequency versus displace-
ment: (a) f ∆x versus ∆x, and (b) f ∆y versus ∆y.

5.4 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-Shaped Split Ring

Resonator

As shown in Section 5.2, the symmetry properties of an SRR-loaded CPW can be used
for displacement sensing. It has been also shown by Naqui et al. (2011) that the same
principle can be used to the design of SRR-based rotation sensors. As explained in de-
tail by Naqui et al. (2011), a rotation of an SRR coupled to a CPW breaks the symmetry
of the structure, resulting in a notch in the transmission coefficient of the structure.
Since, the depth of the notch is dependent on the rotation of the SRR, this spectral fea-
ture can be used to sense the amount of the rotation. However, one limitation of the
sensor is that a change in rotation not only changes the depth of resonance, but also
causes a shift in the resonance frequency. Thus, the operation of the sensor requires
a frequency sweeping microwave source such as an expensive network analyzer. In
Section 5.2 it was shown that the shift in the resonance frequency in the displacement
sensor based on uniform rectangular SRR is due to the non-uniformity of the magnetic
flux passing through the SRR surface. Thus, the frequency shift can be suppressed
by modifying the shape of the SRR to precisely adjust its equivalent capacitance and
equivalent inductance. This allows the sensor to be operated as an inexpensive single
frequency system.

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5.4 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-Shaped Split Ring Resonator

In this section we show that a similar approach, based on the modification of the SRR
shape, can be used to design a rotation sensor that not only operates at a single fixed
frequency but also benefits from a higher dynamic range and superior linearity.

5.4.1 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-shaped SRR

The proposed rotation sensor is composed of a CPW loaded with a horn-shaped SRR
as illustrated in Fig. 5.23. The design starts by changing the rectangular SRR to a trape-
zoidal SRR, which increases the dynamic range. Next, the SRR sides are curved (as
a 3-point spline) and the curvature is optimized to achieve a linear response. Finally,
the length of the SRR’s split is adjusted to achieve a fixed operating frequency. The
geometric dimensions of the optimized structure are listed in the caption of Fig. 5.23.

Figure 5.24 compares the simulated transmission coefficients of the proposed sensor
(solid lines) with those of a rectangular rotation sensor similar to the rotation sensor
by Naqui et al. (2011) (dashed lines) for a rotation of the SRRs from θ = 0◦ to 6◦ in
steps of 2◦ . The figure clearly shows that while there is an angle-dependent shift in
the resonance frequencies for the rectangular SRR, in the case of the optimized horn-
shaped SRR all notches are at a fixed frequency f = 1.38 GHz.

Figure 5.23. Layout of the proposed horn-shaped rotation sensor. Top view of the CPW
loaded with a horn-shaped SRR. The angle and center of rotation are marked with a
red arrow and a red dot, respectively. For electromagnetic simulation the parameters
of a 0.127 mm thick RO3010 material with relative permittivity of 10.2 and copper
metalization of 35 µm on both sides are used. The dimensions of the 50 Ω CPW and
the horn-shaped SRR are as follows: w = 1.67 mm, s = 0.2 mm, a = 12.6 mm,
b = 7.8 mm, c = 0.2 mm, g = 0.2 mm, d = 1.1 mm, and the optimized value of
cc = 2.4 mm.

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

−2

−4

|S | (dB) −6 θ = 0°
θ = 2°
−8
θ = 4°
21

−10 θ = 6°
θ = 0°
−12 θ = 2°
−14 θ = 4°
θ = 6°
−16
1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 5.24. Simulated transmission coefficients of the horn-shaped rotation sensor. Sim-
ulated transmission coefficients of the horn-shaped rotation sensor (solid lines), and
those of a rectangular-shaped rotation sensor (dashed lines) for the rotation of the
SRRs from θ = 0◦ to 6◦ in steps of 2◦ .

For proof-of-principle experimental validation of the concept, several versions of the

rotation sensors were fabricated on a single substrate with different fixed angles of
rotation ranging from 0◦ to 8◦ . Fig. 5.25 shows the top and bottom view of one of
the samples with θ = 5◦ . The samples are fabricated on a 0.127 mm thick RO3010
material with relative permittivity of 10.2 and 35 µm thick copper metalization. The
dimensions of the prototypes are as given in the caption of Fig. 5.23. Figure 5.26 depicts
the measured transmission coefficients of the sensor for different values of rotation
angle θ = 0◦ , 2◦ , 4◦ , and 6◦ . The figure shows a fixed resonance frequency at f =
1.36 GHz, which is in good agreement with the simulation results shown in Fig. 5.24.

Figure 5.27 compares the rotation angle dependence of the response for the rectangu-
lar and horn-shaped SRR sensors. For the rectangular sensor, the simulated depth of
the notch, i.e. min(|S21|), is shown as a function of the angle. For the proposed horn-
shaped sensor, the simulated transmission coefficients at a fixed frequency ( f = 1.38
GHz) is plotted versus the rotation of the SRR. Additionally in the figure, the horn-
shaped sensor simulations are successfully validated with the corresponding experi-
mental data measured at f = 1.36 GHz. It is worth emphasizing that, for the rect-
angular sensor the center frequency of the notches varies with the angle of rotation.
In contrast, the horn-shaped sensor operates at a fixed frequency, and thus does not

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5.4 Rotation Sensor Based on Horn-Shaped Split Ring Resonator

need a frequency sweeping system. The comparison also shows that, the proposed
sensor benefits from a higher dynamic range which extends to about 7 degrees com-
pared to 5 degrees for the rectangular sensor, and that it has a superior linearity in its
dynamic range. Note that, while the dynamic range of the proposed rotation sensor
has been significantly increased by using a horn-shaped SRR, the proposed rotation
sensor suffers from a fundamental dynamic range limit. Thus, further investigation
on the application of other types of metamaterial-inspired resonators for the design of
rotation sensors with higher dynamic range (such as 0◦ to 360◦ ) is required.

Figure 5.25. Fabricated prototype of the proposed rotation sensor. Top and bottom view of
one of the fabricated samples of the proposed horn-shape rotation sensor with rotation
of θ = 5◦ .

−2

−4

−6
|S21| (dB)

−8

−10 θ = 0°
θ = 2°
−12
θ = 4°
−14 θ = 6°

−16
1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 5.26. Measured transmission coefficients of the horn-shaped sensor. Measured trans-
mission coefficients of the horn-shaped sensor for the rotation of the SRR from θ = 0◦
to 6◦ in steps of 2◦ .

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Chapter 5 Metamaterial-Inspired Displacement and Rotation Sensors

0
Rectangular
−2 Horn−shaped (Simulated)
Horn−shaped (Measured)
−4

|S | (dB) −6

−8
21

−10

−12

−14

−16
0 2 4 6 8
Rotation Angle (degrees)
Figure 5.27. Measured transmission coefficients versus rotation angle of the horn-shaped
sensor. Simulated depth of notch versus rotation angle for the sensor based on rect-
angular SRR (blue dashed line), and the simulated and measured transmission coef-
ficients versus rotation angle for the horn-shaped sensor at a fixed frequency (black
dash-dot line at 1.38 GHz and red solid line at 1.36 GHz, respectively).

5.5 Conclusions

This chapter has presented three different metamaterial-inspired sensors. The first sen-
sor is a displacement sensor based on a diamond-shaped tapered SRR. The proposed
shape modifications of the SRR improved the dynamic range of the sensor from 0.6 mm
to 1.1 mm, which corresponds to an improvement of more than 80%. Also, compared
to the displacement sensor based on a rectangular-shaped SRR, the proposed sensor
has superior linearity. It is also shown that the undesirable shift in the resonant fre-
quency in the characteristic of previous designs can be suppressed with an optimized
tapered diamond-shaped SRR. This is a significant improvement since the sensor does
not require a frequency sweeping microwave source, but can be operated as inexpen-
sive single frequency system. Compared to the previously published displacement
sensors, the proposed sensor also benefits from a lower operating frequency, which is
generally desirable in sensing applications. Good agreement between simulation and
measurement results validates the design principles.

The chapter also presented one- and two-dimensional displacement sensors based on
microstrip lines loaded with broadside-coupled split-ring resonators. The principle of

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5.5 Conclusions

operation of the proposed sensors is based on the splitting of the resonance frequen-
cies caused by a displacement-induced break of symmetry. It has been shown that
compared to the previously published metamaterial-inspired displacement sensors,
the proposed sensors benefit from virtually unlimited dynamic range in displacement.
Furthermore, since the operation principle of the sensors is based on the shift in the
resonance frequency, rather than variation in the depth of notch, the sensors are gen-
erally immune to the environmental noise. Moreover, because the proposed sensors
operate based on the breaking of symmetry, they are also robust to ambient conditions
such as changes in the temperature, and can be also used as one- or two-dimensional
alignment sensors. The concept and simulation results have been validated through
good agreement between the simulated and the experimentally measured response of
the manufactured two-dimensional sensor.

In the last section of the chapter, a rotation sensor based on a horn-shaped SRR has been
presented. It has been shown that compared to previous SRR-based rotation sensors,
the proposed sensor benefits from superior linearity and around 40% higher dynamic
range. More importantly, it has been shown that the undesired frequency shift in the
characteristic of a type of previously proposed metamaterial-inspired rotation sensor
can be suppressed by precisely adjusting the length of the SRR’s split. This is a signifi-
cant improvement since the sensor does not require a frequency sweeping microwave
source, but can be operated as an inexpensive single frequency system. The proposed
sensor is possibly of greater interest in a scaled down structure using MEMS technol-
ogy.

This chapter has been focused on the application of metamaterial-inspired resonators

in the realization of high dynamic range displacement and rotation sensors. In the
next chapter the focus will be placed on the miniaturization of metamaterial-inspired
microwave filters.

Page 138
Chapter 6

S-Shaped Split Ring

Resonator and
Complementary Split Ring
Resonator

T
HE S-shaped split ring resonator (S-SRR) has been proposed as
inclusion for synthesizing left-handed media. Despite its interest-
ing features, the odd symmetry of the S-SRR precludes an axial
magnetic field from exciting the fundamental resonance of the resonator. It
is shown in this chapter that a high level of miniaturization can be achieved
if the fundamental resonance of the particle is excited by contra-directional
magnetic fluxes, which are readily available in CPW technology. This chap-
ter also shows that the complementary counterpart of the particle, i.e., the S-
shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) acts as a compact res-
onator in differential microstrip technology. More importantly, it is shown
that S-CSRRs can be used in the design of differential bandpass filters that
inherently suppress the common-mode noise.

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6.1 Introduction

6.1 Introduction

As shown in the previous chapters, beside the application of the SRRs, CSRRs and
other related particles in the synthesis of different types of bulk metamaterials with en-
gineered electromagnetic properties, these resonators have been also used in the design
of one- and two-dimensional planar circuits. In many cases effective media theory is
not applicable, because the planar circuit is loaded with only a few resonators. Never-
theless, the key in the application of these resonators to the synthesis of metamaterial-
inspired planar circuits is their small electrical size compared to the operating wave-
length. As a consequence, these resonators can be considered as quasi-lumped ele-
ments that makes them especially interesting for the miniaturization of planar mi-
crowave structures and circuits such as filters (Martel et al. 2004, Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al.
2006, Bonache et al. 2006a, Gil et al. 2007, Velez et al. 2009, Horestani et al. 2012c), cou-
plers (Jarauta et al. 2006), sensors (Naqui et al. 2011, Schueler et al. 2012, Naqui et al.
2012a, Withayachumnankul et al. 2012, Withayachumnankul et al. 2013, Horestani et al.
2013b), and antennas (Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2011, Herraiz-Martı́nez et al. 2012, Pare-
des et al. 2012) or to improve the performance of these components (Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al.
2005b, Shi et al. 2012).

In view of both the homogenized behavior of three-dimensional metamaterial, and

quasi-lumped element in planar circuits, it is crucial for the unit resonator of the media
to be much smaller than the operating wavelength at resonance. To this end, while
maintaining the SRR physical size, the resonator’s equivalent capacitance C or/and
√
inductance L, which are related to the resonance frequency by f 0 = 1/(2π LC ), must
be increased. The increase in the equivalent capacitance can be achieved either by nar-
rowing the resonator’s gap or decreasing inter-ring space, or by loading the resonator
with lumped or semi-lumped capacitors, which for extreme values has limitations in
terms of fabrication (Lin and Cui 2008, Withayachumnankul et al. 2010). Achieving
a larger equivalent inductance by using narrower metallic rings has the same limita-
tions, and additionally increases the resonator’s Ohmic loss (Horestani et al. 2012b).
A more efficient approach for the miniaturization of metamaterial resonators is to
modify shape of the SRR to accommodate a higher equivalent capacitance and/or
inductance. For instance, with a comparable dimension a higher equivalent capaci-
tance can be obtained by using broadside-coupled SRRs, compared to edge-coupled
SRRs (Marqués et al. 2002). The unit cell can be further miniaturized by modifying
the SRR to spiral resonator (SR), multiple split ring resonator (MSRRs) or S-shaped

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

split ring resonator (S-SRR) (Chen et al. 2004, Falcone et al. 2004c, Chen et al. 2005a,
Chen et al. 2005b, Chen et al. 2006b).

Despite the interesting feature of the bimetal S-SRR as inclusion for synthesizing left-
handed media (Chen et al. 2004) , to the knowledge of the author, there has been no
work on the application of single-layer S-SRR in planar circuits. The reason essen-
tially arise from the odd symmetry of the S-SRR, which precludes an axial magnetic
field from exciting the fundamental resonance of the resonator. It is shown in this
chapter that a high level of miniaturization can be achieved in a single-layer S-SRR, if
the loops of the S-SRR are excited by contra-directional magnetic fluxes, which makes
the S-SRR very well suited for application in coplanar waveguide (CPW) technology.
Furthermore, the proposed S-SRR is a single layer resonator that does not have the fab-
rication complexity of multi-layer S-SRRs (Chen et al. 2004). The combination of those
two features makes the resonator ideally suited for the synthesis of different types of
miniaturized filters in CPW technology.

The chapter also proposes the dual counterpart of the S-shaped split ring resonator, i.e.,
S-shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) for application in the design
of differential filters. It is shown that compared to the conventional configuration of
CSRRs in differential microstrip technology, the proposed resonator benefits from a
high level of miniaturization when excited by the contra-directional electric fields of a
differential microstrip line. More importantly, it is shown that S-CSRRs can be used in
the design of bandpass filters that suppress the common-mode noise inherently.

The chapter is organized as follows. The principle of even mode excitation of S-SRR in
CPW technology is explained in Section 6.2, with demonstration of the achievable size
reduction compared to edge-coupled SRRs. A corresponding circuit model and its pa-
rameter extraction method are introduced and validated through electromagnetic sim-
ulations. The methodology to design bandpass filters based on S-SRR loaded CPWs
is presented in Section 6.3, firstly based on impedance inverters and secondly on cou-
pled resonators theory. Prototypes of both S-SRR based filters have been fabricated and
their performance has been measured. The satisfactory agreement between simulation
and measurements experimentally validates the methodology.

Section 6.4 is focused on the S-shaped CSRR. The working principle of the resonator
is explained and a circuit model is developed and validated through electromagnetic
simulations. In Section 6.5 it is shown that an S-CSRR-loaded differential microstrip

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6.2 S-Shaped SRR and its Application to Compact Bandpass Filter Design

line with series gaps can be used in the design of compact differential bandpass fil-
ters with common-mode suppression. The filter design procedure is explained and
the theoretical concept is validated through fabrication and measurement of a compact
(0.09λ g × 0.25λ g ) third-order differential bandpass filter with common-mode suppres-
sion. Finally, the main conclusions of the study are highlighted in Section 6.6.

6.2 S-Shaped Split Ring Resonator and its Application

to Compact Bandpass Filter Design
The first part of this section focuses on the working principle of S-SRRs in CPW tech-
nology, and discusses the achieved level of miniaturization of the proposed S-SRR com-
pared to conventional SRR. A circuit model and its parameter extraction method are
presented in the second subsection.

6.2.1 S-SRR Operation Principle

Fig. 6.1(a) illustrates a layout of the typical configuration of SRR-loaded CPW for fil-
ter applications. It consists of a pair of double ring SRRs etched on the back side of
the CPWs substrate, with the center of the rings symmetrically located underneath
the two slots of the CPW. As shown in the figure, the CPW’s magnetic field is in-
duced in the inner region of the SRRs in this configuration, and electromagnetic wave
propagation along the CPW is inhibited in a narrow band in the vicinity of the SRR
resonance frequency (Martı́n et al. 2003b, Martı́n et al. 2003a). It is emphasized that,
in this configuration the magnetic fields passing through the surfaces of the two sym-
metrical SRRs are contra-directional. Thus, as suggested in Fig. 6.1(b), if the CPW
is loaded only with a double ring SRR etched on the back side of the substrate, and
centered below the CPW line, the net magnetic flux passing through the surface of
the SRR is zero. Hence, an SRR aligned with the symmetry plane of the CPW is
not excited and does not create a spectral notch in the transmission coefficient of the
CPW. Nevertheless, because of its sensitivity to the breaking of symmetry, the struc-
ture can be used as a rotation or displacement sensor or as a radio frequency bar
code (Naqui et al. 2012a, Naqui et al. 2012a, Horestani et al. 2013b).

In contrast, the operation principle of the S-shaped SRR takes advantage of the contra-
directional magnetic fields of the two slots of the CPW. To this end, the two SRRs in

Page 142
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 6.1. CPW loaded with SRRs or S-SRR. Bottom view of a coplanar waveguide loaded with
various types of SRRs: (a) typical configuration in filter applications, which involves a
pair of double ring SRRs under the CPW slots, (b) one double ring SRR aligned with
CPW symmetry plane, (c) an S-shaped SRR.

the configuration of Fig. 6.1(a) are etched face-to-face so that they can be connected
to form the S-shaped SRR, as shown in Fig. 6.1(c). In this configuration the currents
induced by the contra-directional magnetic fields of the CPW’s slots in both rings of
the S-SRR are in same direction, and thus the structure can be excited by the CPW
fields at resonance. Note that the equivalent inductance of the S-SRR is at least a factor
of two larger than that of the pair of conventional SRRs with the same physical size,
which allows attaining a lower resonance frequency, and thus effectively miniaturize
the resonant element.

In order to investigate through simulation the achieved level of miniaturization, rect-

angular SRR and S-SRR are used as a test case for the sake of simplicity. The layout of
the CPW loaded with the rectangular S-SRR is illustrated in Fig. 6.2. A 0.635 mm thick
Rogers RO3010 material with relative permittivity of 10.2 and 35 µm thick copper met-
alization is used as the substrate. The CPW’s central strip width w is 4.8 mm and the
slots’ width is s = 1 mm, which correspond to a 50 Ω characteristic impedance. The
dimensions of the S-SRR are a = 6.2 mm, b = 5.7 mm, c = 0.2 mm, g = 1 mm, and
the space between the two connected rings is d = 0.2 mm. For comparison purposes,
a CPW loaded with a pair of SRRs with the same dimensions (not shown in the figure)
is simulated as well.

Fig. 6.3 compares the simulated transmission and reflection coefficients of the CPW
loaded with the two different resonator configuration, i.e., a pair of SRRs and the S-SRR
(dashed lines and solid lines, respectively). As clearly observed from the graph, the

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6.2 S-Shaped SRR and its Application to Compact Bandpass Filter Design

s b
g
w d
c

Figure 6.2. CPW loaded with a rectangular S-SRR. A coplanar waveguide loaded with a rect-
angular S-SRR. CPW is depicted in gray, whereas the S-SRR on the backside of the
substrate is depicted in black.

resonance frequency of the S-SRR is at f = 1.24 GHz, while the pair of the SRRs with
the same physical dimensions resonates at more than twice that frequency at 2.81 GHz.

6.2.2 Circuit Model and Parameter Extraction

Let us now focus on the equivalent circuit model for the structure of Fig. 6.2. The
lumped element equivalent circuit model of the structure in CPW mode is depicted in
Fig. 6.4(a). For clarity, the circuit model of a CPW loaded with an SRR which is sym-
metrically etched on the backside of the substrate, shown in Fig. 6.1(b), is also depicted
in Fig. 6.5(a). Both models are drawn symmetrically with respect to the symmetry
plane of the CPW. Note that, L and C are the per-section equivalent inductance and
capacitance of the CPW, while the resonators are modeled by capacitance Cs and in-
ductance Ls which are coupled to the CPW through the mutual inductance M. Note
that in the circuit model of the CPW loaded with a symmetrically etched SRR, shown
in Fig. 6.5(a), the currents induced by the CPW in the inductors of the SRR model are
in opposite directions. Thus, for the CPW (even) mode, the current in the middle of
the ring is zero, the ring can be considered as open circuit and the circuit model can be
simplified to that depicted in Fig. 6.5(b). From the simplified circuit model it is clear

Page 144
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

|S11|, |S21| (dB)

21
−20
S
21
S
11 S
−40 11
Pair of SRRs
S−SRR
−60
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 6.3. Comparison between the simulated S21 and S11 of the SRR-loaded CPW and
those of the S-SRR-loaded CPW. Comparison between the simulated transmission
and reflection coefficients of the CPW loaded with an S-SRR (solid lines) with those of a
CPW loaded with a pair of SRRs with the same physical size (dashed lines). Simulation
results clearly show that the resonance frequency of the S-SRR is less than half of the
resonance frequency of the pair of SRRs.

that the structure is transparent to the propagation of electromagnetic waves. In con-

trast, it is clear from Fig. 6.4(a) that due to the twisted structure, induced currents in
the inductors of the S-SRR model are in same direction. Thus, the S-SRR is excited at
resonance and the circuit model can be simplified to the equivalent circuit of Fig. 6.4(b),
where, L′s = ω02 M2 Cs , Cs′ = Ls /(ω02 M2 ), L′ = L − L′s , and the resonance frequency is
ω02 = 1/( Ls Cs ) = 1/( L′s Cs′ ) (Martı́n et al. 2003a, Aznar et al. 2008b).

In order to validate the proposed model, the electromagnetic simulation results of

Fig. 6.3, which corresponds to the S-SRR loaded CPW of Fig. 6.2 are considered, and
the parameters of the simplified equivalent circuit model of Fig. 6.4(b) are extracted
following the procedure explained by Aznar et al. (2008b). The extracted parameters
are as follows: C = 3.36 pF, L′ = 1.94 nH, Cs′ = 56.7 pF , and L′s = 0.29 nH. Fig. 6.6
shows a good agreement between the amplitude and phase of the transmission and
reflection coefficients obtained from the circuit model and those from the electromag-
netic simulations, validating the circuit model and the parameter extraction method.

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6.2 S-Shaped SRR and its Application to Compact Bandpass Filter Design

C/4 C/4
2L

M
Ls'
Ls/2 2Cs
L'

2Cs Ls/2 C/2 C/2

Cs'
M

2L
C/4 C/4

(a) (b)

Figure 6.4. Equivalent circuit model of the S-SRR loaded CPW. (a) Lumped element equiv-
alent circuit model of the S-SRR loaded CPW. Note that due to the twisted structure,
induced currents in the inductors of the S-SRR model are in the same direction. Thus
the resonator is excited. (b) The simplified circuit model of the structure.

6.2.3 CPWs Loaded with S-SRRs and Series Gaps

It is known that SRRs or CSRRs coupled to a transmission line can inhibit, in the
vicinity of their resonance, the propagation of electromagnetic waves along the line.
This bandstop can be interpreted as the spectrum where the SRR/CSRR loaded trans-
mission line behaves as a single-negative one-dimensional media. It has been shown
in (Martı́n et al. 2003a, Falcone et al. 2004c, Bonache et al. 2004) that this behavior can
be switched to a bandpass behavior simply by introducing an extra element. Depend-
ing on the resonator type, which could be SRR or CSRR and the introduced element,
which could be series capacitor or shunt inductor, the resulting bandpass structure
can support either left-handed or right-handed waves. A typical layout is depicted
in Fig. 6.7(a), where the extremes of the S-SRR are expanded to become rectangular
patches, laying on top of the CPW central strip. These patches help to enhance the
electric coupling, which is the dominant coupling mechanism between the line and
the S-SRR since the line current is minimized due to the presence of the gap. In order
to suppress the propagation of the slot mode, while avoiding the added complexity
associated with the fabrication of air-bridges, the ground planes are connected by a

Page 146
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

C/4 C/4
2L

Ls/2 2Cs L

Ls/2 2Cs
C/2 C/2
M

2L
C/4 C/4

(a) (b)

Figure 6.5. Equivalent circuit model of the SRR loaded CPW. (a) Lumped element equivalent
circuit model of the CPW loaded with an SRR, which is aligned with the symmetry plane
of the CPW. Note that in this case, induced currents in the inductors of the S-SRR
model are in opposite directions. Thus the resonator is not excited. (b) The simplified
circuit model of the structure at frequencies around the resonance frequency, identical
to a section of transmission line.

narrow strip though the CPW’s series gap. The proposed lumped element equivalent
circuit model of the structure is depicted in Fig. 6.7(b). The physical interpretation of
the different circuit parameters is as follows: L and C are the equivalent inductance
and capacitance of the CPW section, while the CPW gap is modeled with Cg . The
equivalent inductance of the S-SRR is represented by Ls . The capacitance between the
S-SRR patches is modeled by C pat , and the electric coupling between the S-SRR and
CPW is modeled with Cs . To extract the six unknown parameters of the circuit model,
we first extract L and Cg from EM simulation of the gap-loaded CPW without S-SRR.
Then, the remaining four unknowns can be univocally extracted following the proce-
dure in (Aznar et al. 2008b). This circuit can be simplified to that depicted in Fig. 6.7(c)
by using transformation equations also given in the figure. To validate the equivalent
circuit model, a comparison between circuit simulation with extracted parameters and
full wave simulation of the structure of Fig. 6.7(a) is depicted in Fig. 6.8(b). The phys-
ical dimensions of the structure and the extracted circuit parameters are listed in the

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6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology

|S11|, |S21| (dB) −20

S
21
−40
Circuit Sim
S11
EM Sim
−60
100
S , S phase (deg)

Circuit Sim
EM Sim
0
S21
21

−100
S11
11

−200
1 1.5 2
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 6.6. Comparison between circuit simulation and EM simulation results of the S-SRR
loaded CPW structure. Comparison of the transmission and reflection coefficients
from the proposed circuit model and those from electromagnetic simulation of the S-
SRR loaded CPW structure. Top: amplitude, bottom: phase.

caption of Fig. 6.7. The very good agreement in the region of interest validates the
proposed model.

6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW

Technology
The main aim of this section is to demonstrate the potential of the S-SRR for the syn-
thesis and design of miniaturized microwave bandpass filters in CPW technology. To
this end, in the following subsections two types of bandpass filters based on S-SRRs
are synthesized. In both cases the design and synthesis procedures are explained and
validated through electromagnetic simulations and experiment.

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

c
b1
g

b2 cc
e
Connecting
Strip

l
(a)

Cg
L/2 L/2
Cpat
C/2 C/2
2Cs L s/2 L s/2 2Cs

(b)

Cp L

C/2 C/2
L s' Cs'

(c)

Figure 6.7. Layout and equivalent circuit models of the S-SRR/gap loaded CPW. (a) CPW
loaded with a S-SRR and a series gap. A 0.635 mm thick Rogers RO3010 material with
relative permittivity of 10.2 is used for EM simulations. The dimensions (in mm) of the
structure are w = 4.8, s = 1, a = 6.2, b1 = 4.2, b2 = 3.2, c = 0.2, cc = 1.4,
e = 0.4, and g = 0.8. (b) lumped element equivalent circuit model, and (c) simplified
circuit model. The extracted parameters are as follows: L = 1 nH and C = 4.15 pF,
Cg = 0.1 pF, C pat = 0.14 pF, Ls = 51 nH, and Cs = 0.29 pF.

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6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology

|S11|, |S21| (dB)

−20
S
21
−40 S
11
Circuit Sim
−60 EM Sim

200
S11, S21 phase (deg)

Circuit Sim
EM Sim

0 S
21
S
11

−200
0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 6.8. Comparison between circuit simulation and EM simulation results of the S-
SRR/gap loaded CPW structure. Comparison of the transmission and reflection
coefficients from the proposed circuit model and those from electromagnetic simulation
of the S-SRR/gap loaded CPW structure. Top: amplitude, bottom: phase.

6.3.1 Band-pass Filter based on Impedance Inverters

As the first prototype device example for the application of the S-SRR, a bandpass filter
based on impedance inverters is designed and synthesized. By coupling unit cells of
Fig. 6.7(a) through impedance inverters, bandpass filters described by the network of
Fig. 6.9 can be synthesized. In this configuration, the filter’s unit cell is composed of the
CPW section, which is loaded with series gap and S-SRR, whereas the feeding lines, in
conjunction with the feeding lines of the adjacent cells, act as 90◦ impedance inverters
with normalized impedance of K = 1. Note the filter cell also exhibits a transmission
zero (see Fig. 6.8) that is interesting to enhance the filter selectivity above the passband.

The design procedure starts from optimization of the geometric dimensions of the unit
cell to achieve the resonance at the central frequency of the filter. The filter’s fractional

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

Ls1 Cs1 Ls2 Cs2 Lsn Csn

Z0 K0,1 K1,2 K2,3 Kn,n+1 Zn+1

Figure 6.9. Generalized network of a bandpass filter. The generalized bandpass filter network
using impedance inverters.

bandwidth (FBW) is controlled by the reactance slope of the resonators, while the feed-
ing lines are de-embedded to the edges of the S-SRR (i.e. l = a), through [22]
s
FBWx1
K0,1 = ,
g0 g1
s
FBWxn (6.1)
Kn,n+1 = ,
gn gn +1
xi xi +1
r
Ki,i +1 = FBW ,
gi gi + 1

where gi ’s are the elements of the lowpass filter prototype and the reactance slope of
the resonator can be obtained from electromagnetic simulations by using

ω0 dXi (ω )
xi = | ω = ω0 , (6.2)
2 dω
where Xi (ω ) is the reactance of the unit cell. The optimization of the resonator’s di-
mensions have been aided with the circuit model since simulations at the circuit level
are faster and the effect of the geometry to the circuit parameters is known.

Once the dimensions of the resonators are optimized to satisfy the resonance frequency
and the reactance slope, the length of the feeding lines should be optimized to achieve
a 90◦ phase shift from port one to port two of the unit cell at resonance frequency. This
procedure is repeated for all unit cells, and finally the filter can be simply realized by
cascading the designed unit cells.

To demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, a third-order periodic (although,

this is not mandatory from the design point of view) bandpass filter with 6% FBW, rip-
ple of 0.16 dB and central frequency of 1.1 GHz is designed. Since the filter is periodic,
all resonators are identical with the same gi = g and consequently same reactance
slope. The value of g is obtained to be 1.155 by forcing a third-order lowpass filter
prototype with identical element values to exhibit a cutoff frequency at ω = 1 rad/s
while having 0.16 dB in-band ripple. The dimensions of the resonator are optimized
to achieve the reactance slope that is calculated from substituting g = 1.155 in (6.1).

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6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology

To this end, as shown in Fig. 6.7(a) the parameters a or b1 can be used to adjust the
equivalent inductance of the resonator while the parameter cc controls its equivalent
capacitance. A 0.635 mm thick Rogers RO3010 material with relative permittivity of
10.2 is used as the substrate. The CPW’s central strip width is w = 4.8 mm and the
slots’ width is s = 1 mm, which correspond to a 50 Ω characteristic impedance. The
optimized dimensions of the resonator that meets the required resonance frequency
and the reactance slope are a = 6.2 mm, b1 = 4.2 mm, b2 = 3.2 mm, c = 0.2 mm,
cc = 1.4 mm, and g = 0.8 mm.

The next step is to optimize the length of the feeding CPWs on both sides of the res-
onator to obtain a 90◦ phase shift between port one and port two of the structure. The
filter layout, which is composed of three unit cells is depicted in Fig. 6.10. The lon-
gitudinal dimension of each unit cell is l = 22.5 mm. Similarly, the circuit model of
the filter can be realized by alternatively cascading the circuit model of the three unit
cells and impedance inverters. Fig. 6.11 compares the transmission and reflection coef-
ficients of the filter’s circuit model to those from the electromagnetic simulation of the
device. The figure shows a very good agreement between the results in a sufficiently
wide band around the filter’s center frequency.

Figure 6.10. Layout of the third order periodic bandpass filter. Layout of the third order
periodic bandpass filter using S-SRR loaded CPW and impedance inverters. Note
that in order to suppress the propagation of the slotline mode, the ground planes are
connected by a narrow strip though the CPW’s series gaps.

It is worth mentioning that since the S-SRR is not a symmetric structure, the parasitic
slotline mode may be excited in the CPW. The propagation of the slotline mode can

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

0
S , EM Sim
11
S , EM Sim

|S |, |S | (dB)
21
−20 S , Circ Sim
11
S , Circ Sim
21 21
S21
−40
11

S11

−60
0.8 1.1 1.4
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 6.11. Comparison between circuit and EM simulation of the 3rd order filter. Com-
parison between transmission and reflection coefficients of circuit (dashed lines) and
electromagnetic (solid lines) simulations of the third order periodic bandpass filter
based on S-SRR-loaded CPW.

be suppressed by adding air-bridges along the CPW structure on both sides of each S-
SRR to connect the ground planes and consequently equalize their voltages. However,
specifically in this design, in order to avoid the added complexity associated with the
fabrication of air-bridges, the ground planes are connected by a narrow strip though
the CPW’s series gaps, as shown in the filter layout of Fig. 6.10. The width of the strip
is e = 0.4 mm.

Fig. 6.12 shows the top and bottom photographs of the fabricated filter. The lateral
and longitudinal dimensions of the filter are 12 mm and 52 mm, respectively (i.e.
0.32λ g × 0.08λ g where λ g is the guided wavelength). The frequency responses ob-
tained from electromagnetic simulation and measurement are depicted in Fig. 6.13.
The figure shows a satisfactory agreement between the results. Note that the simula-
tion results correspond to the case of a lossless device. By using the measured insertion
loss at the center frequency of the filter in dB, i.e., ∆L A0 = 3.5 dB, the S-SRR’s unloaded
quality factor Qul = 80 is calculated from Hong and Lancaster (2001)

n
1
∆L′A0 = 4.343 ∑ gi dB, (6.3)
i =1
FBWQ ul

where Qul is the unloaded quality factor of the resonator, gi ’s are the elements of the
lowpass prototype and n is the order of filter.

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6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology

Note that the electromagnetic simulation results correspond to the case of a lossless
device. The simulated results, while excluding the conductor and substrate losses,
confirm that radiation losses are not significant.

(a) (b)

Figure 6.12. Fabricated prototype of the 3rd order periodic fitler. Top (a) and bottom (b)
photograph of the fabricated third order periodic bandpass filter.

0
S oss ess sim
11
S oss ess sim
21
S11 S21 d )

−20 S
11
eas
S eas
21
S21

−40 S11

− 0
0.8 1.1 1.4 1.7 2
re ue c H )
Figure 6.13. Simulated and Measured S21 and S11 of the 3rd order periodic filter. Simulated
(dashed lines) and measured (solid lines) transmission and reflection coefficients of
the third-order periodic filter of Fig. 6.12 based on S-SRR loaded CPW. Note that the
simulated results correspond to the case of a lossless device.

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

6.3.2 Band-pass Filter Based on the Theory of Coupled Resonators

Despite the wide application of conventional bandpass structures based on end-coupled

or parallel-coupled half-wavelength resonators, because of their relatively large size,
great efforts have been devoted to the miniaturization of this type of filters, for instance
by means of slow-wave or metamaterial-inspired structures (Hong and Lancaster 1997,
Garcı́a-Garcı́a et al. 2006, Horestani et al. 2012c). Here it is shown that S-SRRs can be
used as the miniaturized resonator elements in the design of bandpass filters based on
the coupling theory.

To this end, a third order Chebyshev filter prototype is designed to meet the following
specifications: center frequency f 0 = 1.1 GHz, bandwidth of 80 MHz, and a maximum
passband ripple of 0.2 dB. Given the filter specifications, the coupling coefficients M12 ,
and M23 and the external quality factors Qe1 and Qe3 are obtained from Matthaei et al.
(1963)

g0 g1 g3 g4
Qe1 = , Qe3 = , (6.4)
FBW FBW
FBW FBW
M12 =√ , M23 =√ , (6.5)
g1 g2 g2 g3

where gi ’s are the Chebyshev lowpass prototype elements and FBW denotes the frac-
tional bandwidth of the filter. Using these equations, the filter specifications are achieved
using the external quality factors Qe1 = Qe3 = 17 and the coupling coefficients
M12 = M23 = 0.061.

Fig. 6.14 illustrates the geometry of the filter, which is composed of two open ended
CPWs (shown in gray shading) that are coupled through three S-SRRs etched on the
backside of the substrate (shown in black color). In this configuration the coupling
coefficients can be adjusted by changing the space between the S-SRRs, denoted as d
in the figure, and the required external quality factor can be achieved by changing the
area where the open-ended CPW and the S-SRRs are overlapped, i.e., by slightly dis-
placing the full S-SRR either on the left or the right of the CPW open end. Note that
since in this configuration open-ended CPWs are used, the dominant coupling mech-
anism between the CPW and the first and the last resonators is an electric coupling.
Thus, alternatively the S-SRR is horizontally centered onto the open end of the CPW
and the width of the capacitive parts of the S-SRR cc can be adjusted to achieve the
desired external quality factor.

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6.3 Application to Miniaturized Band-pass Filters in CPW Technology

The latter approach is applied in this example and the external quality factor and cou-
pling coefficients are characterized through electromagnetic simulations from follow-
ing equations (Matthaei et al. 1963)

2π f 0 τ11 (ω0 )
Qe = , (6.6)
4
where f 0 is the resonant frequency and τ11 (ω0 ) is the group delay of S11 at resonance
frequency, and

f 22 − f 12
Mij = , (6.7)
f 22 + f 12

where, f 2 and f 1 are the two resonance frequencies of the pair of coupled resonators
while they are weakly coupled to the open-ended CPWs.

The dimensions of the CPW are w = 4.8 mm and s = 1 mm, which corresponds to
a characteristic impedance of 50 Ω on a 0.635 mm thick Rogers RO3010 material with
relative permittivity of 10.2. Dimensions of the S-SRRs are as follows: a = 6.2 mm,
b1 = 4.2 mm, b2 = 3.2 mm, c = 0.2 mm and e = 0.8 mm. The simulated external
quality factor Qe as a function of the S-SRR’s dimension cc and the coupling coefficient
Mij as a function of the distance between a pair of S-SRRs d are depicted in Fig. 6.15 (a)
and (b), respectively. The figure shows that in order to meet the required external qual-
ity factor Qe1 = Qe2 = 17 and coupling coefficients M12 = M23 = 0.061, required
by the filter specifications, cc needs to be 1.4 mm, and the space between the resonators
d needs to be set to 0.3 mm.

Fig. 6.16 depicts the photograph of the top and bottom view of the fabricated sam-
ple. The active area of the device has a longitudinal length of 19.2 mm and transverse
length of 11.6 mm, i.e. 0.12 λ g by 0.08 λ g , where λ g is the guided wavelength. Fig. 6.17
compares the simulated and measured transmission and reflection coefficients of the
filter. The figure shows a good agreement between the simulated and measured re-
sults, whereas the filter in-band measured insertion loss of 2.5 dB can accurately be
predicted from (6.3).

In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed filters, Table 6.2 provides a com-
parison between the measured characteristics of the proposed filters to those of state-
of-the-art narrow bandpass CPW filters. The table shows that in comparison to band-
pass filters with similar order and fractional bandwidth, the filter based on S-shaped
SRR/gap-loaded CPW (structure of Fig. 6.12) has a slightly high insertion loss. This

Page 156
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

a
c

b1
s cc

w b2

Figure 6.14. Layout of the third order coupled resonator bandpass filter. Layout of the third
order coupled resonator bandpass filter based on S-SRRs.

can be attributed to the fabrication tolerance and inaccuracy of the substrate relative
permittivity. However, in comparison to other filters listed in the table, the filter is more
compact in size. Table 6.2 also shows that in comparison to the state-of-the-art narrow
bandpass CPW filters, the proposed third-order filter based on coupled S-shaped SRRs
(structure of Fig. 6.16) benefits from a good in-band insertion loss of 2.5 dB as well as
a highly compact size. Overall, the comparison clearly shows that, while the proposed
filters (especially the filter based on coupled SRRs) have very compact sizes, they have
reasonably good in-band insertion losses for their order and FBW.

6.4 S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Compact Dif-

ferential Bandpass Filters

Transmission of high-speed digital and analog signals in differential mode is proven to

be the most efficient method to increase the signal immunity to environmental noise,
electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk. However, in practical differential
systems, the presence of some level of common-mode noise is unavoidable (Wu et al.
2009). Thus, a differential-to-differential balanced filter that passes the desired fre-
quency response of the differential signal, while suppressing the common-mode noise

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6.4 S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Differential Bandpass Filters

60
Qe
40

20
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
c (mm)
c

(a)
0.1

0.08
Mij

0.06

0.04

0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

d (mm)
(b)

Figure 6.15. External quality factor and coupling coefficient parametric study. (a) The exter-
nal quality factor of the S-SRR resonator coupled to an open-ended CPW for different
values of cc , and (b) the coupling coefficient of a pair of S-SRRs versus the space
between the two resonators d for a 0.635 mm thick Rogers RO3010 material with
relative permittivity of 10.2.

is one of the main building blocks in balanced circuits. A first category of realiza-
tions includes filters that are composed of a differential bandpass filter in combina-
tion with a dedicated structure for common-mode suppression (Wu et al. 2009, Tsai
and Wu 2010, Naqui et al. 2012c). A second category includes structures that combine
differential filtering and common-mode suppression, and are thus usually more com-
pact (Lim and Zhu 2009, Lim and Zhu 2011, Shi et al. 2012, Velez et al. 2013). This
section along with Section 6.5 are focused on the dual counterpart of S-shaped split

Page 158
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

(a) (b)

Figure 6.16. Fabricated protoype of the 3rd order coupled resonator filter. (a) Top and (b)
bottom photograph of the fabricated third order coupled S-SRR bandpass filter.

0
S Sim
11
S21 Sim
S11 S21 d )

S eas
−20 11
S eas
21
S
21

−40 S
11

− 0
0.8 1.1 1.4 1.7 2 2.3
re ue c H )

Figure 6.17. Comparison between the measurment and simulation results. Comparison
between measured and lossless electromagnetic simulated transmission and reflection
coefficients of the third-order coupled S-SRR filter of Fig.6.16.

ring resonator, i.e., S-shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) for applica-
tion in the design of differential filters. It is shown that compared to the conventional
configuration of CSRRs in differential microstrip technology, the proposed resonator
benefits from a high level of miniaturization when excited by the contra-directional
electric fields of a differential microstrip line. More importantly, it is shown that S-
CSRRs can be used in the design of bandpass filters that suppress the common-mode
noise inherently.

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6.4 S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Differential Bandpass Filters

Table 6.1. A Comparison of Various Narrow Bandpass CPW Filters.

Ref. n f0 FBW IL Electrical Size Electrical
(GHz) (%) (dB) area (λ2g )
(Borja et al. 2010) 3 4.5 3.5 2.8 0.50λ g × 0.25λ g 0.125
(Zhou et al. 2004) 4 2.86 7 2.8 0.84λ g × 0.46λ g 0.385
(Mao and Chueh 2007) 2 4.92 3.8 2.77 0.46λ g × 0.20λ g 0.093
(Zhang and Chen 2006)∗ 4 2.4 10 6 0.25λ g × 0.25λ g 0.0625
(Mao et al. 2005) 2 5 5.4 2.7 0.57λ g × 0.20λ g 0.115
(Wu and Wang 2007) 4 1.75 9.6 2.15 0.37λ g × 0.33λ g 0.122
(Bonache et al. 2004)† 3 7 3.5 4 0.41λ g × 0.30λ g 0.123
This work A 3 1.1 6 3.5 0.32λ g × 0.08λ g 0.0256
This work B 3 1.1 7.2 2.5 0.12λ g × 0.08λ g 0.0096

∗This filter was fabricated on FR4.

†This filter was based on SRRs.

6.4.1 Principle of Miniaturization

Fig. 6.18(a) shows the typical configuration of a CSRR-loaded differential microstrip

line, with a pair of CSRRs etched in the ground plane under each strip of the differ-
ential line. In this configuration, regardless of the signal mode, the CSRRs are excited
by the time-varying axial electric fields of the microstrip line. Thus, the propagation
of electromagnetic waves is inhibited in a narrow band around the CSRR resonance.
It was shown by Naqui et al. (2012c) that an array of single CSRRs aligned with the
symmetry plane of the differential line can be used for common-mode suppression,
while the differential signal is unaffected. The key to this application is that while the
CSRRs are excited by the axial electric fields in common-mode, the electric field com-
ponents of the differential signals, which are contra-directional, cancel each other and
the CSRRs are not excited by this mode. In contrast, the fundamental resonance of the
proposed S-shaped CSRR, shown in Fig. 6.18(b), is activated if the connected rings of
the S-CSRR are excited by contra-directional axial electric fields of the loaded differen-
tial microstrip line. Thus, an S-CSRR can be used to efficiently inhibit the propagation
of differential signals in a narrow frequency band near the resonance frequency of the
resonator.

Fig. 6.19 shows the simulated transmission and reflection coefficients of the S-CSRR
loaded structure in differential mode. For the electromagnetic simulations, a 0.635 mm
thick Rogers RO3010 substrate with relative permittivity of ǫr = 10.2 is used. The

Page 160
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

a a

w b w b
s d g s d g
c c

(a) (b)

Figure 6.18. Differential microstrip line loaed with CSRRs and S-CSRR. A differential mi-
crostrip line loaded with (a) a pair of rectangular single ring CSRRs, and (b) an
S-shaped CSRR.

width of the differential microstrip lines is w = 0.5 mm and the space between the
strips is s = 5.75 mm, which correspond to a 50 Ω odd-mode characteristic impedance.
The S-CSRR’s dimensions are as follows: a = 6.2 mm, b = 5.7 mm, c = 0.2 mm,
d = 0.2 mm, and g = 1 mm. For comparison, the simulated odd-mode frequency
response of the differential microstrip line loaded with a pair of CSRRs with the same
physical dimensions as the rings of S-CSRR is also depicted in the figure. The simula-
tion results show that the resonance frequency of the structure with the pair of CSRRs
is f = 3.5 GHz, while the S-CSRR resonates at a much lower frequency (1.43 GHz).
The comparison shows that a high level of miniaturization is achieved by modifying
the resonator shape to an S-shaped CSRR.

6.4.2 Modeling of S-CSRR/Gap-loaded Line

The bandstop behavior of an S-CSRR-loaded differential microstrip line can be inter-

preted as due to the negative permittivity of the structure in the vicinity of the S-
CSRR’s fundamental resonance. This bandstop behavior can be switched to a bandpass
behavior simply by introducing series capacitive gaps in the strips of the differential
line, as shown in Fig. 6.20(a) (Gil et al. 2006). Note that in this structure, inner split slot
rings are added to the S-CSRR to achieve more compactness.

In order to study the behavior of the S-CSRR/gap-loaded differential microstrip line,

we now focus on the circuit model and parameter extraction of the structure, in both
differential and common modes. Fig. 6.20(b) depicts the proposed lumped element

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 6.4 S-Shaped CSRR and its Application to Differential Bandpass Filters

| (dB) −20
dd21
Sdd21 Sdd21
|, |S

−40 Sdd11
dd11

Pair of CSRRs
|S

−60 Sdd11
S−CSRR

1 2 3 4
Frequency (GHz)
Figure 6.19. Frequency response of CSRR-loaded differential line and that of S-CSRR-loaed
line. Comparison between the simulated transmission and reflection coefficients (dif-
ferential mode) of the differential microstrip line loaded with an S-CSRR (solid lines)
and a pair of CSRRs with the same physical size (dashed lines).

w e b L/2 Cg Cg L/2

s g
d C
d c
c
g Lc Cc

l
(a) (b)

Figure 6.20. Layout and equivalent circit model of an S-CSRR-loaded differential line. (a)
Layout of an S-CSRR/gap loaded differential line. The dimensions of the structure
are as follows: a = 9.8 mm, b = 7 mm, c = 0.8 mm, d = 0.2 mm, g = 0.6 mm,
w = 0.5 mm, s = 5.75 mm, e = 2 mm, and l = 22 mm. (b) Equivalent lumped
element circuit model of the unit cell for both differential and common modes.

circuit model for the structure of Fig. 6.20(a), where L and C are the per-section equiva-
lent inductance and capacitance of the differential line with the presence of the S-CSRR,
and Cg models the line’s capacitive gaps. The S-CSRR is modeled with an equivalent

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

capacitance Cc and an equivalent inductance Lc . This model is valid for both differ-
ential and common modes, however with different element values. Indeed, while the
fundamental resonance of the S-CSRR is excited by differential mode (Fig. 6.21(a)), the
common mode excites the S-CSRR’s higher order resonance (Fig. 6.22(a)).

|Sdd11|, |Sdd21| (dB)

S
dd21
−20

−40 S
dd11
EM Sim
Circuit Sim
−60
Sdd11, Sdd21 phase (deg)

200
Sdd21

0
Sdd11
EM Sim
Circuit Sim
−200
1 1.5 2
Frequency (GHz)
(a) (b)

Figure 6.21. S-CSRR-loaded line in differential mode. (a) Magnetic current distribution in dif-
ferential mode, and (b) comparison between the amplitude (top) and phase (bottom)
of the differential-mode transmission and reflection coefficients from the electromag-
netic simulation of the structure of Fig. 6.20 and those from the proposed circuit
model.

Using the procedure explained by Bonache et al. (2006b) the parameters of the circuit
model for differential and common modes are extracted from the electromagnetic sim-
ulations of the structure of Fig. 6.20(a). Dimensions of the structure are indicated in the
caption of the figure, and the same substrate as in the Section 6.4.1 is used for electro-
magnetic simulations. The extracted parameters for differential mode are: L = 8 nH,
C = 70 pF, Cg = 0.33 pF, Cc = 1.2 pF, and Lc = 10 nH, whereas the parameters
for the common mode are: L = 4 nH, C = 105 pF, Cg = 0.46 pF, Cc = 1.5 pF,
and Lc = 4.2 nH. Figs. 6.21(b) and 6.22(b) demonstrate a good agreement between the
transmission and reflection coefficients of the circuit model and electromagnetic simu-
lations for both modes, validating the proposed circuit model. Note that the structure’s

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6.5 Bandpass Filter with Common-mode Suppression

Scc11|, |Scc21| dB)

Scc21
−
S
cc11
−
EM Sim
Circuit Sim
−

Scc11, Scc21 pha e deg)

2
Scc21

Scc11

EM Sim
Circuit Sim
−2
1 1.5 2
Frequency G z)
(a) (b)

Figure 6.22. S-CSRR-loaded line in common mode. (a) Magnetic current distribution in
common mode, and (b) comparison between the amplitude (top) and phase (bottom)
of the common-mode transmission and reflection coefficients from the electromagnetic
simulation of the structure of Fig. 6.20 and those from the proposed circuit model.

passband for differential mode is centered at f = 1 GHz, whereas the passband for
the common mode is located at f = 1.4 GHz. This feature can be used in the design
of differential bandpass filters with common-mode suppression.

6.5 Bandpass Filter with Common-mode Suppression

To illustrate the potential application of the S-CSRR in the design of a differential band-
pass filter with common-mode suppression, a third-order periodic (although, period-
icity is not mandatory from the design point of view) bandpass filter with fractional
bandwidth of 10% and 0.16 dB in-band ripple is designed and synthesized for op-
eration roughly centered around the frequency of 1 GHz. The focus of the design
procedure is simply placed on the differential characteristics of the filter, while the
common-mode is intrinsically suppressed by the proposed structure.

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Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

The structure of Fig. 6.20, which can be considered as a distributed resonator with
two λ/8 feed lines, is used as the filter’s unit cell. The feed lines of each unit cell
in conjunction with those of the adjacent cells act as 90◦ impedance inverters with
normalized impedance of K = 1. Based on the theory of impedance inverters, the
fractional bandwidth of the filter can be controlled by the reactance slope of the unit
cell, excluding the feed lines (Hong and Lancaster 2001), which is in turn controlled by
gap dimensions (Gil et al. 2006). Thus, a parametric analysis has been applied in the
design process in order to determine the optimum gap dimensions. The next step is to
optimize the length of the feed lines to achieve a 90◦ phase shift from port one to port
two of the unit cell at resonance frequency. Finally, the filter is realized by cascading
the optimized unit cells.

The photograph of the fabricated filter, using the same substrate as in Sec. 6.4.1 and the
dimensions in the caption of Fig. 6.20, is depicted in Fig. 6.23. The impedance inverters
are meandered to achieve more compactness. The filter is as small as 0.09λ g × 0.25λ g ,
where λ g is the guided wavelength at f = 1 GHz. A comparison between electro-
magnetic simulation and measured frequency response of the filter in differential and
common modes is depicted in Fig. 6.24. The figure shows that the structure acts as
a differential bandpass filter with 2.8 dB insertion loss at central frequency, common-
mode suppression better than -25 dB, and common-to-differential mode conversion
better than -16 dB. A comparison with other differential filters in terms of performance
and size is provided in Table 6.2, where f 1dd and f 2dd are lower and upper -3dB cutoff
frequencies in differential mode, and f 1cc and f 2cc are lower and upper -20 dB cutoff
frequencies in common-mode stopband.

6.6 Conclusion
In summary, this chapter has proposed an S-shaped SRR and its complementary coun-
terpart, i.e., an S-shaped CSRR. It has been demonstrated that in CPW technology, a
high level of filter miniaturization can be achieved by using an S-SRR, compared to the
typical configuration using a pair of SRRs aligned with the CPW’s slot. The key to this
level of miniaturization is that the fundamental resonance frequency of an S-SRR is
excited when contra-directional axial magnetic fields are inducing currents in the two
connected rings of the S-shaped resonator. Based on the explained working principle,
an equivalent lumped element circuit model for an S-SRR-loaded CPW has been pro-
posed, and the parameters of the model have been extracted. The proposed model has

Page 165
6.6 Conclusion

(a) (b)

Figure 6.23. Fabricated prototype of the differential filter with common-mode suppression.
(a) Top and (b) bottom photograph of the fabricated third order differential bandpass
filter with common-mode suppression.

0
|Sdd11|, |Sdd21|, |Scc21|, |Scd21| (dB)

Sdd11
S
−10 cc21

−20 Scd21

−30 S
dd21

−40 Sim
Meas
−50 Meas Scd21

0.7 1 1.3 1.6 1.9

Frequency (GHz)

Figure 6.24. Comparison between simulated and measured response of the differential filter.
Comparison between simulated (lossless) and measured transmission and reflection
coefficients of the third-order differential filter with common-mode suppression.

been validated through the good agreement between the circuit and electromagnetic
simulation. In order to demonstrate the potential application of the proposed structure
in the design and synthesis of miniaturized microwave circuits, two types of bandpass
filters based on S-SRR loaded CPW have been designed and synthesized. The first filter
is a third-order periodic bandpass filter based on impedance inverters, demonstrating
a good level of miniaturization with dimensions of 0.32λ g × 0.08λ g . The miniaturiza-
tion is pushed further in the second filter, which exhibits dimensions of 0.12λ g × 0.08λ g

Page 166
Chapter 6 S-Shaped SRRs and CSRRs

Table 6.2. A comparison of various differential bandpass filters. A comparison of various dif-
ferential filters in terms of performance and size. Here, f 1dd and f 2dd are lower and upper
-3dB cutoff frequencies in differential mode, and f 1cc and f 2cc are lower and upper -20
dB cutoff frequencies in common-mode stopband.

f 1cc f 2cc
Ref. n CMRR in passband Electrical Size
f 1dd f2dd
(Lim and Zhu 2009) 3 >24 dB 0.96 1.09 0.5λ g × 0.5λ g
(Lim and Zhu 2011) 3 >18 dB 0.93 1.08 0.5λ g × 0.5λ g
(Velez et al. 2013) 3 >25 dB 0 1.04 0.15λ g × 0.3λ g
This work 3 >25 dB 0 1.15 0.09λ g × 0.25λ g

when realized using coupled S-SRRs. In both cases, the design procedure has been ex-
plained and validated through electromagnetic simulations and measurements.

The chapter has also presented an S-shaped complementary split ring resonator for
application in differential microstrip technology. Size reduction as compared to CSRRs
has been achieved. More importantly, it has been shown that an S-CSRR-loaded mi-
crostrip line with series capacitive gaps can be used as a unit cell for differential band-
pass filters with common-mode suppression. In-band common-mode rejection ratio
better than -25 dB has been achieved.

The promising results of this chapter strongly support the application of metamaterial-
inspired resonators in compact microwave filters. Application of split ring resonators
for the realization of terahertz bandpass filters will be discussed in the next chapter.

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Page 168
Chapter 7

Metamaterial-Inspired
Bandpass Filters for the
Terahertz Planar Goubau
Line

T
HIS chapter is focused on the application of split ring resonators
(SRRs) to the design of compact bandpass filters for terahertz
surface waves on single wire waveguides, the so-called planar
Goubau lines (PGLs). Through equivalent circuit models, electromagnetic
simulations, and experiments it is shown that while a pair of SRRs coupled
to a PGL inhibits the propagation of surface waves along the line, intro-
ducing a capacitive gap to the PGL switches the bandstop behavior to a
bandpass behavior. In order to highlight the potential application of the
proposed structure to the design of practical higher-order terahertz band-
pass filters, two types of compact bandpass filters are designed and fabri-
cated: (i) third-order periodic bandpass filters based on SRR/gap-loaded
PGL, and (ii) coupled-resonator bandpass filters. It is shown that while the
frequency response of the both filter types can be controlled by altering the
physical dimensions of the structure, a wider bandwidth can be achieved
from the coupled resonator filters. The design concept and simulation re-
sults are validated through experiments.

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7.1 Introduction

7.1 Introduction
The terahertz band is loosely defined at the frequency range between 0.1 THz and
10 THz, as illustrated in Fig. 7.1. The band has been extensively investigated for numer-
ous potential applications in imaging, medical diagnosis, security screening, chemical
and biological sensing, and communications (Ferguson and Zhang 2002, Ferguson et al.
2002, Kawase et al. 2003, Withayachumnankul et al. 2003, Siegel 2004, Shen et al. 2005, Li
and Li 2009, O’Hara et al. 2012). Despite the wide range of potential applications, nu-
merous challenges have yet to be addressed for further development of passive and
active devices operating in this spectral range.

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

Frequency (THz)

Figure 7.1. Tehrahertz band. The terahertz band is loosely defined at the frequency range between
0.1 THz and 10 THz.

Among many passive structures, low-loss and low-dispersion waveguides are cru-
cial in the terahertz regime to enhance the efficiency of systems. Even though hol-
low waveguides and two-conductor transmission lines such as coaxial cables and mi-
crostrip lines are efficient for low to moderate radio-frequency operation, scaling these
waveguides for terahertz applications is not an efficient solution because of the fi-
nite conductivity of metals at this higher frequency range (Ohashi et al. 2009). On
the other hand, in spite of their high efficiency, conventional optical interconnects
such as optical fibers are bulky and cannot be readily integrated into planar technolo-
gies (Ozbay 2006, Chen et al. 2011).

Surface electromagnetic waves that propagate along the interface of a dielectric and
a conductor are one possible solution that has been proposed for realization of high-
speed on-chip interconnects, where thin metal circuitry can be used for carrying both
the optical signals and electrical currents (Ozbay 2006). In particular, it was demon-
strated by Wang and Mittleman (2004) that a bare Goubau-like single metal wire carry-
ing surface waves (Sommerfeld 1899, Brown 1953, Goubau 1956, King and Wiltse 1962)
can be used as an efficient channel for terahertz waves with low attenuation and low
dispersion. The planar version of such a waveguide, the so-called planar Goubau

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

line (PGL), has attracted increasing interest because of its compatibility with inte-
grated circuit fabrication processes (Akalin et al. 2006a, Akalin et al. 2006b, Xu and
Bosisio 2007, Si et al. 2008, Treizebré et al. 2010, Xu et al. 2011, Treizebré et al. 2012,
Gacemi et al. 2012, Emond and Grzeskowiak 2012).

7.2 Research Objective and Framework

Fig. 7.2 depicts a block diagram of a exemplary multi-core system. In this system,
electronic circuits inside the cores control the transport and storage of electrons, while
communication between the different cores is enabled by inter-core interconnections.
Generally, the performance of electronic interconnects is a bottleneck that can limit the
data rates of inter-core communications. Among the terahertz transmission lines that
have been proposed in the past, terahertz planar Goubau lines offer wide bandwidth
and high data rate, low dispersion, low power consumption and low crosstalk and
electromagnetic interference, thus can be an efficient solution for future broadband on-
chip communication (Ohashi et al. 2009). As shown with black boxes in the figure, in
order to exploit the propagation of surface waves on a single wire in real applications,
particularly for future broadband terahertz communications, functional components
such as various types of filters, multiplexers and demultiplexers are required.

Core 4
Core 5
Core 1 Core 6

Core 2

Core 3

Figure 7.2. Plasmonic in multi-core systems. Block diagram of a multi-core system, in which
electronic interconnections are used inside the cores, while terahertz surface waves on
PGL interconnection are used for high-data-rate inter-core communication.

Throughout this chapter, the operation principle for the terahertz PGL bandpass filters
is developed, and the effect of geometric parameters on the frequency response of the

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7.3 Terahertz Surface Waves on the Planar Goubau Line

proposed filters is studied. Two different types of bandpass filters are realized through
parametric studies. The first type is based on a combination between SRRs and a gap-
loaded PGL, and the second type involves coupled SRRs excited by open-ended PGLs.
In both cases it is shown through simulations and experiments that the filter response,
in particular the bandwidth, can be conveniently controlled by altering the geometrical
dimensions of the structures.

This chapter is organized as follows. An introduction to the propagation of terahertz

surface waves along the planar Goubau line as well as the excitation of the PGLs are
presented in Section 7.3. The principle of first-order bandstop and bandpass filters
based on SRR-loaded PGL is discussed in Section 7.4, accompanied by circuit models
developed for both bandstop and bandpass filters. Based on the operation concept
and circuit models, third-order periodic bandpass filters based on SRR/gap-loaded
PGLs are presented in Section 7.5. Bandpass filters based on coupled SRRs are then
discussed in Section 7.6. As a validation, prototypes for both types of the filters with
geometrical variations have been fabricated and their performance have been evalu-
ated. Satisfactory agreement between simulation and measurement results has been
achieved. Finally, the main findings and principles of the study are summarized in
Section 7.7.

7.3 Terahertz Surface Waves on the Planar Goubau Line

This section provides an introduction to the propagation of the terahertz surface wave
along a planar Goubau line and its excitation method. The chapter also reviews two
experiments that proves the structure is a non-radiating waveguide.

7.3.1 Excitation of the Planar Goubau Line

It can be shown that if the width of a signal strip of a microstrip line is tapered to a
value much smaller than the substrate thickness, for instance to a width of about 1 µm
on a 100 µm thick substrate, the electromagnetic energy is mostly confined to the spa-
tial area around the strip, and the ground plane does not play a critical role (Akalin
and Treizebré 2004, Akalin et al. 2006b). In fact, this can happen when a surface wave
has been excited along the signal strip of the microstrip line. Since the surface wave
is mostly confined to the immediate vicinity of the signal strip, the ground plane can

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

be removed from the structure to achieve a one-wire transmission line. Such a trans-
mission line is called “Goubau line” or “G-line” for short, and the propagation mode
is called “Goubau mode” (Sommerfeld 1899, Goubau 1956, King and Wiltse 1962). It
is worth mentioning that the structure has found applications especially for the sens-
ing, characterization and investigation of living entities rather than transmission of
terahertz waves for long distances (Xu and Bosisio 2005, Xu et al. 2011).

The propagation of terahertz waves on a single metallic wire with very low attenua-
tion (about 0.03 cm−1 ) was demonstrated by Wang and Mittleman (2004). However,
in this case the transition from free-space propagation to the metal wire propagation
was not very efficient. In a more recent work, Akalin et al. (2006b) have presented a
high-efficiency planar launching structure for surface waves on a PGL. The top view of
such a CPW to G-line transition is illustrated in Fig. 7.3. The structure takes the form
of a CPW with a tapered section and efficiently converts the CPW mode to the Goubau
mode. Since Sec II of the structure is responsible for the conversion of the propagation
mode from CPW mode to the Goubau mode, the efficiency of the G-line excitation is
directly linked to the geometry of this section. In other words, the single wire trans-
mission line can support both radiation and transmission modes; the radiation mode
can be excited by a localized excitation, while a smooth transition from CPW to G-line
is required for the transmission mode to be excited (Goubau 1956).

LCPW Ltaper LR

s
wG
w

wgnd

sec I sec II sec III

Figure 7.3. CPW to PGL transitions. Top view of the CPW-to-PGL transitions. sec II in the
transition plays the most critical role in the excitation of Goubau mode. Adapted from
Akalin et al. (2006b).

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7.3 Terahertz Surface Waves on the Planar Goubau Line

7.3.2 Is There Direct Coupling?

As suggested in Fig. 7.4 the CPW-to-PGL transition can be considered as a cross section
of the classical excitation of Goubau mode on a wire with a horn antenna. By consider-
ing the CPW-to-PGL launching section as a planar cross section of a horn antenna, the
question may arise whether the transmission is essentially due to the Goubau propa-
gation mode or is it due to the direct coupling between the two launching sections?

Figure 7.4. Horn antenna transition to G-line versus CPW to PGL transition. The CPW to
PGL transition can be considered as a cross section of the classical excitation of Goubau
mode with a horn antenna.

In order to demonstrate that the transmission is indeed through the surface wave on
the excited PGL, and not due to the direct coupling between the two launching sec-
tions, two investigations were carried out by Akalin et al. (2006b). In the first investiga-
tion the structure of a 90◦ curved G-line section was used to minimize the possible di-
rect coupling between the launching sections. High level of transmission verified that
the transmission was due to the efficient excitation of the G-line, and not due to the di-
rect coupling between the launching sections. In the second investigation the structure
of two launching sections facing each other without being connected by a PGL was
fabricated and measured. The measured transmission coefficient showed that there
is no significant direct coupling between the launching sections. In a similar method
Fig. 7.5 shows the simulated transmission coefficient of a PGL, which is excited by two
launching structures (blue solid curve). The figure also depicts the transmission coef-
ficient of the same structure when a 50 µm long gap is introduced in the middle of the
PGL. The figure shows that while the normal PGL demonstrates a good transmission,
introducing the gap in the PGL results in almost no energy transmission, proving that

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

the transmitted energy in the original structure is not due to the direct coupling of the
launching sections.

1
bare PGL
gap−loaded
0.8

0.6
|S21|

0.4

0.2

0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 7.5. Bare PGL vs gap-loaded PGL. Simulated transmission coefficient of a bare PGL (blue
dashed line) and that of a gap-loaded PGL (red dotted line). The simulation resutlts
porves that the transmitted energy in the bare PGL is not due to the direct coupling of
the launching sections.

7.4 Bandstop and Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Goubau

Line
Different types of terahertz filters based on frequency-selective surfaces, photonic crys-
tals (Němec et al. 2004, Withayachumnankul et al. 2008, Li 2010), liquid crystals (Chen et al.
2006a), or metamaterials (Si et al. 2008, Withayachumnankul and Abbott 2009, Lu et al.
2011, Zhu et al. 2012, Liang et al. 2013) have been proposed. However, these filters are
exclusively for free-space terahertz waves. In contrast, the filters proposed in this work
are operating on guided waves.

A bandstop filter based on a corrugated PGL has been studied by Akalin et al. (2007). It
was shown that the structure, which is essentially a stepped impedance filter, provides
a stopband for surface wave propagation. A schematic of the PGL filter with a corru-
gated section is shown in Fig. 7.6 showing a period of 480 µm, and widths w = 60 µm

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7.4 Bandstop and Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Goubau Line

and wc = 10 µm in the corrugated sections. The structure provides stopband char-

acteristic for the surface surface waves propagation, and the length l can be used to
control the bandwidth as well as the depth of notch (Akalin et al. 2007). However, from
the above mentioned dimensions it is clear that the filter is large.

s
wc l
wsig w
p
wgnd

Figure 7.6. Corrugated planar Goubau line for application as a terahertz bandstop filter.
Top view of a corrugated planar Goubau line. The corrugated section has a period of
p = 480 µm,and a width of w = 60 µm in the not corrugated and wc = 10 µm in
the corrugated sections. Adapted from Akalin et al. (2007).

7.4.1 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandstop Filters

More recently, an application of metamaterial resonators, more specifically electrical

LC (ELC) resonators, has been investigated by Chen et al. (2011) for filtering. In this
paper, a stopband in the transmission of guided surface waves on a PGL was demon-
strated numerically and experimentally. Figure 7.7 shows the simulated electric and
magnetic fields on the cross-section view of a planar Goubau line. The propagation
mode is a quasi-TEM mode with the E field directed radially outward and the H field
circulating around the single metallic strip. The red curve in the figure shows that, as
characteristic for surface waves, both electric and magnetic fields exponentially decay
radially in the transverse plane (Chen et al. 2011).

As shown in Fig. 7.8, in order to provide a notch band in the transmission spectrum of
the PGL, a pair of electric-ring resonators (ERRs) was placed in both sides of the PGL
and the PGL was excited by a CPW to PGL transition. Since, the electromagnetic wave
along the PGL propagations in a quasi-TEM mode, which is strong close to the PGL
and exponentially decays in the transverse plane, in order to have a strong interaction
between the PGL and the resonators, the pair of ERRs need to be placed close to the
PGL (Chen et al. 2011).

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

Figure 7.7. Electric and magnetic fields of PGL. Simulated electric and magnetic fields on the
cross-section view of a planar Goubau line. The propagation mode is a quasi-TEM mode
with the E field directed radially outward and the H field circularly around the single
metallic strip. The red curve in the figure shows that, as it is the characteristic of the
surface waves, both electric and magnetic fields exponentially decay in the transverse
plane. Adapted from Chen et al. (2011).

7.4.2 Bandpass Filters

In a recent investigation (Horestani et al. 2013d), it was demonstrated through simula-

tion that split-ring resonators (SRRs) can be used for realization of bandpass filters for
terahertz PGLs. It is worth mentioning that SRRs and complementary SRRs have been
extensively used in the microwave regime for designing bandpass or bandstop filters
in microstrip lines and coplanar waveguides (CPWs) (Martı́n et al. 2003b, Gil et al. 2008,
Horestani et al. 2011c, Horestani et al. 2012c). However, to the best of our knowledge,
no study prior to Horestani et al. (2013d) has been conducted on bandpass structures
for terahertz surface waves.

Here we first demonstrate through circuit modeling, EM simulation, and experiment

that a pair of SRRs that are magnetically coupled to a continuous PGL also creates
a notch in the transmission spectrum of the PGL. This transmission notch can be in-
terpreted as the spectrum where the SRR-loaded PGL behaves as a one dimensional
medium with negative effective permeability. As will be shortly explained by an equiv-
alent circuit model, this bandstop behavior can be switched to a bandpass behavior by
introducing a series capacitive gap to the SRR-loaded PGL.

The proposed bandpass structure, illustrated in Fig. 7.9, is composed of a PGL loaded
with a pair of SRRs and a series capacitive gap. The PGL is excited through the CPW

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7.4 Bandstop and Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Goubau Line

Transmissivity

Frequency (GHz)
(a)
Transmissivity

Frequency (THz)
(b)

Figure 7.8. ERR-loaded PGL. Simulated (gray) and measured (black) transmission coefficients of
(a) the GHz-range and (b) the THz-range metamaterial-inspired bandstop filters on
the PGL. The two insets are photographs of single-pair (top) and dual-pair (bottom)
ERR-loaded PGL. From Chen et al. (2011).

launching sections. As mentioned above the electromagnetic wave along the PGL
propagates in a quasi-TEM mode, exhibiting field confinement around the line and
exponential decay in the transverse plane. Therefore, the pair of single-ring SRRs must
be placed in close proximity to the PGL in order to maximize the magnetic coupling
with the PGL.

7.4.3 Equivalent Circuit Model

Equivalent circuit models for the SRR-loaded PGL with and without the series capac-
itive gap are depicted in Figs. 7.10(a) and 7.10(b), respectively. As a first order ap-
proximation, all losses are neglected in these models. In these equivalent circuits, Cs

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

ll lG

sCPW

b s

c d

Figure 7.9. First-order bandpass fitler. Layout of the proposed metamaterial-inspired bandpass
structure for terahertz surface wave on the PGL. Note that the PGL is a single wire
structure with no ground plane or return current path.

represents the SRR’s equivalent capacitance. The SRR’s equivalent inductance is de-
scribed with Ls , which is magnetically coupled to the PGL’s equivalent inductance L
through the mutual inductance M. The series capacitive gap on the PGL is modeled
with Cg . The equivalent circuit models in Figs. 7.10(a) and 7.10(b) can be simplified to
the circuit models shown in Figs. 7.10(c) and 7.10(d), respectively.

From the simplified circuit model in Fig. 7.10(c), a notch in the transmission response
of the SRR-loaded PGL at the frequency that nullifies the series admittance, or f 0 =
√
1/2π Ls Cs , is expected. In contrast, the equivalent circuit model for the SRR/gap-
loaded PGL in Fig. 7.10(d) behaves as a bandpass circuit with a transmission band,
right below the SRRs’ resonance frequency, where the total series impedance nulls.
The discussed design concept and circuit models are validated through full-wave 3D
electromagnetic simulations and experimental investigations.

7.4.4 PGL Design

The design process begins with selecting a substrate with an appropriate thickness and
relative permittivity to control the field confinement and prevent substrate modes. The

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7.4 Bandstop and Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz Goubau Line

Cs Cs

Ls Ls
M M Cg

L L
(a) (b)

Cs' Cs'
L' L' Cg
L s' L s'

(c) (d)

Figure 7.10. Equivalent circuit models. Equivalent circuit models for the SRR-loaded and
SRR/gap-loaded PGL. (a) The model for the SRR-loaded PGL. (b) The model for
the SRR/gap-loaded PGL. Their simplified versions are given in (c) and (d), respec-
tively.

field confinement plays an important role since surface wave characteristics are deter-
mined by the extension of the electromagnetic field around the PGL. Excitation of sub-
strate modes can be avoided by increasing their cut-off frequency through decreasing
the substrate thickness and relative permittivity (Xu and Bosisio 2007). Thus, in this
study a 250 µm thick quartz crystal with a relative permittivity ǫr = 3.78 is chosen as
a substrate. The next step involves determining an appropriate width w G for the PGL.
An increase in the width of this metallic strip w G leads to a decrease in the modal con-
finement (Gacemi et al. 2013), which in turn results in a decrease in the conductor loss.
In our present designs, however, a decrease in the confinement also weakens magnetic
coupling between the PGL and the SRRs, owing to the lowered magnetic flux density
around the PGL. Thus, as a trade-off between reducing the PGL conductive loss and
achieving a strong coupling between the PGL and the SRRs, a width of w G = 5 µm is
used for the PGL in this study. To maximise the mode conversion between the CPW
and PGL, the dimensions of the CPW launching structure are as follows: w = 50 µm,
wgnd = 190 µm, sCPW = 5 µm, and ll = 650 µm. The Goubau line has a total length
l G = 2100 µm including the s = 50 µm gap in its middle for the bandpass filter. These
given dimensions and substrate specifications are common to all subsequent designs.

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

For the first-order filters presented in this Section, the PGL is loaded with a pair of SRRs
with a = 160 µm, b = 130 µm, g = 10 µm, d = 10 µm, and c = 10 µm, as depicted
in Fig. 7.9 . Fig. 7.11 depicts the simulated transmission coefficients of the structure
in four different configurations: a bare PGL, a PGL loaded only with the series ca-
pacitive gap, a PGL loaded only with the pair of SRRs, and a PGL loaded with both
series capacitive gap and the pair of SRRs. Note that in order to exclude the losses of
the launching sections, the transmission coefficients of the SRR- and SRR/gap-loaded
structures are normalized to that of the bare PGL. It is clear that while the propagation
of terahertz waves along the SRR-loaded line is inhibited at resonance around 180 GHz,
the SRR/gap-loaded PGL exhibits a bandpass behavior at around 170 GHz, below the
SRRs’ resonance frequency. Once again, comparison between simulation results of the
bare PGL and the broken PGL emphasizes that the high transmission level in the bare
PGL is not caused by direct coupling between the CPW launchers.

Figure 7.11. Simulation results. Simulated transmission coefficients of the PGL in four config-
urations: bare PGL (blue dashed line), PGL loaded only with the series capacitive
gap (black dotted line), PGL loaded only with the pair of SRRs (green dash-dotted
line), and PGL loaded with both series capacitive gap and the pair of SRRs (red solid
line). The transmission coefficients of the SRR- and SRR/gap-loaded structures are
normalized to that of the bare PGL.

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7.5 Higher-Order Bandpass Filters Based on SRR/Gap-loaded PGL

In order to validate the simulation results, a prototype of the structure is fabricated

and measured. Fig. 7.12 shows a microscopic image of the fabricated prototype, real-
ized with the same materials, geometry, and dimensions as those used in the simulated
structures. Fig. 7.13 shows a direct comparison between the measured and simulated
transmission coefficients for the bare PGL as well as the SRR/gap-loaded PGL. The
general concept and corresponding simulation results are validated through the satis-
factory agreement between the simulation and measurement. Small discrepancies can
be ascribed to fabrication tolerances.

Figure 7.12. Fabricated prototypes. Image of the fabricated prototype of the SRR/gap-loaded
PGL.

7.5 Higher-Order Bandpass Filters Based on SRR/Gap-

loaded PGL

The main aim of this section is to highlight the potential of the proposed SRR/gap-
loaded PGL in the design of practical terahertz bandpass filters with good in-band
transmission and out-of-band rejection, as well as a controllable center frequency and
bandwidth. To this end, a third-order periodic filter is designed, and the concept is
validated through electromagnetic simulations and experiments.

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

0.8

0.6

0.4
sim bare PGL
0.2 meas bare PGL
sim SRR/gap−loaded
meas SRR/gap−loaded
0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 7.13. Comparison between simulation and measurement results. Comparison between
the simulated and measured transmission coefficients for the bare PGL as well as those
for the SRR/gap-loaded PGL.

Since controlling the center frequency of the filter can be simply achieved by scaling the
SRRs, the study is focused on the impact of geometric parameters on the filter band-
width. The layout of the proposed periodic bandpass filter, excluding the launching
sections is illustrated in Fig. 7.14. The dimensions of the launching sections as well
as the width of the PGL are the same as those of the structures of the previous sec-
tion. Based on the equivalent circuit model for the first-order filter in Fig. 7.10, it can
be shown that the bandwidth of the filter can be increased either by increasing the se-
ries gap capacitance Cg , or by decreasing the SRR’s equivalent capacitance Cs and/or
inductance Ls . Note that decreasing the SRR’s equivalent inductance is not a viable
option, as this can adversely affect the coupling between the SRRs and the PGL, which
in turn significantly degrades the in-band transmission. On the other hand, controlling
the bandwidth via the series capacitance Cg becomes complicated from the fabrication
point of view, owing to required extreme gap sizes s. Thus, in the present design a
series gap size is fixed at s = 10 µm, and the filter bandwidth is controlled through
variation of the SRRs’ equivalent capacitance, which can be achieved by tuning the
SRR’s inter-ring space c. The other dimensions of the SRRs are as follows: a = 130 µm,
b = 120 µm, d = 10 µm, g = 20 µm, and the space between SRRs is m = 70 µm.

Fig. 7.15 depicts the simulated transmission coefficients of the filter for four different
values of SRR’s inter-ring space c from 15 µm to 30 µm in steps of 5 µm. The simulation

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7.6 Bandpass Filters Based on Coupled SRRs

a m

b s

c d

Figure 7.14. Third-order bandpass filter based on SRR/gap-loded PGL. Layout of the third-
order periodic bandpass filter based on the SRR/gap-loaded PGL.

results clearly show that the designed third-order filter has a good level of in-band
transmission as well as substantial out-of-band rejection. The figure also shows that,
as predicted, the filter’s bandwidth can be controlled by tuning the SRR’s equivalent
capacitance through tuning the SRR’s inter-ring space c. The filter’s 3 dB bandwidth is
increased from 18.5 GHz for c = 15 µm to 26.4 GHz for c = 30 µm, which corresponds
to a 42% wider bandwidth. These third-order bandpass filters are then fabricated and
measured. Fig. 7.16 shows a good agreement between the simulated and measured
transmission coefficients of the filter for different values of the SRR’s inter-ring space c.
The images of the filter prototypes are depicted in the insets. The filters are as compact
as 0.55λ g × 0.23λ g , where λ g is the guided wavelength at the filters’ center frequency.

7.6 Bandpass Filters Based on Coupled SRRs

In this section the concept of coupled resonators (Hong and Lancaster 2001, Hong and
Lancaster 1996, Aznar et al. 2008b) is demonstrated for the design of bandpass filters
for terahertz surface waves on PGL. Different third-order coupled resonator filters are
designed and experimentally validated. Importantly, it will be shown that compared
with the filters based on the SRR/gap-loaded PGLs presented in the previous section,
a much wider bandwidth can be achieved with the proposed coupled resonators band-
pass filters.

Fig. 7.17 illustrates the layout of the proposed filter, excluding the CPW launching sec-
tions. The filter is composed of three pairs of coupled double-ring SRRs that are excited

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

1
c = 15 µm
0.8 c = 20 µm
c = 25 µm
c = 30 µm
0.6
|S |
21
0.4

0.2

0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 7.15. Transmission coefficient vs. frequency for third-order periodic filter. Simulated
transmission coefficients of the third-order periodic filter for four different values of
SRR’s inter-ring space c from 15 µm to 30 µm in steps of 5 µm.

by open ends of the PGL. Thus, the terahertz surface waves on the PGL are transmit-
ted across the gap through these coupled SRRs at resonance. In this configuration, the
filter’s in-band transmission level and bandwidth can be increased by increasing the
PGL-to-SRR and SRR-to-SRR couplings. Based on the results of the previous section,
the filter’s bandwidth can be also increased by decreasing the equivalent capacitance
of each SRR.

For comparison, two coupled-SRR filters with different dimensions are designed on
the same quartz substrate as in previous sections, with the identical CPW launching
sections and PGL width. The dimensions of the first filter are as follows: a = 180 µm,
b = 100 µm, d = 20 µm, c = 5 µm, g = 20 µm, and the space between SRRs is m =
15 µm. In order to increase the in-band transmission and bandwidth, in the second
filter the PGL-to-SRR coupling is increased by increasing the longitudinal dimension
of the SRRs to a = 190 µm, while the SRR-to-SRR coupling is increased by decreasing
the space between the SRRs to m = 5 µm. Furthermore, based on the results from the
previous section, the bandwidth of the resonators is increased by increasing the SRRs’
inter-ring space c to 10 µm.

Fig. 7.18 compares the simulated transmission coefficients of the two filters. The sim-
ulation results show that the maximum in-band transmission coefficient of the second
filter is increased to 0.92, compared to 0.82 for the first filter. More importantly, the filter

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7.7 Conclusion

bandwidth is increased from 25.3 GHz to 37.8 GHz. In order to validate the simulation
results, prototypes of both filters have been fabricated and measured. Fig. 7.19 shows
the measured transmission coefficients of the filters, which are in good agreement with
the simulated ones. The images of the filters prototypes are depicted in the insets. The
filters have the same compact dimensions as the SRR/gap-loaded filters presented in
Section 7.5 (0.55λ g × 0.23λ g ).

7.7 Conclusion
In summary, it has been demonstrated that the bandstop behavior of an SRR-loaded
PGL can be switched to a bandpass behavior by introducing a capacitive gap in the
PGL. The concept has been interpreted through equivalent circuit models, and the
simulation results have been validated through experiments. Furthermore, the effect
of different geometrical dimensions of the structure on its frequency response, partic-
ularly the resonance bandwidth, has been discussed, and design guidelines have been
developed. In order to highlight the potential application of the proposed structure to
the design of compact filters for surface waves on PGL, two types of bandpass filters,
one based on SRR/gap-loaded PGL, and the second one based on coupled SRRs, have
been designed to operate in terahertz regime roughly at 200 GHz. It has been shown
that, while the designed filters are compact (0.55λ g × 0.23λ g for the third-order real-
izations, λ g being the guided wavelength at filters center frequency), they offer good
in-band transmission and out-of-band rejection. More importantly, it has been shown
that the filters bandwidth can be conveniently controlled over a large range, specif-
ically in this design from 18.5 GHz to 37.8 GHz, by altering the geometrical dimen-
sions of the resonators. The methodology and simulation results have been validated
through measurement of the filters’ fabricated prototypes. The results of this chapter,
along with those of the previous chapters, support the concept of metamaterials and
their application in the design of compact structures in different planar technologies,
in a wide range of frequencies from microwave to millimeter waves to terahertz.

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

0.8

0.6

|S |
21
0.4

0.2 Simulated
Measured
0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)
(a) (b)
1

0.8

0.6
|S |
21

0.4

0.2 Simulated
Measured
0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)
(c) (d)
1

0.8

0.6
|S |
21

0.4

0.2 Simulated
Measured
0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)
(e) (f)

Figure 7.16. Comparison between simulation and measurement results. Photograph of the
fabricated samples and comparison between the simulated and measured transmission
coefficients of the third-order periodic filter for different values of SRR’s inter-ring
space (a), (b) c = 15 µm, (c), (d) to c = 20 µm, and (e), (f) c = 30 µm.
Photographs of the fabricated prototypes are depicted in the insets.

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7.7 Conclusion

a m

c d

Figure 7.17. Third-order bandpass filter based on coupled SRRs. Layout of the third-order
bandpass filter based on the coupled SRRs. Note that SRRs are coupled to open-
ended PGLs.

0.8

0.6
|S21|

0.4

0.2 filter 1
filter 2

0
140 160 180 200 220

Figure 7.18. Simulated transmission coefficients of coupled-resonator bandpass filters with

different geometric dimensions. Comparison between simulated transmission coef-
ficients of two coupled-resonator bandpass filters with different geometric dimensions.
The dimensions of the first filter (red dashed line) are a = 180 µm, b = 100 µm,
d = 20 µm, c = 5 µm, g = 20 µm, m = 15 µm. A much wider bandwidth and
higher in-band transmission level is achieved in the second filter (blue solid line) by
changing the dimensions to a = 190 µm, m = 5 µm, and c = 10 µm.

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Chapter 7 Metamaterial-Inspired Bandpass Filters for the Terahertz PGL

1 sim, filter 1
meas, filter 1
0.8

0.6

|S |
21
0.4

0.2

0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)

(a) (b)
1 sim, filter 2
meas, filter 2
0.8

0.6
|S |
21

0.4

0.2

0
140 160 180 200 220
Frequency (GHz)

(c) (d)

Figure 7.19. Comparison between simulation and measurement transmission coefficients

of coupled-resonator bandpass filters. Photograph of the fabricated prototypes
and comparison between the simulated and measured transmission coefficients of the
fabricated coupled-resonator bandpass filters, (a), (b) prototype 1 with dimensions
a = 180 µm, m = 15 µm, and c = 5 µm, and (c), (d) prototype 2 with dimensions
a = 190 µm, m = 5 µm, and c = 10 µm.

Page 189
Page 190
Chapter 8

Conclusion and Future

Work

T
HE research presented in this thesis has been described in three
major parts related to various aspects of metamaterials: The first
part of the thesis has placed the focus on the miniaturization of
metamaterial components. The second part of the thesis has investigated
the application of metamaterial-inspired resonators for the design of dis-
placement and rotation sensors with improved dynamic range and linear-
ity. And finally, the third part of the thesis was devoted to miniaturized
metamaterial-inspired filters in microwave and terahertz planar circuits.
This chapter concludes the thesis by summarizing the original contribu-
tions, results and findings of the thesis. The chapter also considers possible
future research on metamaterial-inspired microwave, millimeter-wave and
terahertz planar structures.

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8.1 Part I: Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components

This chapter provides a summary of the original contributions and results of the three
major parts of the thesis along with a number of research directions related to each
part.

8.1 Part I: Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components

The first major part of the thesis encompasses Chapters 3 and 4 that focused on var-
ious types of metamaterial resonators and their miniaturization. This section gives a
summary of the achieved results highlighting the original contributions described in
this part of the thesis along with related possible future work.

8.1.1 Summary of Original Contributions

• A parametric study has been conducted on the effect of the geometrical dimen-
sions of a slow-wave coplanar strips (CPS) structure on the guided wavelength,
quality factor and characteristic impedance of the line in a standard 90 nm CMOS
process. Based on this parametric study, guidelines for the design of high qual-
ity factor quarter-wavelength resonators have been extracted, and a high quality
factor balanced resonator with small on-chip area has been designed for opera-
tion at 60 GHz. This resonator type can be used as a balanced resonator for the
implementation of low phase noise VCOs in a standard 90 nm CMOS technology
in the millimeter-wave range (Horestani et al. 2010, Mehdizadeh et al. 2011).

• As an alternative application, further to use as a balanced resonator for the im-

plementation of low phase noise VCOs, a slow-wave quarter-wavelength CPS
resonator has been used for the characterization of complex permittivity of thin
films of dielectrics. It has been shown that the resonance frequency and the qual-
ity factor of the resonator can be exploited for the accurate determination of the
permittivity and loss tangent of thin layers of dielectrics in the millimeter-wave
band (Horestani et al. 2012a).

• Seeking to address the need for balanced resonators with higher quality factors,
the chapter has proposed another metamaterial-inspired quarter-wavelength res-
onator for operation at 60 GHz where the improvement in the quality factor of
the resonator has been achieved by loading a conventional CPS resonator with

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Chapter 8 Conclusion and Future Work

pairs of SRRs. It has been shown that the proposed resonator can achieve a qual-
ity factor of 17.7 that shows a 100% improvement compared to the quality fac-
tor of a conventional CPS resonator (Q = 8.8) operating at the same frequency
(Horestani et al. 2011b).

• Motivated by the promising quality factor and compactness of the designed quarter-
wavelength CPS resonators, an optimization process for a quarter wavelength
slow-wave CPS resonator with a maximum quality factor at 60 GHz has been
presented in the last section of chapter. Using the Harmony Search optimization
method a slow-wave tapered resonator has been designed, demonstrating a sig-
nificant quality factor improvement of 220% compared to the conventional uni-
form CPS resonator and 75% improvement compared to the uniform slow-wave
resonator proposed earlier in the chapter (Horestani et al. 2011a).

• A compact double-mode resonator based on a pair of CSRRs and defected ground

structure (DGS) has been proposed. The proposed resonator benefits from a small
electrical size because the pairs of CSRRs are embedded inside the dumbbell-
shape DGS. More importantly, it has been shown that the two resonance frequen-
cies of the structure can be independently adjusted by manipulating the physi-
cal dimensions of the CSRRs and the DGS. These features makes the proposed
resonator an attractive component as a building block for compact microwave
circuits such as wideband or dual-band filters (Horestani et al. 2011c).

• Based on a circuit model it has been shown that loading a quarter-wavelength

resonator with inductive loads not only decreases the fundamental and second
harmonic resonance frequencies, but also results in an increase in the ratio of the
second harmonic to the fundamental resonance frequency. On this basis, it has
been shown that a complementary spiral resonator (CSR) benefits from a higher
ratio of the second harmonic to the fundamental resonance frequency when com-
pared to a complementary open-loop resonator with the same fundamental res-
onance frequency. Exploiting this feature, a bandpass filter based on coupled
CSRs has been designed. It has been shown through comparison to a filter based
on coupled open-loop resonators that while the proposed CSR filter has a 65%
smaller size it benefits from an 85% wider upper stopband (Horestani et al. 2012c).

• It has been shown theoretically that although the resonance frequency and electri-
cal size of an SRR can be reduced by increasing either the equivalent capacitance

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8.1 Part I: Miniaturization of Metamaterial Components

or equivalent inductance of the SRR, decreasing the resonance frequency by in-

creasing the SRR’s equivalent capacitance results in a smaller coupling factor and
a narrower bandwidth. In contrast, a smaller electrical size as well as stronger
resonance or a wider bandwidth can be achieved by increasing the equivalent
inductance of the SRR. On this bases, a nonuniform edge-coupled SRR has been
proposed. It has been shown that compared to a uniform SRR, the shape mod-
ification, which is based on the current and voltage profile in the SRR structure,
enables us to reduce the SRR electrical area by 33%. Moreover, it has been shown
that compared to a uniform SRR, a tapered SRR with the same electrical size pro-
vides a stronger resonance as well as a wider bandwidth, as desired as building
block for wideband filter design. The theory and simulation results have been
validated through measurement (Horestani et al. 2012b).

8.1.2 Future Work

# In order to address the increasing demand for low-cost high-speed wireless com-
munication systems, Chapter 3 was focused on the design of high quality factor
metamaterial-inspired resonators for millimeter-wave VCOs in standard CMOS
technology. However, as the frequency of operation approaches the maximum
oscillation frequency of transistors, f max , achieving desired VCO specifications
becomes more difficult. This limitation makes it necessary to pursue alternative
approaches such as distributed oscillators that show great capability to operate at
frequencies close to f max . This type of oscillators originate from traveling-wave
amplifiers, which have been widely used to achieve a higher gain-bandwidth.
Correspondingly, a distributed oscillator, which is formed by feeding the output
signal of a traveling-wave amplifier back to its input, can operate at frequencies
close to f max (Wu and Hajimiri 2000, Hajimiri and Wu 2000, Wu and Hajimiri
2001, Niknejad and Hashemi 2008). In this direction, the quarter-wavelength
metamaterial-inspired resonators of Chapter 3 can be applied for the realization
of distributed VCOs that are capable to operate close to the intrinsic cut off fre-
quency of the active devices. Clearly, the proposed structures also can be used in
the design of traveling-wave amplifiers to achieve a higher gain-bandwidth.

# Chapter 4 was focused on the miniaturization of metamaterial structures by propos-

ing miniaturized metamaterial resonators with enhanced functionalities. Further

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Chapter 8 Conclusion and Future Work

studies are required for applying these resonators in various planar or bulk meta-
material structures such as compact filters, couplers, antennas and frequency se-
lective surfaces.

8.2 Part II: Metamaterial-Inspired Sensors

This section presents original contributions and possible future work related to the
second part of the thesis, which focused on the applications of metamaterial-inspired
resonators in displacement and rotation sensors.

8.2.1 Summary of Original Contributions

• A one-dimensional displacement sensor based on a diamond-shaped tapered

SRR has been proposed. Using the proposed shape modification of the SRR, the
dynamic range of the sensor has been increased from 0.6 mm to 1.1 mm, which
corresponds to an improvement of more than 80%. Compared to a displacement
sensor based on a rectangular-shaped SRR, the proposed diamond-shaped sensor
also benefits from a smaller size and superior linearity. More importantly, it has
been shown that the undesirable shift in the resonant frequency in the character-
istic of previous designs can be suppressed with an optimized tapered diamond-
shaped SRR. This is a significant improvement since the sensor does not require
a frequency sweeping microwave source, but can be operated as inexpensive sin-
gle frequency system. The concept and simulation results have been validated
experimentally (Horestani et al. 2013b).

• In order to improve the dynamic range of previously published metamaterial-

inspired displacement sensors, a one-dimensional displacement sensor based on
a microstrip line loaded with broadside-coupled split-ring resonators (BC-SRRs)
has been presented firstly. It has been shown that the proposed one-dimensional
sensor benefits from virtually unlimited dynamic range in displacement. Sec-
ondly, with modifications in the geometry of the BC-SRRs, and adding a sec-
ond element, the proposed one-dimensional sensor has been extended to a high-
dynamic range two-dimensional displacement sensor. The proposed one- and
two-dimensional sensors are robust to ambient conditions such as changes in the
temperature, because the sensors’ principle of operation is based on the deviation

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8.2 Part II: Metamaterial-Inspired Sensors

from symmetry. This feature also makes them ideal structures as one- and two-
dimensional alignment sensors. Furthermore, since the proposed sensors operate
based on the shift in the resonance frequency, rather than the resonance depth,
they benefit from a high immunity to environmental noise, at a cost however
of an increased system complexity because of the requirement of sweeping fre-
quency operation. A prototype of the proposed two-dimensional sensor has been
fabricated and the concept and simulation results have been validated through
experiment (Shaterian et al. 2013, Horestani et al. 2014).

• A rotation sensor based on horn-shaped SRR has been proposed. It has been
shown that the proposed shape modification of the SRR results in superior linear-
ity and around 40% improvement in the dynamic range of the sensor compared
to previously published geometries. More importantly, it has been shown that the
geometry of the SRR can be optimized to compensate for the non-uniformity of
the magnetic flux through the SRR, in order to suppress the unwanted frequency
shift in the resonance. This is a significant improvement because the sensor can
be operated as an inexpensive single frequency system. The concept and simula-
tion results are validated by experimental measurements (Horestani et al. 2013a).

8.2.2 Future Work

# In order to use the proposed displacement and rotation sensors, the value of the
transmission coefficients of the structures must be read from the sensors’ ports.
However, in many applications such as in high-temperature or construction en-
vironments wireless sensors are required. Proposed sensors can be extended to
form frequency-selective surfaces that are sensitive to small displacement or ro-
tation, thus can be used as wireless sensors.

# While the dynamic range of the proposed diamond-shaped displacement sensor

has been significantly increased by using BC-SRRs, the proposed rotation sensor
suffers from a fundamental dynamic range limit. Further investigation on the
application of other types of metamaterial-inspired resonator for the design of
rotation sensors with higher dynamic range (such as 0◦ to 360◦ ) are required.

# In several cases in the first and second parts of the thesis, shape modifications
of the structures based on the profile of the standing voltage and current in the
resonators have been used to achieve miniaturized resonators with high quality

Page 196
Chapter 8 Conclusion and Future Work

factor or strong and wide resonance or to improve the dynamic range and linear-
ity of the displacement and rotation sensors. This concept can be applied to other
metamaterial-inspired resonators to achieved improved functionalities.

8.3 Part III: Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

This section presents original contributions and future studies related to the third ma-
jor part of the thesis which focused on compact metamaterial-inspired microwave and
terahertz filters.

8.3.1 Summary of Original Contributions

• The application of single layer S-shaped split ring resonators (S-SRRs) to the de-
sign of compact bandpass filters in coplanar waveguide (CPW) technology has
been highlighted. It has been shown that in CPW technology, a high level of filter
miniaturization can be achieved by using an S-SRR, compared to the typical con-
figuration using a pair of SRRs aligned with the CPW’s slot. It has been further
shown that, rather than by a uniform time varying magnetic field, the resonant
currents in the S-SRR are excited by contra-directional magnetic fields, axially
applied to each loop of the resonator. Therefore, the S-SRR is a suitable particle
for excitation by a CPW transmission line. A lumped element equivalent circuit
model for the S-SRR-loaded CPW has been proposed, and it has been validated
by comparing the circuit response with extracted parameters to full-wave elec-
tromagnetic simulations. To highlight the potential of S-SRR-loaded CPWs for
compact filter design, two narrowband bandpass filters have been designed and
fabricated: one of them based on S-SRR/gap-loaded CPW resonators coupled
through admittance inverters; the other one based on coupled S-SRRs, externally
driven by open-ended CPWs. Both filters have been designed following a sys-
tematic methodology, and standard (Chebyshev) filter responses in the region of
interest have been obtained. The filters’ performance has been found to be com-
petitive, with sizes as small as 0.32λ g × 0.08λ g and 0.12λ g × 0.08λ g (λ g being the
guided wavelength at the central frequency) for the first and second prototype,
respectively (Horestani et al. n.d.).

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8.3 Part III: Metamaterial-Inspired Filters

• An S-shaped complementary split ring resonator (S-CSRR) has been proposed

for application in compact differential filters. The working principle of the pro-
posed S-CSRR has been explained and a circuit model has been developed and
validated through electromagnetic simulations. It has been shown that an S-
CSRR-loaded differential microstrip line with series gaps can be used in the de-
sign of compact differential bandpass filters with common-mode suppression.
The filter design procedure has been explained and the theoretical concept has
been validated through fabrication and measurement of a compact (0.09λ g ×
0.25λ g ) third-order differential bandpass filter with common-mode suppression
(Horestani et al. 2014).

• The application of SRRs in the realization of bandpass filters for the planar Goubau
line (PGL) at terahertz frequencies has been investigated. It has been shown that
due to the exponentially decaying transverse electromagnetic field in the Goubau
mode, a pair of SRRs in close proximity to a PGL inhibits the propagation of
electromagnetic waves at resonance. Through equivalent circuit models, electro-
magnetic simulations, and experiments, it has been demonstrated that the band-
stop behavior of the SRR-loaded PGL can be switched to a bandpass behavior
by introducing a capacitive gap in the PGL. The effect of different geometrical
dimensions of the structure on its frequency response, particularly the resonance
bandwidth, has been studied, and design guidelines have been developed. In or-
der to highlight the potential application of the proposed structure as the build-
ing block for compact filters for surface waves on PGL, two types of bandpass
filters have been designed to operate in the lower terahertz regime, at around
200 GHz. The first filter is based on SRR/gap-loaded PGL, whereas the second
filter is based on coupled SRRs. It has been shown that, while the designed fil-
ters are compact (0.55λ g × 0.23λ g for the third-order realizations, λ g being the
guided wavelength at the filters center frequency), they offer good in-band trans-
mission and out-of-band rejection. More importantly, it has been shown that the
filters bandwidth can be conveniently controlled over a large range by altering
the geometrical dimensions of the resonators. The concept and simulation results
have been validated through measurement of the filters’ fabricated prototypes
(Horestani et al. 2013c, Horestani et al. 2013d).

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Chapter 8 Conclusion and Future Work

8.3.2 Future Work

# In Chapter 6, S-SRR and S-CSRR have been proposed for the design of minia-
turized bandpass filters in CPW and differential microstrip technologies, respec-
tively. Furthermore, it has been shown that S-CSRR inherently suppresses common-
mode noise when used as the building block of differential bandpass filters. How-
ever, it can be shown that the odd symmetry of the resonators leads to some
level of mode conversion. As shown in Chapter 6, mode conversion in an S-SRR
loaded CPW can be suppressed by introducing air-bridges along the CPW. How-
ever, this approach increases the fabrication cost, and more importantly cannot
be used for suppressing the common-to-differential mode conversion in the S-
CSRR-loaded differential microstrip line. Therefore, addressing this issue by de-
veloping compact resonators with appropriate symmetry could be a future work.

# Propagation of terahertz surface waves on planar Goubau lines has attracted in-
creasing interest in recent times especially as high-speed on-chip interconnec-
tions. Chapter 7 has proposed two different types of metamaterial-inspired band-
pass filters for terahertz surface waves on PGL. However, in order to exploit the
propagation of surface waves on a single wire in real applications, particularly
for future broadband terahertz communications, research on the design of other
functional components such as couplers, power dividers, multiplexers and de-
multiplexers are also required.

The results in this thesis emphasize the attractive features and versatility of metamaterial-
inspired resonators for applications in various structures with divers functionalities in
a wide range of frequencies.

And above all, the main conclusion of this thesis and any other research, can be Isaac
Newton’s quote stating that ”What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an
ocean.”

Page 199
Page 200
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Page 218
Acronyms
BC-SRR Broad-Side Coupled Split Ring Resonator
CPS Coplanar Strips
CPW Coplanar Waveguide
CRLH Composite Right/Left-Handed
CSRR Complementary Split Ring Resonator
CSRS Complementary Spiral Resonators
DGS Defected Ground Structure
DNG Double Negative
DPS Double Positive
Dual-CRLH Dual Composite Right/Left-Handed
EBG Electromagnetic Bandgaps
ELC Electrical LC
EMI Electromagnetic Interference
ENG Epsilon-Negative
ERR Electric-Ring Resonators
FBW Fractional Bandwidth
FCC Federal Communication Commission
FOM Figure Of Merit
GPS Global Positioning Systems
HS Harmony Search
LH Left-Handed
MEMS Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
MMIC Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits
MNG Mu-Negative
MSRR Multiple Split Ring Resonator
OCSRR Open Complementary Split Ring Resonators
OSRR Open Split Ring Resonator
PBG Photonic Bandgap
PGL Planar Goubau Lines
RH Right-Handed
S-CSRR S-Shaped Complementary Split Ring Resonator

Page 219
Acronyms

S-SRR S-Shaped Split Ring Resonators

SNG Single Negative
SRR Split Ring Resonator
SR Spiral Resonator
TL Transmission Line
VCO Voltage Controlled Oscillators

Page 220
Index
60 GHz unlicensed band, 48 Open split ring resonator, 43

Artificial transmission line, 13, 15, 21, 25, 28, 32, periodic structure, 14, 22, 25–28
36, 45 Phase noise, 52–54
Planar Goubau line (PGL), 172, 174, 179
Bloch impedance, 15, 26–29, 31, 34, 46
bandpass filter, 175, 177, 179, 182, 184
Cloaking, 20, 22 bandstop filter, 175, 176
Common-mode suppression, 164 corrugated, 175
Complementary spiral resonator (CSR), 93, 94 electromagnetic fields, 177
Complementary split ring resonator (CSRR), 40, Poynting vector, 17, 18
89
refractive index, 15, 18–20
S-shaped, 157
Rotation sensor
Complex permittivity, 67
Horn-shaped, 133, 134
Composite Right/Left-Handed TL, 32, 37
CSRR-DGS, 85, 90 Single negative medium, 15, 24, 25, 33, 34, 40, 41
Slotline mode, 120
Defected ground structures (DGSs), 85, 86
Slow-wave coplanar strips, 56, 58, 63, 64, 67, 69,
Differential filter, 157
78, 79
dispersion
Split ring resonator (SRR), 37
diagram, 29–32, 35, 45
diamond-shaped, 111
relation, 15, 26
S-shaped, 142
Displacement sensor
tapered, 100, 103
Broadside coupled split ring resonator (BC-
tapered diamond-shaped, 117
SRR), 125
Surface waves, 172
one-dimensional, 111
two-dimensional, 124, 128 Tapered transmission line resonator, 73
Double negative medium, 16, 17, 24, 38 Terahertz band, 170
Transmission line resonator, 55
Effctive media, 14–16, 21, 45, 140
Electromagnetic bandgap, 14, 45 Voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), 50
Epsilon-negative material, 16
Wave vector, 17, 18
Left-handed
metamaterials, 14, 16, 18, 20, 43, 45, 141
passband, 33
transmission line, 21, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 36

Millimeter-wave silicon CMOS, 48

mu-negative material, 16

Open complementary split ring resonator, 44

Page 221
Page 222
Biography
Ali Karami Horestani was born in Isfahan, Iran in
1978. He received his B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees in
Electrical and Electronics Engineering from The Uni-
versity of Shiraz and The University of Shahid Be-
heshti, Iran, in 2003 and 2006, respectively. In 2009, he
joined the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineer-
ing at The University of Adelaide to study towards
his PhD in the area of microwave and millimeter-
wave circuit design under the supervision of Prof
Derek Abbott, Dr Said Al-Sarawi, and Prof Christophe
Fumeaux.

During his candidature, he received an IEEE SA Section Student Travel Award in 2012
to attend the IEEE Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC) in Taiwan. He has
been also the recipient of the 2012 Simon Rockliff Award for outstanding postgraduate
mentorship from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and DSTO. He
was a Visiting Scholar at GEMMA/CIMITEC, Departament d’Enginyeria Electronica,
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain, hosted by Prof Ferran Martı́n.

He has served as a reviewer for a number of journals including IEEE T RANSACTIONS

ON M ICROWAVE T HEORY AND T ECHNIQUES , IEEE T RANSACTIONS ON C IRCUITS AND
S YSTEMS I, IEEE M ICROWAVE AND W IRELESS C OMPONENTS L ETTERS, and IEEE S EN -
SORS J OURNAL .

Ali Karami Horestani is a student member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Elec-
tronics Engineers).

Ali Karami Horestani

alikaramih@gmail.com

Page 223
Page 224

Biography
Scientifc Genealogy of
Ali Karami Horestani
Formalised supervisor relationship
Mentoring relationship
NOBEL Nobel prize

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."

Isaac Newton
1694 - Medicinae Dr. , University of Basel, Johann Bernoulli

1726 - PhD, University of Basel, Leonhard Euler

1668 – MA, University of Cambridge, Isaac Newton 1769 - University of Caen, Pierre-Simon Laplace
1754 - BA, University of Turin, Joseph Lagrange
1706 – MA, University of Cambridge, Roger Cotes
1795 - PhD, École Normale Supérieure Joseph Fourier 1800 - PhD, École Polytechnique, Simeon Denis Poisson
1715 – MA, University of Cambridge, Robert Smith

1723 – MA, University of Cambridge, Walter Taylor

1799 - PhD, University of Helmstedt, Carl Friedrich Gauss 1827 - PhD, University of Bonn, Gustav Peter Lejeune Dirichlet
1742 – MA, University of Cambridge, Stephen Whisson
1810 - PhD, University of Göttingen, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel
1774 – MA, University of Cambridge, John Cranke 1756 – MA, University of Cambridge, Thomas Postlethwaite

1823 - PhD, University of Berlin, Heinrich Ferdinand Scherk 1845 - PhD, University of Berlin, Leopold Kronecker
1800 – MA, University of Cambridge, John Hudson 1782 – MA, University of Cambridge, Thomas Jones
1831 - PhD, Martin Luther University, Ernst Eduard Kummer
1816 – MA, University of Cambridge, George Peacock 1811 – MA, University of Cambridge, Adam Sedgwick
1864 - PhD, University of Berlin, Hermann Amandus Schwarz
1885 - PhD, University of Berlin, Mathias Lerch
1827 – BA, University of Cambridge, Augustus De Morgan 1830 – MA, University of Cambridge, William Hopkins
1902 - PhD, Eötvös Loránd University, Leopold Fejér

1857 – MA, University of Cambridge, Edward John Routh 1912 - PhD, Eötvös Loránd University, George Pólya
1908 - PhD, University of Fribourg, Michel Plancherel
1868 – MA, University of Cambridge, John William Strutt (Lord Rayleigh)
NOBEL

1883 – MA, University of Cambridge, Joseph John Thomson NOBEL

1903 - PhD, Chemistry Martin Luther University, Hermann Staudinger NOBEL

1923 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Walter Saxer

1903 – MA, U of Cambridge, John Sealy Edward Townsend
1910 - PhD, Chemistry Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Leopold Ruzicka NOBEL

1923 – DPhil, University of Oxford, Victor Albert Bailey

1940 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Placidus Andreas Plattner
1950 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Heinz Rutishauser
1911 – MSc, University of Melbourne, Edward (Eddy) Byam Brown 1948 – MSc, University of Sydney, Ronald Ernest Aitchison
1949 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Hans Heinrich Günthard
1945 – MA, University of Melbourne, Eric Osbourne Willoughby 1964 – PhD, University of Sydney, Peter Harold Cole

1968 – PhD, University of Adelaide, Bruce Raymond Davis 1980 – PhD, University of Adelaide, Kamran Eshraghian 1959 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Fritz Kurt Kneubühl

1995 – PhD, University of Adelaide, Derek Abbott 2003 – PhD, University of Adelaide, Said Al-Sarawi 1997 - PhD, ETH Zurich, Christophe Fumeaux

2013 – PhD Submited, University of Adelaide, Ali Karami Horestani