re UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

2022 Nov/Dec Examinations

Faculty: Engineering and the Built Environment

Department: Electrical and Electronics

Paper code and Title: EE 421 Microwave Engineering

Duration: 3 Hours

Examiner: Dr. P Manyere

Authorized Materials: Scientific Calculator (Non-programmable), pen, pencil, rule,

• Mathematical instruments

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. This paper contains Seven questions

2. Answer Five questions
3. Start each question on a new page
4. This question paper comprises 7 printed pages

NB: DO NOT TURN OVER THE QUESTION PAPER OR COMMENCE WRITING UNTIL
INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.
CONSTANTS
Permittivity of free space = 8.854 x 1o- 12 F Im
&0
1
Pem1eability of free space µ 0 = 4tr x 10- HI m
31
Mass of an electron m = 9.108 x 10- kg
Electron charge C = 1.602 X 1o-• 9 c

Boltzmann's Constant K=l.38xl0-23 J/K

QI. a) State four characteristics of microwaves? [4 marks]

b) Define the curl of the vector E in Cartesian coordinate system [5 marks]

c) Starting from the vector identity for an electric vector E of a signal given by
- - -
V x (V x E) = V(V.E)-\7 2 .E, deduce the wave equation. [5 marks]
d) An electromagnetic wave traveling in free space has the electric field vector
- -
given by E, = x cos( mt - kz) . Show that this electric field vector satisfies the wave
equation? [6 marks]

[20 marks]

Q2. An air-filled rectangular waveguide of interior dimensions a= 4cm and b =

3cm operates on TE 11 mode at 12 GHz. The Hz mode component may be given

m,rJ xs1n
as: Hz = HI cos ( -;; b Y
• (n,rJ

Determine for this mode:

a) The cut - off frequency and cut-off wavelength. [5 marks]

b) The phase constant /311 [5 marks]

c) The wavelength in the guide. [5 marks]

d) The intrinsic wave impedance. [5 marks]

(20 n1arks]

I
 Q3. a) For a Klystron amplifier, show that the input cavity signal
v1 =Ve sin(mt) causes velocity modulation of the electron beam and the velocity is
given by:

v= F. (1+ ~ ~ sin(&))✓2%, where, V,is the anode voltage and V)s the peak

voltage of the input microwave signal. Assume thatV >>Ve.

0
[8 marks]

b) Describe the principle of operation of a parametric amplifier. [4 marks]

c) The parametric amplifier of varactor diode is to be used to mix two signals of

• 10.325 GHz and 10 GHz. Draw and explain a circuit typical circuit configuration
to give a frequency difference of 325 MHz. [4 marks]

d) Describe how it is possible to cause microwave signal amplification in solid

state masers. [4 marks]

[20 marks]

Q4.a) Explain the properties of a hybrid ring (rat-race) and show its use as a
balanced mixer. What are the limitations of the hybrid ring? [6 marks]

b) With aid of diagrams show the use of ferrite circulators in a duplexer of

microwave systems of a transmitter, receiver, and antenna. [4 marks]

c) With aid of a diagram describe a duplexer system for radar of magic-T

• coupling. [6 marks]

d) Show three practical applications of PIN diodes in microwave systems.

[4 marks]

[20marks]

Q5. A four-port junction directional coupler is shown in figure Q5 below.

a) Show that the output power at port 4 is zero when port 1 is the input port and
the coupling apertures are ,.i8 apart. [10 marks]
4
 b) Starting from the definition of the directional coupler, prove that the scattering
matrix of the directional coupler in fig Q5 is:

0 Sl2 S,3 0
s,2 0 0 s24
[s] = 0
S,3 0 S34
0 s24 S34 0 [10 marks]

Port 4 Port 3

• Port 1 Port 2

Fig.Q5: Aperture-coupled-waveguide directional coupler

[20 marks]

Q6. a) Define Noise Figure of an amplifier system. [3 marks]

b) A four-stage amplifier system is shown in fig Q6 below.

• in :.--➔ out

Al A2 A3
NF4
Nfl NF2 NF3

Fig. Q.6 Four stage amplifier system

Given that, the noise figure of each stage is NF and that NFI=NF2=NF3=NF4=3
dB. Determine the total noise figure if the gains of the stages are
Al=A2=A3=A4=10 dB. [5 marks]

c) A commercial microwave system has got the following design parameters:

 (i) a gain of 112 dB

(ii) total noise figure of 6.5 dB

(iii) input noise pow er of - I 04 dBm

of 32 dB.
(iv) min imu m outp ut SIN ratio of FM demodulator
and minimum tran smit power.
Determine the minimum receiver carrier power
[12 marks]

[20 marks]

• Q7. a) Wha t is a sign al attenuator?

b) Why is the use of attenuators necessary in micr

owave systems?
[2 marks]

[3 marks]

film or card attenuators have on

c) Wha t disadvantages would ferrite resistive
[3 marks]
microwaves?
input of a matched rotary van e
d) A microwave signal source feeds 1W into the
m. The attenuator is set to 10 dB.
attenuator which is connected to the antenna syste
Assuming a unit input field E, calculate;
[8 marks]
(i) power absorbed in each resistive card.
[4 marks]
(ii) power output to the antenna system
(20 marks]

• END OF PAPER

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