BANGALORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

K. R. Road, V. V. Pura, Bangalore – 560004

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

VI SEMESTER
MICROWAVE THEORY AND ANTENNAS (21EC62)
2021 Scheme-IPCC-April-July-2024
Module-3-part-1-Microstrip Lines
Prof. B. Sudha
COURSE: MICROWAVE THEORY AND ANTENNAS SUB CODE: 21EC62

SEMESTER: VI CIE MARKS: 50

TOTAL NO. OF LECTURE HOURS: 3 HOURS + 2 HOURS Lab SEE MARKS: 50

 COURSE OUTCOMES
At the end of the course the students will be able to:
• Describe the use and advantages of microwave transmission
• Analyze various parameters related to transmission lines.
• Identify microwave devices for several applications.
• Analyze various antenna parameters and their significance in building
the RF system.
• Identify various antenna configurations for suitable applications
• Make use of Modern Simulation tools to Estimate the Transmission line
and antenna parameters.
 TEXT BOOKS / REFERENCE BOOKS
Text Books:
• Microwave Engineering – Annapurna Das, Sisir K Das TMH Publication, 2nd , 2010
• Microwave Devices and circuits- Liao / Pearson Education
• Antennas and Wave Propagation, John D. Krauss, Ronald J Marhefka and Ahmad S Khan, 4th Special
Indian Edition, McGraw- Hill Education Pvt Ltd., 2010.
Web ref: www.brainkart.com/article/Smith-Chart--Solutions-Of-Problems-Using-Smith-Chart_12501/
• www.sanfoundry.com/microwave-engineering-questions-answers-antenna-basics
• www.tutorialpoint.com/antenna_theory/index.htm
• https://www.tutorialspoint.com/antenna_theory/antenna_theory_horn.html
• http://www.antenna-theory.com/antennas/smallLoop.php
Reference Books:
• 1. Microwave Engineering – David M Pozar, John Wiley India Pvt.Ltd. 3rd Edition, 2008
• 2. Microwave Engineering – Sushrut Das, Oxford Higher Education, 2nd Edition, 2015
Online Resources:
• a) NPTEL: https://nptel.ac.in/courses/108/101/108101112/
• b) VTU Edusat
 Syllabus-Module -3
PART A : STRIP LINES

Introduction ,Microstrip lines , parallel strip lines (TEXT 2: 11.1,11.2)

PART 2: ANTENNA BASICS

Introduction ,Basic Antenna Parameters ,Power theorem ,Radiation

intensity, beam efficiency ,directivity and gain ,antenna effective height,
bandwidth, radiation communication link antenna field zones(TEXT
3:2.1,2.7,2.9,2.11,2.13).
 STRIP LINES
Text Book:Microwave Devices and circuits- Liao /
Pearson Education
• 11.0: Introduction
• 11.1: Microstrip lines-Construction/Field Lines
• 11.1.1: Characteristic impedance of Microstrip lines (Numerical)
• 11.1.2: Losses in Microstrip lines 11.2: Parallel Striplines
• 11.2.1: Distributed Parameters (Numerical)
• 11.2.2: Characteristic impedance (Numerical)
• 11.2.3: Attenuation Losses (Numerical)
 Introduction
• Earlier all microwave equipment utilized coaxial, waveguide or
stripline circuits for transmission of EM wave.
• with the introduction of monolithic microwave integrated circuits
(MMIC’s),Microstriplines and coplanar striplines have been used
extensively.
• These planar transmission lines provide free and accurate surface
on which solid state devices can be placed.
• The commonly used planar transmission lines are:
– Micro striplines
– Parallel striplines
– Coplanar striplines
– Shielded striplines and
 MICROSTRIP LINES
Q: Explain the construction and Field pattern for
a microstrip line
OR
Q:Explain the operation of microstrip lines with
its structure and Quasi TEM mode field
distribution
• Microwave integrated circuits with microstrip lines are
commonly used with the chips.
• The microstrip line is also called an open-strip line.
• Modes on microstrip line are only quasi-transvers
electric and magnetic (TEM).
• These planar transmission line are flat having two or
multiconductor transmission line having low profile
and light weight.
• Micro striplines are used extensively to interconnect
high speed logic circuits in digital computers
Construction of Microstripline:
Figure-a, shows the
construction of a micro
stripline consisting of a single
ground plane and a thin stripes
conductor on a low loss
dielectric substrate above the
ground plate.
Figure-b Shows Field lines of
Microstrip lines.
The electric field remain partially in
air and partially in the lower
dielectric material.
This makes the mode of propagation
not pure TEM but quasi TEM.
• One of major limitation of micro stripline are
radiation loss.
• The radiation loss is proportional to the
square of frequency.
• The use of thin, high dielectric materials
considerably reduces the radiation loss of
micro striplines
Characteristic Impedance of Microstrip line:
VTU Questions:
• Q: Derive the expression for Characteristic
Impedance of Microstrip line.
Or
• Q: Write the equations for ϵeff and Ƶo for w/h
˃˃ 1 and w/h ˂˂ 1 for a microstrip line
• Characteristic impedance of the microstriplines depends on the width ‘w’ of
the striplines, the thickness ‘t’ of the stripline, the distance between the line
and the ground plane ‘h’and the homogenous dielectric constant of the board
material(εr).
• commonly used method of determining the Characteristic impedance ‘Zo’ is to derive
the characteristic-impedance equation of a microstrip line from a well-known equation
and make some changes.
• This Method is called a comparative or an indirect method.
• The Characteristic impedance ‘Zo’ of microstriplines can be derived from the
Characteristic impedance of wire over ground line and suitably modifying that
equation .
•
• characteristic impedance of a wire-over-ground transmission line is
60 4ℎ
Ζ0 = ln for ℎ ≫ 𝑑 --------(1)
∈𝑟 𝑑
Where,
∈ 𝑟 = dielectric constant of the medium
ℎ = the height from the center of the wire to the ground plane
𝑑 = diameter of the wire
• If the effective or equivalent values of the
relative dielectric constant ∈ 𝑟 of the ambient
medium and the diameter 𝑑 of the wire can
be determined for the microstrip line, the
characteristic impedance of the microstrip line
can be calculated.
Calculation of effective dielectric constant ∈ 𝒓𝒆 :
• The effective relative dielectric constant ∈ 𝒓𝒆 for a microstrip line can be
related to the relative dielectric constant ∈ 𝑟 of the board material by
measuring the propagation-delay time and the relative dielectric constant
of several board materials, such as fiberglass-epoxy and nylon phenolic

• The empirical equation is measured as

𝜖𝑟𝑒 = 0.475𝜖𝑟 + 0.67 --------------------(2)

• Where ∈ 𝑟 is the relative dielectric constant of the board material and ∈ 𝑟e

is the effective dielectric constant for a microstrip line
Transformation of a rectangular conductor into an equivalent circular conductor:

• The cross-section of a microstrip line is rectangular, so the rectangular conductor must be

converted into equivalent circular conductor so that the diameter ‘d’ of the circular conductor
can be expressed in terms of ‘w’ and ‘t’. Springfield’s empirical equation for transformation is

𝑡
d = 0.67w (0.8 + ) ------------- (3)
𝑤

Where

𝑑 = diameter of wire over ground

𝑤 = width of the microstrip line

𝑡 = thickness of the microstrip line

𝑡
• This equation holds good for the ratio of between 0.1 and 0.8
𝑤
Characteristic impedance Zo of microstripline:
• Substituting equation (2) and (3) in equation (1) for Zo of microstripline
• substitute effective dielectric constant 𝜖𝑟𝑒 and equivalent diameter ‘d’ in equation (1)
60 4ℎ
Zo = ln for wire over ground line for ℎ ≫ 𝑑 we get
𝜖𝑟 𝑑
60 4ℎ
Zo = ln 𝑡
0.4756 𝜖𝑟 + 0.67 0 .67𝑤(0.8+ 𝑤 )
60 4ℎ
√0.4756 0.67
Zo = 0.67 ln 𝑡
( 𝜖𝑟 + 0.475) 𝑤 (0.8+ )
𝑤
87 5.98 ℎ
Zo = ln for h < 0.8 h ------(4)
𝜖𝑟 +1.41 (0.8 𝑤+𝑡)

• The above equation is the equation for characteristic impedance for narrow microstrip
line where
∈ 𝑟 = the relative dielectric constant of the board material
ℎ = the height from the center of the wire to the ground plane
𝑤 = width of the microstrip line
𝑡 = thickness of the microstrip line
• The velocity of propagation ( ν ) through
microstripline
𝐶 3 ×108
• ν= = 𝑚𝑡/𝑠𝑒𝑐 ------(5)
𝜖𝑟𝑒 𝜖𝑟𝑒
• The characteristic impedance for a wide
microstripline is
ℎ 𝜇 377 ℎ
• Zo = = for 𝑤 ≫ ℎ ------(6)
𝑤 𝜀 𝜖𝑟 𝑤
 Numerical-1**
Q: A certain microstripline has the fallowing parameters
• 𝜖𝑟 = 5.23;
• ℎ = 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑠,
• 𝑡 = 2.1 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑠
• W =10 mils
Calculate the characteristic impedance Zo of the line.

Note: mil is one thousands of an inch

Solution:

ℎ 7
• Find the value of = = 0.7, As h < 0.8 w use the equation
𝑤 10

87 5.98 ℎ
Zo = ln [ ] substitute the values,
𝜖𝑟 +1.41 0.8 𝑤+𝑡

87 5.98 ×7
Zo = ln [ ]
5.23+1.41 0.8 ×10+2.8

87 41.86
Zo = ln [ ]
2.5768 10.8

Zo = 45.74 ῼ
 Numerical-2
• Q: calculate the Zo of wide microstripline having negligible
thickness and having a width of 0.8 mm the thickness of
substrate is 0.2 mm and has a dielectric constant of 3.55
Solution:
From the given data W >> h, hence use the equation
377 ℎ
Zo = ( )
𝜖𝑟 𝑤
377 0.2
= ( )
3.05 0.8
= 50 ῼ
 VTU Questions on Losses in Microstrip Lines
Q: With necessary equations, explain various losses in microstrip line.

Q: Briefly explain dielectric losses, ohmic losses and radiation losses

in microstrip lines.

Q: What are the different losses in microstrip lines? Obtain expression

for characteristic impedance, dielectric and ohmic losses
 Losses in Microstrip Lines
The attenuation constant of the
microstrip line depends on geometric
factors, electrical properties of the
substrate and conductors, and on the
frequency. The various Losses are:
• Attenuation (𝛼) = 𝛼𝑑 + 𝛼𝑐
 Dielectric loss (𝛼𝑑 )
 Ohmic loss (𝛼𝑐 )

• Radiation loss
 For a nonmagnetic dielectric substrate, two types of
losses occur in the dominant microstrip mode: (1)
dielectric loss in the substrate(𝛼𝑑 ) and (2) ohmic skin
loss in the strip conductor and the ground plane (𝛼𝑐 ).

The sum of these two lines can be expressed as

losses per unit length in terms of an attenuation
factor 𝛼 = 𝛼𝑑 + 𝛼𝑐
 Dielectric loss (𝜶𝒅 )
• when the conductivity of a dielectric cannot be neglected the dielectric
attenuation constant is given by

• Where σ is the conductivity of the dielectric substrate in Ω/cm. this dielectric

constant can be expressed in terms of dielectric loss tangent

∴ the dielectric attenuation constant is

𝑤
𝛼𝑑 = 2
𝜇𝜖 tan 𝜃 NP/cm
• Since microstrip is a nonmagnetic mixed dielectric system, the
upper dielectric above the microstrip ribbon is air, in which no
loss occurs. Hence the modified equation becomes
•
 Ohmic losses (𝜶𝒄 )
• In a microstrip line over a low-loss dielectric
substrate, the predominant sources of losses at
microwave frequencies are the nonperfect conduc-
tors.
• The current density in the conductors of a microstrip
line is concentrated in a sheet that is approximately a
skin depth thick inside the conductor surface and ex-
posed to the electric field.
• The Microstrip conductor contributes the major part
of te Ohmic loss
• The conducting attenuation constant (𝜶𝒄 )of a wide microstrip line
is
8.686 𝑅𝑠
• 𝛼𝑐 ~ dB/cm for w/h >> 1
𝑍𝑜 𝑤

𝜋𝐹𝜇
• Where 𝑅𝑠 = is the surface skin resistance in ῼ/sq
𝜎
1
• It can be expressed in terms of skin depth as Rs = ῼ/square
𝛿𝜎
1
• Where 𝛿 = is the skin depth in cm
𝜋𝑓𝜇𝜎
• Therefore total attenuation 𝛼 = 𝛼𝑑 + 𝛼𝑐
 Radiation losses
• In addition to the conductor and dielectric losses, microstripline also has
radiation losses.

• The radiation loss depends on the substrate's thickness and dielectric constant,
as well as its geometry.

• The radiation loss is given by the ratio of radiated power to the total power
dissipated for an open circuited microstrip line

𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑 ℎ 𝐹(𝜖𝑟𝑒)
= 240 𝜋 2 ( )2 -------(1)
𝑃𝑡 𝜆𝑜 𝑍𝑜

• Where F(𝜖𝑟𝑒) is a radiation factor

• The radiation factor decreases with increasing substrate dielectric constant
therefore alternatively eq (1) can be expressed as

𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑅𝑟
= ------(2)
𝑃𝑡 𝑍𝑜

• Whereas Rr is the radiation resistance of open circuited microstripline

ℎ
• Rr = 240 𝜋 2 ( )2 . F(𝜖𝑟𝑒) ------(3)
𝑧𝑜

• From eq(3), the radiation loss decreases when characteristic impedance

increases
 11.2. Parallel strip lines
• VTU Questions:

Q1: Explain with a diagram the construction of a parallel strip line.

Give expression for distributed parameters of the line

Q2: Explain parallel strip lines and derive expression the distributed

parameters, characteristic impedance and attenuation losses.

 11.2. Parallel strip lines
• Construction:A parallel strip line consists of two perfectly
parallel strips separated by a perfect dielectric slab of uniform
thickness, as shown in the fig. The plate width is ‘w’ the
separation distance is ‘d’ and the relative dielectric constant
of the slab is 𝜖𝑟𝑑
 Distributed parameters of Parallel strip lines
• A parallel stripline is similar to a two-conductor transmission line, so it can support a quasi-
TEM mode.

• Consider a TEM –mode wave propagating in the positive z direction in a lossless strip line (R
= G = 0).

• The electric field is in the y direction, and the magnetic field is in the x direction.

• If the width ‘w’ is much larger than the separation distance ‘d’, the fringing capacitance is
negligible.

• Thus the equation for the inductance along the two conducting strips can be written as

L = µcw
d Henry/mt ----------------------(1)

• Where ‘µ’ is the permeability of the conductor.

• The capacitance between the two conducting strips can be expressed as
𝝐 w
C= 𝒅 F/m ------(2)
d
• Where 𝜖𝑑 is the permittivity of the dielectric slab.
• If the two parallel strips have some surface resistance and the dielectric
substrate has some shunt conductance, then
• The series resistance for both strips is given by
R = 2Rs/w 𝛀/m. Substitute surface resistance ‘Rs’ value
𝟐 𝛑𝐟𝛍𝐜
R= 𝛀/m -------------(3)
𝐰 𝛔𝐜
ʊ
• σc is the conductor conductivity in .
𝑚
• The shunt conductance of the strip line is
σdw
G= ʊ/m -------------------(4)
d
Where σd is the conductivity of the dielectric substrate.
 VTU Questions:

Q: With neat diagram, explain the operation of

parallel strip line and the also write the expression

for characteristic impedance and attenuation loss

of the same.
 Characteristic impedance
• The characteristic impedance of a lossless parallel strip line is
𝐿
Zo = substitute L and C equation
𝐶
d 𝜇𝑑
Zo =
w 𝜖𝑑
377 d
Zo = for w ≫ d
𝜖𝑟𝑑 w
• The phase velocity along a parallel strip line is
𝜔
𝜗𝑝 =
𝛽
= 1/ 𝐿𝐶 substitute L and C equation
1 𝑐
𝜗𝑝 = = m/s for 𝛍𝐜 = 𝛍𝒐
𝜇𝑑 𝜖𝑑 𝜖𝑟𝑑
 Attenuation losses
• The propagation constant of a parallel strip line at
microwave frequencies can be expressed by
• ϒ = ( 𝑅 + 𝑗𝜔𝐿)(𝐺 + 𝑗𝜔𝐶 for R ≪ 𝜔𝐿 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐺 ≪ 𝜔𝐶
𝐶 𝐿
• = ½ (R +𝐺 ) + j𝜔 𝐿𝐶 -------------------(1)
𝐿 𝐶
• Thus the attenuation and phase constants are
𝐶 𝐿
• α = ½ (R +G ) Np/m and
𝐿 𝐶

• 𝛽 = 𝜔 𝐿𝐶 rad/m
• Substitution of the distributed parameters of a parallel strip
line into yields the attenuation constants for the
conductor and dielectric losses:
1 𝐶
αc = R
2 𝐿
1 𝜋𝑓𝜖𝑑
αc = Np/m -------------------(2)
𝑑 𝜎𝑐
And
1 𝐿
𝛼𝑑 = G Np/m
2 𝐶

188𝜎𝑑
𝛼𝑑 = Np/m -------------------(3)
𝜖𝑟𝑑
 Numerical on Parallel stripline
Q: A lossless parallel strip line has a conducting strip
width ‘w’. The substrate dielectric separating the two
conducting strips has a relative dielectric constant 𝝐𝒓𝒅 of
6 and a thickness ‘d’ of 4 mm
Calculate:
• The required width ‘w’ of the conducting strip in order
to have a characteristic impedance of 50 𝛀
• The strip-line capacitance
• The strip line inductance
• The phase velocity of the wave in the parallel strip line
Solution:
The width of the conducting strip can be calculated from
the characteristic impedance Equation
377 d
Zo = . Rearrange the equation
𝝐𝒓𝒅 w
𝟑𝟕𝟕 𝒅
a. Width = W =
𝝐𝒓𝒅 𝒁𝒐

𝟑𝟕𝟕 𝟒 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑
W=
𝟔 𝟓𝟎

W = 12.31 X 10-3 m
b. The strip-line capacitance is
𝝐𝒅 𝒘 𝟖.𝟖𝟓𝟒 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝑿 𝟔 𝑿 𝟏𝟐.𝟑𝟏 𝑿𝟏𝟎−𝟑
• C= =
𝒅 𝟒 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑

C = 163.50 pF/m
c. The Strip-line inductance is
𝝁𝒄 𝒅 𝟒 𝝅 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟕 𝑿 𝟒 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑
L= =
𝒘 𝟏𝟐.𝟑𝟏 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑
𝝁𝑯
L = 0.41
𝒎
d. The phase velocity is
𝒄 𝟑 𝑿 𝟏𝟎𝟖
𝑽𝑷 = =
𝝐𝒓𝒅 𝟔

𝒎 𝟖
𝑽𝑷 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟐 𝑿 𝟏𝟎
𝒔