Lab 3: Transients on Transmission Lines

1. Introduction
We have thus far focused on techniques for understanding transmission lines under
sinusoidal excitation. Powerful analytic insight is available here, permitting
straightforward design of interesting circuits.
In contrast, the analysis of transients is generally more difficult and less amenable to
simple closed-form analysis, especially when loads are reactive. This laboratory will
explore the propagation of transients on transmission lines with the aid of numerical
experiments in SPICE.

2. Purely Resistive Termination

First, let's use SPICE to investigate the propagation of pulses on a transmission line
terminated by purely resistive loads.

2.1 A step function, matched load

First, create a 50 transmission line with total length (time delay) of 25 ns, and excite it
with a Thevenin source 10u(t), with a source resistance Rg = 50 . With the load
resistance RL = 50 , run the simulation.
To create the voltage source, use the VPWL source. Using VPWL allows various times
and the voltages at those times to be specified using the T1, T2, T3, ... and V1, V2, V3, ...
parameters. The voltage source will be piece-wise linear, connecting each specified
point. Using VPULSE allows specification of the initial voltage, V1, the voltage of the
pulse, V2, the delay time, TD, the rise time, TR, the fall time, TF, the pulse width, PW,
and the period, PER.
The VPWL source is piece-wise linear and allows the user to specify voltages at specific
times using T1, T2, T3 and the corresponding V1, V2, V3 parameters. Please note that
the source will connect each specified point in the most direct way. Additionally, two
voltages cannot be specified for the same time, so that instantaneous changes must be
approximated.
For Example: to specify a VPWL source that produces a 10 V square pulse starting at t=0
and lasting for 10 ns, would have the following specified parameters: T1=0, V1=0,
T2=0.001n, V2=10, T3=10n, V3=10, T4=10.001n, V4=0. (Making V3=0 would form a

sawtooth wave because of the reasons stated above.)

Using VPULSE allows specification of an initial voltage, V1, the voltage of the pulse,
V2, the delay time, TD, the rise time, TR, the fall time, TF, the pulse width, PW, and the
period, PER. Single pulses can be formed with this source. More complex signals can be
formed by combining multiple sources.
Problem 1
Plot the voltage at the source and load ends of the transmission line for t =
050 ns. Using your understanding of bounce diagrams, explain whether this plot
makes sense and shows what you would expect to see in the exact answer. Do the two
agree? If not, why not?

2.2 A step function, mismatched load

Now, change the load impedance in the previous case to 20 .
Problem 2
Plot the voltage at the source and load ends of the transmission line for t =
0100 ns. Using your understanding of bounce diagrams, compare this with what you
would expect to see in the exact answer. Do the two agree? If not, why not? How long
does it take the answer to settle to the final answer?

2.3 A step function, mismatched load and source

Now, change the load impedance in the previous case to RL=20 , and change the source
impedance to Rg=200 .
Problem 3
Plot the voltage at the source and load ends of the transmission line for t =
0300 ns. Using your understanding of bounce diagrams, compare this to the exact
answer. Do the two agree? If not, why not? How long does it take the answer to settle
down to the final answer?

2.4 A short pulse

Now break the transmission line into two equal pieces, with total length 25 ns (you
should now have two different transmission lines, both with the same 50 characteristic
impedance, but each with a time delay of only 12.5 ns). This permits us to sample
inside the transmission line. With the same transmission line, and Rg=200 and
RL=20 apply a pulse of duration 10 ns to the transmission line, namely vg(t) = 10(u(t)u(t-10ns)).
Problem 4
Plot the voltage at the source, middle, and load ends of the transmission
lines for t = 0100 ns. Sketch the bounce diagram; do you understand the voltage plots?
How long before the ghost pulse (the pulse you are seeing at the middle of the

transmission line) arrives at the load end? How large is the ghost pulse?

2.5 A longer pulse

In the previous problem, the pulse was brief (10 ns) compared to the length of the
transmission line (25 ns). Now investigate a more complicated system.
Problem 5
Using the same transmission line and source impedance, define a new
source for which vg = +10 V for t = 0 20 ns, and v g V for t = 20 40ns. Plot
the voltage at the source, center, and load end of the transmission line for t = 0100 ns.
Is the transition from high to low perfectly clear at the load end?

3. Reactive Termination
As mentioned in class, it is frequently the case that the loads at the end of a data bus are
reactive (and often capacitive).

3.1 A step into a capacitive load

For this exercise, again form a circuit with a source vg(t) = 10u(t), a source impedance
Rg=25 , and a transmission line with characteristic impedance 50 and length 25ns.
Problem 6
Terminate the transmission line with a 1 nF capacitor. Plot the voltage at
the source and load ends of the transmission line for t = 0600ns. If you see any
exponential charging or discharging, estimate the time constant, and solve for the R.
You may use the following formulas.

Problem 7

Repeat the previous problem, but with a load inductance of 0.25 H.

Problem 8

Repeat the previous problem, but with a load composed of a parallel

combination of RL=1000 , L = 1 H and C = 100 pF.

4. Impedance Matching
4.1. Pre-lab Assignment
Problem 9

Design a quarter-wave transformer to match a 150 load to a source

resistance of 75 .

State the length of your transmission line(s) in terms of the

wavelength.

4.2. Lab Assignment

Problem 10 Find the actual length of the quarter-wave matching network you designed
in problem 11 if up = 2x108 (m/s) and frequency = 1 GHz. Simulate the frequency
response of the circuit by sweeping the frequency from 1 MHz to 3 GHz using a 5Vpp
sine wave source with a source resistance of 75 . Plot the input and load voltage over
frequency. Plot the magnitude of the reflection coefficient of the matching network and
find the bandwidth where || is less than 0.2. What is the input impedance of the
matching network at 1 GHz?