Some sample questions:

What is rain fading, why is it so important at millimetre wave frequencies?

“Standard air filled rectangular waveguides (WR-xx) have lowest propagation loss among all
available wave guiding structures”- justify.

Considering a smooth surface, calculate the minimum thickness required to realize the ground
planes of a substrate (copper cladding) at 30 GHz and 60 GHz, respectively. Use thumb rule 5δ s
(given that substrate ϵ r = 2.2, σ cu = 6Х107 S/m).

An air filled coaxial feed structure has the outer diameter of inner conductor as 1 mm and the inner
diameter of outer conductor as 2.4 mm. Considering a 10% margin, calculate the range of frequency
band over which it can be used as an end-launcher. Recalculate the frequency band if air is replaced
by Teflon (ϵ r = 2.1).

An air filled coaxial cable has inner conductor diameter as 1.25 mm and outer conductor’s inner
diameter as 2.92 mm. Considering a surface roughness of 1 μm, calculate the attenuation constant
of the cable at 30 GHz#.

What is the difference between phase velocity and group velocity? Calculate the frequency range
over which a WR-10 waveguide (inner dimensions: 0.1”Х0.05”) can be used as a wave guiding
structure propagating TE 10 mode only (use appropriate thumb rules). Sketch the variation of group
velocity with frequency over this band showing maximum and minimum values.

What does limit the power handling capability of a waveguide?

Considering a smooth surface, calculate the mid-band attenuation (in dB) of a 1m long WR-15 (inner
dimensions: 0.148”Х0.074”) waveguide section.

What limits the high frequency operation of a microstrip line? A 3 mm wide strip is used on a 20 mil
thick Rt/duroid 5880 substrate (ϵr = 2.2, tanδ = 0.0009) for some component realization. Considering
a margin of 10%, calculate the maximum range of frequency.

Loss calculation of a microstrip line.

What is a substrate wave? What are the possible modes of surface waves in a dielectric substrate
with PEC at one side? Sketch the variation of electric/magnetic fields of the lowest order mode of a
substrate wave with distance.

In comparison to TE 0 mode, TM 0 mode is easily excited in a microstrip line circuit, explain.

An alumina substrate (t = 0.508 mm, ϵ r = 9.9, tanδ = 0.0001) is used to realize some microstrip
circuit. Which substrate mode (TE n /TM n ) appears first?

# all long closed form expressions will be supplied.