Maxwell's Equations

(Frequency domain)
Transmission Lines and Antennas Maxwell's equations
Constitutive relations
Boundary conditions at a
Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC)

Analyis of Physical Transmission

Lines
In conductors

Boundary conditions at
dielectric interfaces

Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano +

Of: 453 – 204, Ext. 14083 +
jlaraqueq@unal.edu.co
© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 1/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 2/36

Reduced Maxwell's Equations Transverse Electric Magnetic

Assuming invariance of the medium along z and a
y
(TEM) modes (ez = hz = 0)
wave solution in that direction, homogeneous (no
sources) Maxwell's equations are simplified by z Substituting ez=hz=0 in the general - et is conservative (it is obtained by solving
separating fields and the del operator into transverse Transverse-longitudinal equations:
the respective 2-D electrostatic problem)
(i.e. restricted to the xy plane) and longitudinal/axial
components (along z): x

- Given the transverse behavior and the

impedance relation, these are also called
Maxwell’s equations - no sources ”Inhomogeneous plane waves”
x
In order to exist, guided TEM modes require:
- Homogeneous filling medium (beta = k requires a single k to be present, otherwise beta is
undefined)
x - At least two conductors (Electrostatic 2-D problem with a single conductor gives et decaying
as 1/rho on the transverse section → fields are not confined to a finite transverse section)
© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 3/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 4/36
 Parallel Wires with Circular Section Parallel Wires with Circular Section
- Fundamental (TEM)
mode: exact electrostatic
Proximity Effect
solution found via conformal Current density is much larger in points closer to the wire of opposite polarity. The
mapping*. effect is stronger as d approaches R.
- Phase speed is the light
speed in the medium the
wires are immersed in
(assumed homogeneous).
- Mode impedance is the
characteristic impedance of
the filling medium.

2d

2R
*S. Ramo, J. R. Whinnery, and T. V. V. Duzer, Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics, 3rd ed. Wiley, January 1994. p. 343 *S. Ramo, J. R. Whinnery, and T. V. V. Duzer, Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics, 3rd ed. Wiley, January 1994. p. 343

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 5/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 6/36

Coaxial Line Transverse Electric waves

Supports TEM, TE and TM modes (H-waves) (ez =0, hz ≠ 0)
Solution must satisfy Helmholtz
TEM mode is the one used (propagation equation (transv./long. components):
possible down to DC)
2b

2a

A dielectric is required to support the

internal conductor
TEM solution already found:
Transv. Curl of 3 rd eq. at left, replace Div(ht)
from 5 th at left and F2ht from 2 nd above:

- When k<kc, beta is imaginary → propagation

forbidden at ”low” frequencies (cutoff), ẑ x 2nd eq at left:
”evanescent wave”, not loss.
Transmission Line characteristic impedance: - Beta and ZTE depend on k → dispersion
- Phase velocity is greater than speed of light (!)

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 7/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 8/36
 Transverse Magnetic Waves Power flow in Physical Tx Lines
(E-waves) (hz=0, ez≠0)
Cs

Previous solution can be reused via the duality transformation, Ce

which leaves Maxwell's equations unchanged: z

S
E → H, H → -E, m → e, e → m

Guided mode and proper termination → power flow through S and Ce can be neglected

Duality transformation
(requires introduction
of effective magnetic
charge and current for
inhomogeneous eqs)

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 9/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 10/36

Conduction Loss & Surf. Resistance

Dielectric Loss
Poynting theorem applied to the wave that
Dielectric loss (complex dielectric constant) shows up as a negative ●
Good conductors → modeled as penetrates into the metal (real power):
imaginary part in the phase constant beta (positive real part of the
propagation constant gamma): non-penetrable media possessing
a “surface resistance” that
absorbs energy from induced
surface current:
Ei, Hi Er @ -
Ei
Hr @ Hi
Js @ n x Htot Htot(0+) @ 2Hi n

Et @ 0 Htot(0-) @ 2Hi
Ht @ 2Hi Power lost to good conductors is computed by
an integral over all metal surfaces
Good conductor

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 11/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 12/36
 Conductors – skin effect and Loss in Transmission Lines
surface resistance and Waveguides
● Perturbation techniques can be
applied to low loss transmission
media such as TLs and
waveguides:
– Solve for the modal
fields neglecting loss
Resistance of conductor – Insert loss as a correction
segments: Rs times
conductor length divided by factor in the propagation
section (external) perimeter. constant (attenuation
R grows with the square root constant). Mode
of frequency. impedance
– Various loss mechanisms
are included additively in
the attenuation constant

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 13/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 14/36

Computation of RLGC model y

parameters from Modal Fields Rectangular Waveguide

(TEM lines)
a
Equating energy storage/loss allows computing these
b
from the field solution:

x
- A RWG is a hollow pipe of rectangular cross
section made of a good conductor with internal
dimensions a and b.
- A single conductor → no TEM mode possible
- Power handling limited by dielectric breakdown
of filling material
- Used for short distances in feeds of aperture
antennas (Horn, reflector, LW, OWG arrays)

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 15/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 16/36
 RWG: TE modes RWG: TE modes (2)
Solve Transverse homogeneous Helmholtz equation for Hz using
separation of variables:

Assume a separable solution and substitute above: Separation constants:

PEC Boundary conditions: Normal derivative of tangential H components vanishes.

For each m,n

combination we
can have a
Depends on x only Constant different amplitude
(assumed 1 here)

Depends on y only

All members at left must be constant!

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 17/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 18/36

RWG: TE modes (3)

From expressions in slide 5 we find:
RWG: TM modes
●
TM modes have the same expression for kc as
TE modes but require nonzero m and n →
lowest cutoff frequency is higher than that of
the dominant mode and thus these are of
Each m,n pair defines a ”mode”, which propagates only for positive real beta (k>kc) reduced interest in practical applications

m\n 0 1 2
0 X 1/2b 1/b
1 1/2a sqrt(1/a²+1/b²)/2 sqrt(1/a²+4/b²)/2
2 1/a sqrt(4/a²+1/b²)/2 sqrt(4/a²+4/b²)/2
Usual choice: a = 2b, thus the mode propagating at minimum frequency is TE10
(dominant/fundamental mode). If used at frequencies where more than one mode can
propagate, the waveguide is ”overmoded”, which is undesirable.
© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 19/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 20/36
 RWG: TE10 mode
RWG as a Horn Feed

H-field
E-field

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 21/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 22/36

Exercise Circular Waveguide

●
Compute the power handling limit for a WR- - Hollow pipe with circular cross-section
187 waveguide made of aluminum restricting having internal radius a
attention to dielectric breakdown of the air - Used for rotable joints in WG systems
filling. or behind conical horns.
2a
- Does not support TEM modes

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 23/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 24/36
 CW: TE modes CW: TE modes (2)
Transverse Helmholtz equation in planar polar coordinates for hz:

P must have
Separation of variables: period 2*pi → n
integer
Equation for R is Bessel's differential equation:

General solution includes Bessel's function of 1st and 2nd kind (J and Y):

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 25/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 26/36

CW: TE modes (3) CW: TE modes (4)

Solution must be bounded (source-free domain). No information is lost by
keeping only the cos term: sin term simply rotates the solution around phi.
We prefer cos since it gives a non-trivial solution for n=0.

mth local extremum of Jn

Boundary condition
on waveguide wall:

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 27/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 28/36
 CW: TM modes CW: dominant mode and BW
TE11 is the dominant mode, followed by TM01. BW is thus 1:1.31
mth zero of Jn

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 29/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 30/36

Example
Compute, for a circular waveguide with 2a=2cm made Coaxial Line: TE modes
of aluminum (sigma=3.816e7 S/m) and filled with air:
●
TE modes are not used in coaxial lines, but
●
Operation band (8.78GHz – 11.48GHz) 0.39octaves,
0.12decades they must be known to avoid overmoding
●
Guided wavelength (central frequency 5.94cm)
lambda_g = 2*pi / beta
●
alpha_c (central freq → 0.0201 Np/m = 0.18dB/m)
●
Dimensions of a rectangular waveguide centered at the
same frequency: fmin=6.735GHz, a=2.22cm
●
Dimensions of a rectangular waveguide with the same
lower frequency limit:
(TE11 mode)

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 31/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 32/36
 Example: Microstrip Line
●
Compute the maximum operating frequency ● Medium is not homogeneous
→ TEM mode not possible
for the RG-9B/U coaxial line W t
● In practice the dominant
h mode is “quasi-TEM”
εr
●
Compute the maximum power handling of a ●
Low-cost, based on mature
RG141A/U coaxial line restricting attention to printed circuit technology,
dielectric breakdown (consider the DC easy integration
dielectric strength of teflon: 40MV/m). ●
Design based on equations
Compare to the maximum operating voltage obtained from function
specification found in datasheets. fitting

© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 33/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 34/36

Microstrip Line
Analsyis and References
Design
[1] R. E. Collin, Foundations of Microwave
Engineering. IEEE press, 2001.
[2] D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering.
John Wiley & sons, 1998.
[3] B. C. Wadell, Transmission Line Design
Handbook. Artech House, 1991.
[4] S. Ramo, J. R. Whinnery, and T. V. V. Duzer,
Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics,
3rd ed. Wiley, January 1994. p. 343
© Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 35/36 © Javier Leonardo Araque Quijano 36/36