Microwave Devices and System (EEEg-4301)

Chapter Five
Introduction to Passive and Active
Microwave Devices
 Contents
Microwave Resonators
Power dividers
Couplers
 Microwave Resonators

Microwave resonators are used in a variety of applications

such as:
• Filters
• Oscillators
• Frequency meters
• Tuned Amplifier

The operation of microwave resonators are very similar to

that of the lumped-element resonators of circuit theory, thus
we will review the basic of series and parallel RLC resonant
circuits first.
We will derive some of the basic properties of such circuits.
 Series Resonant Circuit
Near the resonance frequency, a microwave resonator can be modeled
as a series or parallel RLC lumped-element equivalent circuit.

1
Z in  R  j L  j
C
1 2 1 2 1 
Pin  I Z in  I  R  j  L  j
 

2 2  C 

1
Average magnetic energy: W m  I 2
L
4
1 1
Average electric energy: We  I 2

4 2C

Resonance occurs when the average

A series RLC resonator and its
response. (a) The series RLC circuit.
stored magnetic (Wm) and electric
(b) The input impedance magnitude energies (We) are equal and Zin is purely
versus frequency. real.
 Series Resonators
1
• The frequency in which o 
LC
is called the resonant frequency.
• Another important factor is the Quality
Factor Q.
Average Energy Stored
Q 
Energy Loss / Second
o L 1
BW  1/ Q Q 
R o RC
Near the resonance    o   
1  2  o 2
Z in  R  j L(1  2 )  R  j L( )
 LC  2

A series RLC resonator and its 2 RQ

response. (a) The series RLC circuit.  R j
o
(b) The input impedance magnitude
versus frequency.  2   o2     o    o   2   
Z in  R  j 2 L  
 Series Resonators

The input impedance magnitude versus frequency.

o L 1
Q 
R o RC
 BW
Fractional Bandwidth is defined as:  BW  1/ Q
o 2
and happens when the average (real) power delivered to the
circuit is one-half that delivered at the resonance.
• Bandwidth increases as R increases.
• Narrower bandwidth can be achieved at higher quality factor
(Smaller R).
 Parallel Resonators

1
1 1 
Z in     jC 
 R j L 

Resonance occurs when the average

stored magnetic and electric energies
are equal and Zin is purely real. The input
impedance at resonance is equal to R.

Average Energy Stored

Q 
Energy Loss / Second

1 R
o  Q   o RC
A parallel RLC resonator and its LC o L
response. (a) The parallel RLC circuit.
(b) The input impedance magnitude Note: Resonance frequency is equal to the
versus frequency.
series resonator case. Q is inversed.
 Parallel Resonators

The input impedance magnitude versus frequency.

R
Q  o RC BW  1/ Q
o L
• Bandwidth reduces as R increases.
• Narrower bandwidth can be achieved at higher quality factor (Larger R).
1  R
Close to the resonance frequency: Z in    2 j   C  1 
R  1 2 j Q   /  o
   o  
1
R Z in 
j 2C (  o )
 Loaded and Unloaded Q Factor

The Q factors that we have calculated were based on the characteristic of the
resonant circuit itself, in the absence of any loading effect (Unloaded Q).

A resonant circuit connected to an external load, RL.

In practice a resonance circuit is always connected to another circuitry, which

will always have the effect of lowering the overall Q (Loaded Q).

 o L
 R for series connection

Qe   L
 RL for parallel connection
 o L
 Loaded Q Factor

If the resonator is a series RLC and coupled to an external load resistor

RL, the effective resistance is:

R e  RR L

If the resonator is a parallel RLC and coupled to an external load

resistor RL, the effective resistance is:

R e  RR L / R  R L

Then the loaded Q can be written as:

1 1 1
 
QL Q Qe
Note: Loaded Q factor is always smaller than Unloaded Q.
 Transmission Line Resonators (Short Circuited)
• Ideal lumped element (R, L and C) are usually impossible to
find at microwave frequencies.
• We can design resonators with transmission line sections with
different lengths and terminations (Open or Short).
• Since we are interested in the Q of these resonators we will
consider the Lossy Transmission Line.
For the special case of :    / 2

Z in  Z o tanh    j   

tanh    j tan  
Z in  Z A short-circuited length of lossy
1  j tanh    tanh  
o
transmission line.

oL 
Q 
R 2
 Transmission Line Resonators (Short Circuited)
n
• The resonance occurs for   n  1, 2 , 3 , 
2
Z in  Z o [   j    /  o ]

oL 
Q 
R 2

A short-circuited length of lossy

transmission line and the voltage

distributions for n=1,  
2
 Transmission Line resonators

Zo
Z in 
   j    / 2 o 

R
Zo  1
C L
 4 o Z o  o2 C

Q
2

An open-circuited length of lossy

transmission line, and the voltage
distributions for n = 1
resonators.
 Rectangular waveguide cavity resonator
We can look at them as short circuit section of transmission line

 m   n 
2 2

 mn   2      b 
 a   
Boundry conditions enforced
Ex  E y  0 for z  0, d
  mn d  l   mn  l l  1,2,3... 
d 2

 l   m   n 
2 2 2

     2      b 
 d  a   

2f  l   m   n 
2 2 2

      
c   
d a   b 
then the resonance frequency A rectangular resonant cavity, and the electric field
2 2 2 distributions for the TE101 and TE102 resonant
c  l  m n
f   d   a   b  modes.
2      

if b  a  d the lowest and dominant resonant TE (resp TM) mode

will be TE101 (resp. TM110)
Rectangular waveguide cavity resonator
Q factor for TE10l

1
 1 1 
Q  
 c
Q Qd 

1
Qd 
tan 
 2 ad   
3
1
Qc 
2 2 Rs  2l a b  2bd
2 3 3
 l 2 a 3 d  ad 3 
Rs  o 2



 Resonators - coupling
R
Critical coupling occurs when 2QL  Qe  Qu
Zo Zi
n
Q
If we define coupling coefficient g u then we have
Qe
series RLC parallel RLC
• undercoupled resonator if g<1 Z0
g R
• critically coupled resonator if g=1 (resonator matched to the feed line) g
R Z0
• overcoupled resonator if g>1

g 1 g 1
g 1

Series RLC circuit

 © Ahmad El-Banna
Power Dividers and Couplers
• Power dividers and directional couplers are passive microwave
components used for power division or power combining.
• In power division, an input signal is divided into two (or more)
output signals of lesser power, while a power combiner accepts

ECE-601 , Lec#4 , Nov 2014

two or more input signals and combines them at an output port.
• The coupler or divider may have three ports, four ports, or more,
and may be (ideally) lossless.
• Three-port networks take the form of T-junctions and other
power dividers, while four-port networks take the form of
directional couplers and hybrids.

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 © Ahmad El-Banna
Power Dividers and Couplers
• Power dividers usually provide in-phase output signals with an
equal power division ratio (3 dB), but unequal power division
ratios are also possible.
• Directional couplers can be designed for arbitrary power

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division, while hybrid junctions usually have equal power
division. Hybrid junctions have either a 90◦ or a 180◦ phase
shift between the output ports.
• Applications
• Dividing (combining) a transmitter (receiver) signal to many
antennas.
• Separating forward and reverse propagating waves (can also
use for a sort of matching).
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• Signal combining for a mixer.
 © Ahmad El-Banna
Three-Port Networks (T-Junctions)
• it’s not possible to construct a three-port network that is:
• lossless,
• reciprocal, and
• matched at all ports.

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• A three-port network has an S matrix:

• If the network is matched at every port, then S11=S22 =S33=0, and if the
network is reciprocal, S21=S12 , S31=S13 , S32=S23 .

• If the network is lossless,

 at least two of the three S

parameters must equal zero. 7
 If this is the case, then not all
of the equations can be
satisfied.
 © Ahmad El-Banna
Three-Port Networks (T-Junctions)..
• Then a three-port network cannot be lossless, reciprocal, and matched at all
ports. However, one can realize such a network if any of these three constraints
is loosened.

Examples:

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1. Nonreciprocal three-port: In this case, a lossless three-port that is matched at all ports
can be realized. It is called a circulator.

2. Match only two of the three ports. Assume ports 1 and 2 are matched.

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3. Lossy network. All ports can be simultaneously matched and the network reciprocal.
 © Ahmad El-Banna
Four-Port Networks (Directional Couplers)

• Unlike three-ports, it is possible to make a lossless, matched, and

reciprocal four-port network. These are called directional
couplers.
• The S matrix of a reciprocal and matched four-port has the form:

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• There are two commonly used realizations of directional couplers:
• 1-The Symmetrical Coupler. The S matrix for this device is

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• It’s called Quadrature (90°) Hybrid Coupler
 © Ahmad El-Banna
Four-Port Networks (Directional Couplers)

• 2. The Asymmetrical Coupler. The S matrix for this device is

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• The network is matched, reciprocal and lossless.
• It’s called 180° Hybrid Coupler

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 © Ahmad El-Banna
Directional Couplers

• The arrows indicate the assumed directions of time average power

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flow.
• The performance of directional couplers is characterized by the following
values. For these definitions, port 1 is assumed the input, ports 2 and 3
the outputs, and port 4 is the isolated port.

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 © Ahmad El-Banna
Hybrid Couplers
• Hybrid couplers are special cases of directional couplers, where the coupling
factor is 3 dB, which implies that α = β = 1/√2.
• There are two types of hybrids.
• The quadrature hybrid has a 90◦ phase shift between ports 2 and 3 (θ = φ = π/2)

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when fed at port 1, and is an example of a symmetric coupler.

• The magic-T hybrid and the rat-race (ring) hybrid have a 180◦ phase difference
between ports 2 and 3 when fed at port 4, and are examples of an antisymmetric
coupler.

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 Examples

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ECE-601 , Lec#4 , Nov 2014 © Ahmad El-Banna

 © Ahmad El-Banna
THE T-JUNCTION POWER DIVIDER
• The T-junction power divider is a simple three-port network that can
be used for power division or power combining, and it can be
implemented in virtually any type of transmission line medium.

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• Lossless Divider:

• Resistive Divider:

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 Example

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 © Ahmad El-Banna
THE WILKINSON POWER DIVIDER
• This is a popular power divider because it is easy to construct and has
some extremely useful properties:
• Matched at all ports,
• Large isolation between output ports,

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• Reciprocal,
• Lossless when output ports are matched.

• There is much symmetry in this circuit that can be exploited to make

the S parameter calculations easier.
• Specifically, we will excite this circuit in two very special
configurations (symmetrically and anti-symmetrically), then add these
two solutions for the total solution.
• This mathematical process is called an “even-odd mode analysis.” It
is a technique used in many branches of science such as quantum 18
mechanics, antenna analysis, etc.
 Even-odd mode analysis

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 Example

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