Waveguides

Objectives:
• At the end of this chapter the
students should be familiarized with
the concept and applications of
waveguides transmission.

• The student can differentiate the

difference between the different
types of waveguide transmission.
Introduction:
In this Presentation the group will
show the concepts, theories and
applications of waveguides
transmission.
We will determine the behavior of the
different types of waveguides
transmission and how does it work as
a transmission medium.
Theory:

Waveguides

- is a special form of transmission line

consisting of a hollow, metal tube. The
tube wall provides distributed inductance,
while the empty space between the tube
walls provide distributed capacitance:
Waveguides are practical only for signals of
extremely high frequency, where the
wavelength approaches the cross-sectional
dimensions of the waveguide. Below such
frequencies, waveguides are useless as
electrical transmission lines.
Waveguides

• are practical only for signals of extremely high

frequency

• are considerably simpler than two-conductor

cables -- especially coaxial cables -- in their
manufacture and maintenance

• acting as nothing more than a "director" of the

energy rather than as a signal conductor in the
normal sense of the word
Waveguide Dimension:

• Widest dimension of a wave guide is

called the ”a” dimension and determines
the range of operating frequencies.

• The narrowest dimension determines the

power handling capability of the
waveguide and is called the “b” dimension
Waveguides
Waveguide Dimensions
• Waveguides may be thought of as
conduits for electromagnetic
energy, the waveguide itself
acting as nothing more than a
"director" of the energy rather
than as a signal conductor in the
normal sense of the word.
• In a sense, all transmission lines
function as conduits of
electromagnetic energy when
transporting pulses or high-
frequency waves, directing the
waves as the banks of a river
direct a tidal wave.
• However, because waveguides are
single-conductor elements, the
propagation of electrical energy down
a waveguide is of a very different
nature than the propagation of
electrical energy down a two-
conductor transmission line.
• All electromagnetic waves consist of
electric and magnetic fields propagating in
the same direction of travel, but
perpendicular to each other. Along the
length of a normal transmission line, both
electric and magnetic fields are
perpendicular (transverse) to the direction
of wave travel.
• This is known as the principal mode, or TEM
(Transverse Electric and Magnetic) mode.
This mode of wave propagation can exist
only where there are two conductors, and it
is the dominant mode of wave propagation
where the cross-sectional dimensions of the
transmission line are small compared to the
wavelength of the signal.
 Types of Electromagnetic (EM) Wave
Propagation

1. Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM)

• This mode of wave propagation can exist only

where there are two conductors, and it is the
dominant mode of wave propagation where the
cross-sectional dimensions of the transmission
line are small compared to the wavelength of
the signal.
TEM mode signal propagation for microwave
signals tend to have low voltage ratings, and
suffer from large, parasitic power losses due to
conductor "skin" and dielectric effects.
2. Transverse Electric (TE)

• All electric field components are

transverse to the direction of propagation

3. Transverse Magnetic (TM)

• All Magnetic field Components are

transverse to the direction propagation
The other field will "loop" longitudinally to the direction of travel,
but still be perpendicular to the other field. Whichever field remains
transverse to the direction of travel determines whether the wave
propagates in TE mode (Transverse Electric) or TM (Transverse
Magnetic) mode.
• Signals are typically introduced
to and extracted from
waveguides by means of small
antenna-like coupling devices
inserted into the waveguide.
• Sometimes these coupling
elements take the form of a
dipole, which is nothing more
than two open-ended stub
wires of appropriate length.
• Other times, the coupler is a
single stub (a half-dipole, similar
in principle to a "whip" antenna,
1/4λ in physical length), or a
short loop of wire terminated on
the inside surface of the
waveguide:
Boundary Conditions:

• For an electric field to exist at the

surface of a conductor it must be
perpendicular to the conductor.

An electric field CANNOT exist parallel to a perfect conductor

• For a varying magnetic field to
exist, it must form closed loops in
parallel with the conductors and be
perpendicular to the electric field.

The magnetic field CANNOT exist normal perfectly conducting

plate.
 CUT OFF FREQUENCY AND WAVELENGTH

• CUT OFF FREQUENCY

The lowest frequency which a given
waveguide will propagate.

• CUT OFF WAVELENGTH

The wavelength of the lowest
frequency that can be accommodated in a
given waveguide.
 Dominant Modes & Cut-off Frequency

• General Solution
Where:

m = no. of /2 variations of field in the “a”

dimension

n = no. of /2 variations of field in the “b”

dimension
Waveguides Velocities
• Relationship between Group and Phase
velocity

Where: c = speed of light

 = angle of incidence
• Group Velocity

the velocity of propagation of a wave

along a waveguide is less than its velocity
through the free space (speed of light).
This lower velocity is caused by the zigzag
path taken by the wavefront.
As frequency is increased, the group velocity
increases.
• Waveguide dimension

• Critical Frequency
• Phase Velocity

is the rate at which the wave appears to

move along the wall of the guide, based
on the way the phase angle varies along
the walls.
• Waveguide Dimension

• Cut-off Frequency
 Impedance and Guide Wavelength

• Waveguide Impedance

• Cut-off Frequency
• Guide Wavelength

Phase Velocity
Waveguide Dimension

Cut-off Frequency
Rectangular Waveguides

• Rectangular waveguides are the

one of the earliest type of the
transmission lines. They are used
in many applications.
•A rectangular waveguide cannot
propagate below some certain frequency.
This frequency is called the cut-off
frequency.
 TM MODES
• We will discuss TM mode rectangular
waveguides and TE mode rectangular
waveguides separately. Let’s start with the
TM mode.

• Consider the shape of the rectangular

waveguide above with dimensions a and b
(assume a>b) and the parameters e and
m.
 TE MODES
• Consider again the rectangular waveguide
below with dimensions a and b (assume
a>b) and the parameters e and m.
Waveguide Modes
 Circular Waveguides

1. TE (Transverse Electric) Mode

The lower cut-off frequency (or wavelength)

for a particular TE mode in circular
waveguide is determined by the
following equation:
Where:
r = Waveguide radius
m km1 km2 km3

0 3.832 7.016 10.174

1 1.841 5.331 8.536

2 3.054 6.706 9.970

2. TM (Transverse Magnetic) Mode

The lower cut-off frequency (or wavelength)

for a particular TM mode in a circular
waveguide is determined by the following
equation:
Where:
r = Waveguide radius
m k’m1 k’m2 k’m3

0 2.405 5.520 8.654

1 3.832 7.016 10.174

2 5.135 8.147 11.620

REVIEW:
 Waveguides are metal tubes functioning
as "conduits" for carrying
electromagnetic waves. They are
practical only for signals of extremely
high frequency, where the signal
wavelength approaches the cross-
sectional dimensions of the waveguide.
• Wave propagation through a
waveguide may be classified into two
broad categories: TE (Transverse
Electric), or TM (Transverse
Magnetic), depending on which field
(electric or magnetic) is perpendicular
(transverse) to the direction of wave
travel.
 Wave travel along a standard, two-
conductor transmission line is of the TEM
(Transverse Electric and Magnetic) mode,
where both fields are oriented
perpendicular to the direction of travel.
TEM mode is only possible with two
conductors and cannot exist in a
waveguide.
 A dead-ended waveguide serving
as a resonant element in a
microwave circuit is called a
cavity resonator.
 A cavity resonator with an open
end functions as a unidirectional
antenna, sending or receiving RF
energy to/from the direction of
the open end.