Test & Measurement H

Application Note 95-1

S-Parameter
Techniques
for Faster, More Accurate Network Design

http://www.hp.com/go/tmappnotes
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H
Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Two-Port Network Theory

Although a network may have any number of ports, I1 I2
network parameters can be explained most easily by + TWO - PORT +
considering a network with only two ports, an input port V1 V
– NETWORK – 2
and an output port, like the network shown in Figure 1.
To characterize the performance of such a network, any Port 1 Port 2
of several parameter sets can be used, each of which has
certain advantages. Each parameter set is related to a set of Figure 1
four variables associated with the two-port model. Two of these General two-port network.
variables represent the excitation of the network (independent
variables), and the remaining two represent the response of Why are models needed?
the network to the excitation (dependent variables). If the Models help us predict the
network of Fig. 1 is excited by voltage sources V1 and V2, the behavior of components,
circuits, and systems.
network currents I1 and I2 will be related by the following
Lumped models are useful at
equations (assuming the network behaves linearly):
lower frequencies, where
I1 = y 11 V1 + y 12 V2 (1)
some physical effects can be
ignored because they are so
I 2 = y 21 V1 + y 22 V2 (2)
small. Distributed models
are needed at RF frequencies
and higher to account for the
increased behavioral impact
of those physical effects.
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H
Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Two-Port Network Theory

In this case, with port voltages selected
as independent variables and port
currents taken as dependent variables,
the relating parameters are called Two-port models
short-circuit admittance parameters, Two-port, three-port, and
or y-parameters. In the absence of n-port models simplify the
additional information, four input / output response of
measurements are required to determine the four parameters active and passive devices
y11, y12, y21, y22. Each measurement is made with one port and circuits into “black
of the network excited by a voltage source while the other boxes” described by a set
port is short circuited. For example, y21, the forward of four linear parameters.
transadmittance, is the ratio of the current at port 2 to the Lumped models use
voltage at port 1 with port 2 short circuited, as shown in representations such as
equation 3. Y (conductances),
Z (resistances), and
h (a mixture of conductances
and resistances). Distributed
I
y 21 = 2 models use s-parameters
V1 V = 0 (output short circuited) (transmission and reflection
2 (3) coefficients).

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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
The ease with which scattering parameters can be measured
makes them especially well suited for describing transistors and
other active devices. Measuring most other parameters calls for
the input and output of the device to be successively opened
and short circuited. This can be hard to do, especially at RF
frequencies where lead inductance and capacitance make short
and open circuits difficult to obtain. At
higher frequencies these measurements
typically require tuning stubs, separately
adjusted at each measurement frequency,
to reflect short or open circuit conditions
to the device terminals. Not only is this
inconvenient and tedious, but a tuning
stub shunting the input or output may
cause a transistor to oscillate, making
the measurement invalid.

S-parameters, on the other hand, are usually measured with the

device imbedded between a 50 Ω load and source, and there is
very little chance for oscillations to occur.
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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
Another important advantage of s-parameters stems from
the fact that traveling waves, unlike terminal voltages and
currents, do not vary in magnitude at points along a lossless
transmission line. This means that scattering parameters can
be measured on a device located at some distance from the
measurement transducers, provided that the measuring device
and the transducers are connected by low-loss transmission lines.
Derivation
Transmission and Reflection
Generalized scattering parameters have been defined by When light interacts with a
K. Kurokawa [Appendix A]. These parameters describe lens, as in this photograph,
the interrelationships of a new set of variables (ai , bi). part of the light incident on
The variables ai and bi are normalized complex voltage waves the woman's eyeglasses is
incident on and reflected from the ith port of the network. reflected while the rest is
transmitted. The amounts
They are defined in terms of the terminal voltage Vi , the
reflected and transmitted
terminal current I i , and an arbitrary reference impedance Z i , are characterized by optical
where the asterisk denotes the complex conjugate: reflection and transmission
coefficients. Similarly,
V + Zi Ii Vi − Z i* I i scattering parameters are
ai = i (4) bi = (5) measures of reflection and
2 Re Z i 2 Re Z i transmission of voltage
waves through a two-port
9 electrical network.
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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
For most measurements and calculations it is convenient Scattering parameters
to assume that the reference impedance Zi is positive relationship to optics
and real. For the remainder of this article, then, all Impedance mismatches
variables and parameters will be referenced to a single between successive
positive real impedance, Z0. elements in an RF circuit
relate closely to optics,
The wave functions used to define s-parameters for a where there are successive
two-port network are shown in Fig. 2. differences in the index of
refraction. A material’s
ZS characteristic impedance,
Z0, is inversely related to
a1 a2 the index of refraction, N:
TWO - PORT ZL
VS
b1 NETWORK b2 Z0
ε = 1
377 N
The s-parameters s 11 and
Figure 2 s 22 are the same as optical
Two-port network showing incident waves reflection coefficients;
(a 1 , a 2 ) and reflected waves (b 1 , b 2 ) used in s 12 and s 21 are the same
s-parameter definitions. The flow graph for as optical transmission
this network appears in Figure 3. coefficients.
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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
The independent variables a1 and a2 are normalized
incident voltages, as follows:

V1 + I1 Z 0 voltage wave incident on port 1 V i1

a1 = = = (6)
2 Z0 Z0 Z0

V2 + I 2 Z 0 voltage wave incident on port 2 V

a 2= = = i2 (7)
2 Z0 Z0 Z0

Dependent variables b1, and b2, are normalized reflected voltages:

V −I Z voltage wave reflected from port 1 V

b1 = 1 1 0 = = r1 (8)
2 Z0 Z0 Z0

V2 − I 2 Z 0 voltage wave reflected from port 2 Vr 2

b2 = = = (9)
2 Z0 Z0 Z0

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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
The linear equations describing the two-port network are Limitations of
then: lumped models
b 1 = s 11 a 1 + s 12 a 2 At low frequencies most
(10) circuits behave in a
b 2 = s 21 a 1+ s 22 a 2 (11) predictable manner and
can be described by a
The s-parameters s11, s22, s21, and s12 are: group of replaceable,
lumped-equivalent black
b1
s 11= = Input reflection coefficient with (12) boxes. At microwave
a 1 a = 0 the output port terminated by a frequencies, as circuit
2 matched load (Z =Z sets a =0) element size approaches
L 0 2
the wavelengths of the
b2
s 22 = = Output reflection coefficient (13) operating frequencies,
a 2 a = 0 with the input terminated by a such a simplified type
1 matched load (ZS=Z0 sets Vs=0) of model becomes
inaccurate. The physical
b2
s 21 = = Forward transmission (insertion) (14) arrangements of the
a 1 a = 0 gain with the output port circuit components can
2 terminated in a matched load. no longer be treated as
b1 black boxes. We have to
s 12 = = Reverse transmission (insertion) (15) use a distributed circuit
a2 gain with the input port element model and
a 1 =0 terminated in a matched load.
s-parameters.
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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter

Using S-Parameters Techniques

Another advantage of s-parameters springs from the

simple relationship between the variables a1, a2 , b1,
Radar
and b2, and various power waves:
The development
2 of radar, which
a1 = Power incident on the input of the network. uses powerful signals
= Power available from a source impedance Z 0 . at short wavelengths to
detect small objects at
a 2 2 = Power incident on the output of the network. long distances, provided
a powerful incentive for
= Power reflected from the load. improved high frequency
design methods during
b1 2 = Power reflected from the input port of the network. World War II. The design
= Power available from a Z0 source minus the power methods employed at
delivered to the input of the network. that time combined
distributed measurements
2 and lumped circuit
b2 = Power reflected from the output port of the network. design. There was an
= Power incident on the load. urgent need for an
= Power that would be delivered to a Z0 load. efficient tool that could
integrate measurement
and design. The Smith
Chart met that need.
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Test & Measurement
Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Using S-Parameters
The previous four equations show that s-parameters are
simply related to power gain and mismatch loss,
quantities which are often of more interest
than the corresponding voltage functions:
2 Power reflected from the network input
s11 =
Power incident on the network input

2 Power reflected from the network output

s 22 =
Power incident on the network output

2 Power delivered to a Z0 load

s 21 =
Power available from Z0 source
= Transducer power gain with Z 0 load and source

2
s12 = Reverse transducer power gain with Z0 load and source

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Scattering Parameter Test & Measurement

Application Note 95-1
S-Parameter Techniques

Relationships
s-parameters y-parameters
in terms of y-parameters in terms of s-parameters

(1 − y 11 )(1 + y 22 ) + y 12 y 21 (1 + s 22 )(1 − s 11 ) + s 12 s 21
s 11 = y 11 =
(1 + y 11 )(1 + y 22 ) − y 12 y 21 (1 + s 11 )(1 + s 22 ) − s 12 s 21

−2y 12 −2s 12
s 12 = y 12 =
(1 + y 11 )(1 + y 22 ) − y 12 y 21 (1 + s 11 )(1 + s 22 ) − s 12 s 21

−2y 21 −2s 21
s 21 = y 21 =
(1 + y 11 )(1 + y 22 ) − y 12 y 21 (1 + s 11 )(1 + s 22 ) − s 12 s 21

(1 + y 11 )(1 − y 22 ) + y 12 y 21 (1 + s 11 )(1 − s 22 ) + s 12 s 21
s 22 = y 22 =
(1 + y 11 )(1 + y 22 ) − y 12 y 21 (1 + s 11 )(1 + s 22 ) − s 12 s 21

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