Chapter 2

Transmission Line Theory

Regular circuit analysis assumes that the physical

dimensions of the network elements are much smaller

than
.
At microwave & millimeter wave frequencies a
transmission line (T.L.) is no longer close to
but
several
. It is called a distributed network.

Parallel Wire Transmission Line

Theory

R = series resistance per unit length (/m), due to

the finite conductivity of the T.L.

L = series reactance per unit length (H/m), due to
the self inductance of the wires.
G = parallel conductance per unit length (S/m),
due to the dielectric loss in the T.L.
C = parallel capacitance per unit length(C/m), due
to the proximity of the two conductors

Using Kirchoffs voltage law:

(1)
& using Kirchoffs current law yields:
(2)
Dividing equations 1 and 2 by

& letting

we get:

Telegraphers of T.L. equations

in the time domain.

(3)

(4)
Now, recall that:

Using the above eqn we can transform equations 3 and 4 to:

(5)

(6)
or
(7)

(8)

Differentiating w.r.t.

z and combining eqns 8 & 9 yields:

(9)
(10)

Those two eqns are similar to the wave eqns in Chapter 1 with:
(11)
attenuation constant
phase constant

The solution to equations 9 & 10 are:

(12)
Forward traveling wave (+z direction)

Backward traveling wave (-z direction)

and

(13)

I(z) can be written in terms of V(z) as:

(14)

Therefore, the ration

is:

Characteristic impedance
(15)

or

Characteristic
impedance

Zo varies for different T.L. because L, C, R & G have different values

Again, here
And, the phase velocity is:

Lossless T.L.
R=G=0 (no losses ohmic or dielectric)

(16)
Compare this to the previous chapter where:
Compare with
And

(17)

Coaxial T.L.
Used from D.C. to 10GHz

We know that

(18)

Also:

(19)

To find Zo we use equations 18 & 19 to get:

(20)

Terminated T.L.

Since the load impedance fixes the voltage to current relationship at

the load point, it is usually convenient to solve the transmission line
problem from the receiving end rather than the sending end.

Starting from the

incident voltage and
current waves

(21)
(22)

If the ratio of the load voltage to current is the load impedance (ZL
at z=0)
Then:

(23)

by defining reflection coefficient:

(24)

and through rearranging the terms we get:

(25)

Since the impedances are usually complex so, the reflection

coefficient is also a complex quantity.

Where:

Also, when the load impedance is equal to the characteristic

impedance i.e. ZL = Z0 , then there is no reflection ( L=0).
Let Zin be the impedance at the generator end, then

Substituting for L and manipulating the above equation, we get

(for a lossy line)
(26)
For lossless line, =0, =j and using tanh jL=j tanL, we
get :
(27)
Equation 27 can be used as a general expression to find Zin at any
point on the line (replace L by L-z).It also shows that the input
impedance varies periodically from the load. L is also called the
electrical length expressed in degree or radians.

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Impedance and Line Length

Z0 Line
ZL
The impedance will change
as the length of the line changes.

Special Cases
(a)For a short circuit, ZL=0, hence
and L= -1, or
Thus the voltage changes sign after
reflection and propagates along the
line in z direction. Also Zin is
pure reactance and could be
capacitive (negative) or inductive
(positive) depending on the value
of L.

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(b) For an open circuit, ZL=, hence

and L=1, or

(a)

(b)

(a) Voltage, (b) current,

and input impedance
(c)

(c) For a matched line, ZL=Z0, hence

= Z0

and L=0, or
hence there is no reflection and the incident wave is fully absorbed
by the load.
Also

(28)

12

Transmission line as a circuit element

(29)

Thus Zin is pure reactance (inductance, capacitance),

since
so we can choose values for L in terms of the
wavelength and plot tanL vs . The plot would be periodic
with positive and negative values. The positive values
correspond to inductance while the negative values are
capacitance. Thus with the proper choice of length of a short
circuit line we can make capacitance and inductance.

Standing waves, matched line, Standing Wave Ratio

The voltage and current equations can be written in terms of , as:
(30)
(31)
which shows that the voltage and current on the line consist of a
superposition of an incident and a reflected wave. Such waves
are called standing waves. Standing waves result from the
simultaneous presence of waves traveling in opposite direction
on a transmission line.

13

The two components add in phase at some points and subtract in

phase at others. The superposition is maximum when they are in
phase, while it is minimum when they are out in phase.
Mathematically the maximum and minimum values are given as:
(32)

(33)
The standing wave ratio (SWR) is thus defined as ratio of Vmax to
Vmin
(34)

Also
Since

1 so SWR is positive, real and never less than one.

SWR is not defined for a lossy line because the pattern changes
markedly from point to point. It is fairly constant for low loss line
and is the same throughout for a lossless line.
SWR is also a measure of mismatch of a line When the load is
mismatched not all the power is delivered to the load and this loss
is called the return loss (RL) and is defined in dB as:
RL = -20log|| dB
For short circuited and open circuited lines, SWR is infinite and
for matched line SWR=1.

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Power transmitted to load

The average power delivered to the load is the difference between
the incident and the reflected power

When

=0, maximum power is delivered to the load.

Example
A Certain transmission line operating at
and

has
, and is 2 m

long.
If the line is connected to a source of
terminated by a load of
, determine:

and

(a) The input impedance

(b) The sending-end current
The current in the middle of the line

15

16

Note that j1 is in radians and is equivalent to j 57.3

degrees. Thus,

mA

17