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High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

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DOI: 10.1080/08327823.2010.11689786 · Source: PubMed

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 Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010, pp. 178-186
A Publication of the International Microwave Power Institute

High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

Vladimir Bilik, Jan Bezek
Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology,
Bratislava, Slovakia.

Received: October 1, 2009

Accepted: November 13, 2009
ABSTRACT
Three effects limiting power handling capacity of a 2.45-GHz R-26 waveguide stub tuner
have been investigated by means of electromagnetic simulation and partly by experiments:
electric breakdown, microwave power dissipation in tuning stubs, and leakage of microwave
radiation to environment. Critical situation in terms of load reflection coefficient has been
identified. A tuner working chart is proposed which, for a given stub design, relates the highest
tolerable microwave power for arc-free operation to maximum allowable load reflection
coefficient. It is shown that high-reflection loads can increase noncontacting stub leakage levels
by more than 10 dB, which should be considered in choke design. The described methodology
can be applied to any type of waveguide and tuning stub structure.

KEYWORDS: Impedance matching, Waveguide components, Industrial electronics, Stub tuners.

INTRODUCTION
The three-stub waveguide tuner [Collin 1966] is due to its simplicity the basic tool for
impedance matching of high-power industrial microwave applicators. It essentially consists
of three capacitive, often noncontacting stubs spaced apart along the waveguide broadwall
centerline by a quarter of guide wavelength λg. Only two neighboring stubs (1+2 or 2+3) are
used at a time for matching, each pair covering about half of the complete matchable area in
the Smith chart (Figure 1).
The tuner prime characteristic of interest is its matching performance, usually expressed
as maximum magnitude Mmax of load reflection coefficient that can be, regardless of phase,
perfectly matched. The quantity derives from maximum stub insertion depth hmax. Value of Mmax
can be as high as 0.9 in practical industrial tuners. In case of R-26 waveguides and generator
peak powers not exceeding about 1 kW this is indeed the only specification the user might be
concerned with. However, when the power increases, effects become important that can limit the
tuner performance or lead to its damage. The most severe of these effects is electric breakdown
that can develop in arc, able to melt the stubs. Also, increased input power proportionally
increases power dissipated in the tuning stubs, potentially leading to their overheating and
malfunction (arresting) or damage to softer surrounding parts (PTFE choke). Another limiting
factor is leakage of microwave energy through the microwave choke of a noncontacting stub.
The leaked radiation can interfere with built-in electronics and present hazard to personnel.
While the heat generated in stubs can in principle be conducted away by proper cooling and
leakage reduced by careful choke design there is little that can be done in tuner construction to
reduce the risk of arcing. It is therefore important to at least know safe limits of input power for
a given tuner design and stub insertion h. A systematic experimental investigation of breakdown
limits is difficult and can lead to tuner destruction. Fortunately, present-day electromagnetic

International Microwave Power Institute

178
Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners
+j
2+3
A in plasma applicators). High E-field magnitude
Mmax
0 1
1+2
B investigated by means of electromagnetic
Figure 1. Matchable area in the complex reflection
coefficient plane.The critical areas as for arcing are A, B.
simulators are powerful and accurate enough
to handle such tasks; experiments then
can be carried out only for some cases to
verify the computational results. The paper
presents methodology of such simulations,
concentrating mainly on the electric
breakdown case. As a result, tuner working
chart is proposed, relating (for a given tuner
design and stub insertion) peak tolerable input
power to maximum load reflection coefficient
ensuring arc-free operation. Numerical results
are illustrated on the case of an R-26 (WR-
340) waveguide tuner with 20-mm diameter
tuning stubs operating in the 2.45 GHz ISM
band. The paper is an extension of previous
work [Bilik and Bezek 2008, 2009].
ELECTRIC BREAKDOWN
Matching highly reflective loads
requires extending one or two neighboring
tuning stubs of a three-stub tuner to extreme
positions. When two high-reflection entities
(mismatched load, extended stubs) are
separated along a transmission medium, the
space between may act as a high-quality
resonator. For a given frequency, resonance
can take place only if the load reflection
coefficient has a certain phase. The two
critical areas are indicated as A, B in Figure 1.
Field strengths in such a resonating structure
Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010
International Microwave Power Institute
may many times exceed the intensities in a
matched system. Inevitability of high load
reflection coefficient, at least temporarily,
may be dictated by the physics of the process
involved (e.g. a state before plasma ignition
can lead to electric breakdown in the area
of the highest field concentration, which not
surprisingly is the bottom edge of an extended
tuning stub.
To gain quantitative understanding
of the problem, a model system has been
simulation; CST Microwave Studio (MWS) [CST
2009] has been employed for the purpose.
The model (Figure 2) consists of:
• A high-reflection load,
realized as a short-circuited section
of R-26 aluminum waveguide with
length z 1 = 130 mm filled with low-
conductivity material, controlling its
reflection coefficient magnitude |ΓL|
(e.g. conductance σ = 7 x 10-4 S/m
produces |ΓL| = 0.95 at 2.45 GHz).
• Two aluminum tuning stubs
(S1, S2) separated by 42.2 mm, having
radius r, edge rounding radius re and
extension h. The stubs are in contact
with the top waveguide wall.
The system is fed by input power P0 = 1 W
from a matched generator. The load reflection
coefficient phase φ as seen at stub S2 axis plane
is controlled by the distance z2. At 2.45 GHz
dφ/dz2 = 4.15 °/mm.
Load
S2
S1 z1
r
L
z2
42.2
1W
re
h
Input
Figure 2. Model of the tuner for electromagnetic
simulation.
179
 Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

Frequency-domain solver (FDS) was 8

employed rather than time-domain solver 7
(TDS) because computation of high-quality 1
6
resonance cases like this takes substantially 3

less time (minutes compared to hours).
Furthermore, a field distribution at any extra
frequency can be added without the need of
complete recomputation. Frequency range
was set to 2.4 – 2.5 GHz. Monitors of E-field and
surface current J at 2.45 GHz were engaged.
Tetrahedral mesh was used; it was refined
such as to properly reproduce the sharpest 1-
mm radius edges. Trial computations proved
that the results of FDS and TDS are in good
agreement.
For different studied configurations
the distance z2 was varied by means of
parametric sweep and, using postprocessing
macros, the following was evaluated:
• Maximum value Em0 of E-field
strength within the structure as
function of z2 (the subscript 0 indicates
that the input power is 1 W).
• Maximum value Jm0 of stub surface
current density as function of z2.
• Resonance distance z2 for
which Em0 is the highest; for this z2 also
coordinates where Em0 and Jm0 occur
were recorded.
To acquire Emax and Jmax for arbitrary input
power Pin, values Em0 and Jm0 obtained for P0 =
1 W have been multiplied by the square root
of 2Pin/P0. The factor 2 appears because of our
interest in amplitudes while MWS computes
effective values. Conversely, expressing Pin
and allowing Emax to reach the value Ebr/k
where Ebr = 3 kV/mm is dielectric strength of
air and k > 1 is a safety factor (typical value
2, see e.g. [Hewlett-Packard 1986]), the peak
input power for safe arc-free operation is
Emax (kV/mm)
5
4
Ebr
3
4 2
2
5
1
0
53 54 55 56 57 58
z2 (mm)
Figure 3. Maximum E-field strength as a function of
distance z2 for input power Pin = 6 kW. Case 1: h = 25
mm, re = 1 mm, |ΓL| ~1; Case 2: h = 25 mm, re = 7 mm,
|ΓL|~ 1; Case 3: h = 28 mm, re = 7 mm, |ΓL| ~ 1; Case 4:
h = 25 mm, re = 1 mm, |ΓL| = 0.95; Case 5: h = 25 mm,
re = 1 mm, |ΓL| = 0.9.
practically totally reflecting load. The results
have revealed that Emax rises sharply for certain
distances z2, exceeding more than 100 times
the value in an empty matched waveguide.
Figure 3, curve 1, illustrates the case for a
moderate input power Pin = 6 kW, for which
Emax > 7 kV/mm at z2 = 54.3 mm, which more
than twice surpasses the dielectric strength
of air (horizontal line). For comparison, in an
empty matched waveguide Emax = 59 V/mm.
The resonance occurs within less than 1
mm of the critical distance z2 (2º of reflection
coefficient phase); a potential hazard can
therefore in many cases go unnoticed. The
input power to reach Ebr is 1 kW. Safe power
level in this case is about 250 W, which is
surprisingly low.
To load
Emax

(1)

As the first case, an existing tuner (r = Figure 4. Distribution of E-field magnitude for h = 28
10 mm, re = 1 mm, h = 25 mm) was simulated mm, re = 7 mm, |ΓL| ~ 1. Maximum occurs at the stub
using vacuum as load fill material, yielding closer to the load.

Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010

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International Microwave Power Institute
Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

Another important outcome of the by proper applicator design that under no

simulation is that at resonance Emax always
occurs at the bottom edge of the stub
closer to load; so this is where a discharge
would possibly set off. Distribution of E-field
magnitude is illustrated in Figure 4.
Input reflection coefficient for critical
distance z2 exhibits a sharp resonance with
loaded quality factor about 1500 (Figure 5)
and minimum magnitude value 0.72 as the
tuner reduces mismatch of this extremely
reflective load, consisting in fact of only 185
mm of short-circuited aluminum waveguide
tube. Still, the tuner is able to feed it with 50
% of generator available power. A resonance
like this is a good experimental indication of
potential threat.
An obvious first choice in increasing
Pmax is rounding the stub edge. Increasing re to
7 mm (reasonable maximum for 10-mm radius
stub) results in curve 2 of Figure 3 with Emax
= 2.6 kV/mm. However, rounding the stub tip
shrinks the matchable area. To achieve the
same matching performance, stub insertion
must be extended to h = 28 mm, which in turn
increases Emax to 4.2 kV/mm (case 3). This is
still improvement relative to case 1 (about
3:1 in terms of input power) but insufficient
for practice.
Other techniques to heighten Pmax lie
outside the tuner. The best method is assuring
circumstances load reflection coefficient
exceed a specified magnitude. Cases 4 and 5
in Figure 3 represent |ΓL| = 0.95 (VSWR = 39)
and |ΓL| = 0.9 (VSWR = 19), respectively.
In the latter case the resonance disappeared
altogether. Pmax (safety factor k = 1) increases
to 13 kW and 39 kW, respectively.
If load reflection coefficient phase
varies substantially less than 180º, the critical
resonances can be avoided by appropriate
tuner-applicator distance.
TUNER WORKING CHART
Generally, a tradeoff must be
made between matching performance Mmax
(determined by maximum stub insertion
hmax), peak tolerable power Pmax and maximum
allowable load reflection coefficient |ΓL|max.
This tradeoff can be for each particular
tuner type articulated by tuner working chart
(Figure 6). The chart consists of a family of
curves, each drawn for a constant hmax. The
curves relate Pmax to |ΓL|max. An example
of such a chart, created for re = 7 mm and
safety factor k = 2, is shown in Figure 6. It has
been obtained by numerous electromagnetic
simulations as described above. Note that
some curves merge. The physical reason is
that lower reflection coefficients can be
better matched by less inserted stubs which

Figure 5. Resonance exhibited as a loop in polar diagram and a dip in magnitude response of input reflection
coefficient at z2 = 54.3 mm.

Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010

181
International Microwave Power Institute
 Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners
40
35
30
25
Pmax (kW)
20
15
10
5 22 mm
0 26 mm
0.8 0.85 0.9 0.95
|Γ
ΓL|max
Figure 6. Tuner working chart example.
may result in higher field intensities than with
more extended stubs. It should be noted for
completeness that while all the investigations
assumed equal insertion of both stubs, it
cannot be excluded that in certain cases
yet higher field strengths can occur with
unequally inserted stubs, which could slightly
modify the chart.
The usage of the chart is illustrated
on the following example. If, for instance,
the user wishes to safely apply input power
Pmax = 15 kW and is able to secure applicator
reflection coefficient below about 0.95, the
stub insertion must not exceed hmax = 20 mm
(the circle in Figure 6). However, such stub
insertion ensures perfect matching of only
loads with reflection coefficient magnitude
Mmax < 0.53 (VSWR < 3.23).
EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION
Experiments involving investigation
of electric breakdown limits and comparison
with simulations are difficult. One reason is
assuring constant conditions, corresponding
to simulation assumptions (e.g. low-ripple CW
signal with stable frequency), in particular
for high powers. Even at apparently stable
conditions the breakdown occurrence is not
exactly repeatable. But perhaps the most
serious error source is the extreme sensitivity
of the breakdown threshold to load reflection
coefficient magnitude |ΓL|. For example,
the change of |ΓL| from 0.95 to 1, the
difference commensurate with measurement
accuracy, increases Emax more than seven
Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010
182
International Microwave Power Institute
times, i.e. about fifty times in terms of
hmax Mmax
power. Consequently, a slight uncertainty in
16 mm 0.27 determining |ΓL| can lead to great errors in
determining Pmax. In addition to the accuracy
and repeatability issues, experiments like
18 mm 0.40
these can lead to damage of tuner under test
or other instrumentation used.
20 mm 0.53
Only pilot experiments with the
24 mm
0.64
0.74
highest possible load reflection coefficient
0.81 have been carried out. The tuner under test
1
(DUT) [S-Team 2009] with fully extended two
neighboring stubs (h = 25 mm) was terminated
by a motorized noncontacting sliding short
[Bilik and Bezek 2006]. Input reflection
coefficient Γ of DUT was measured by a high-
power reflectometer (the same autotuner
type as DUT). The system was fed from low-
ripple magnetron source with input power
Pin settable from 1 kW to 7 kW. For a given
power setting, the sliding short plunger was
moved, Γ recorded and occurrence of arcing
visually monitored. An example for Pin = 5 kW
is illustrated in Figure 7, demonstrating the
situation on the verge of arcing. In Figure 7a,
the shorting plunger was continuously slid
with the speed 8 mm/s, hence x-axis (time)
is also proportional to plunger distance zs =
z1 + z2 (see Figure 2). At z2 = 53 mm, sharp
drop of |Γ| was observed to |Γ|min = 0.65,
corresponding to about 2.4 kW of absorbed
power (in repeated experiments, |Γ|min varied
between 0.55 and 0.7). As the plunger moved
on, the situation returned back to normal. In
polar diagram (Figure 7b) the trajectory of
the reflection coefficient represents a fast
loop. Comparison with the corresponding
simulation (z2 = 54.3 mm, |Γ|min = 0.72) shows
good agreement; also the size and position of
the resonance loops are similar (Figure 5).
In Figure 7c, d the plunger was
stopped at the moment when the dip in |Γ|
was observed. After four seconds, during
which |Γ| continued to fall, accompanied
by rapid heating of the sliding short walls,
breakdown occurred. This implies that the
breakdown limit is equal to or somewhat
less than 5 kW. The figure is higher than
the 1 kW predicted by the simulation; it is
Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

1 1 1 1

0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9

Breakdown
Breakdown
0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

Γ|

Γ|
Γ|

Γ|

|Γ

|Γ
|Γ

|Γ

0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7

0.6 0.6 Plunger

Plunger
moving
moving 0.6 0.6
0.4 mm
0.4 mm Plunger
Plunger
stopped
stopped
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
103 103
103.5 103.5
104 104
104.5 104.5
105 105 115 115
116 116
117 117
118 118
119 119
120 120

t (s) t (s) a) a) t (s) t (s) c) c)

1 1 1 1
Im Γ

Im Γ

Im Γ

Im Γ

0 0 0 0
Breakdown
Breakdown

-1 -1 -1 -1
-1 -1 0 0 1 1 -1 -1 0 0 1 1

Re Γ Re Γ b) b) Re Γ Re Γ d) d)
Figure 7.Tuner input reflection coefficient during electric breakdown experiments. a, b: arcing did not occur; c, d:
arcing occurred.

probably due to lower reflection coefficient
of the sliding short compared to the nearly
total reflection assumed in the model. To
enhance measurement accuracy, a fixed short
with the critical length should be used. A
camera system to detect breakdown onset
and location would also add to credibility of
such experiments.
SURFACE CURRENT
Surface current is responsible for heating
the stubs by microwave power. The mean
power dissipated in a stub can be estimated by
integrating the magnitude squared of surface
current density J over the stub surface A using
the left-hand equation of the formula
(2)
where ω is angular frequency, μ0 free space
permeability, and σ = 3.538 x 107 S/m aluminum
conductance. The spatial distribution of |J|
for re = 7 mm is illustrated in Figure 8. The
“hot spot” (Jmax) always faces the load. A
simplified approach to compute dissipated
power was taken in that half of Jmax was
somewhat arbitrarily chosen as effective
value and applied on the whole exposed stub
surface area A, as expressed by the rightmost

Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010

183
International Microwave Power Institute
 Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners

Port 2
Jmax Spindle

Body
To load
Choke

Figure 8. Distribution of surface current density for h Sho

rt
= 28 mm, re = 7 mm, |ΓL| ~ 1. Maximum occurs on the
Por
root of the stub closer to load. t1
zs
term in (2). The resulting curves (Figure
9) exhibit maxima concurrently with Emax,
however, their heights may be biased by error
due to this simple approach. Even considering Figure 10. Noncontacting tuning stub structure.
this, the values of Pst are high. A feasible way
to limit Pst is to possibly avoid resonance or provides effective electrical contact between
the stub and the waveguide. Trial simulations
keep |ΓL| ~ 0.95 (in the latter case Pst < 25
with this more realistic model have confirmed
W even for Pin = 30 kW). Further work should
the validity of the obtained results. However,
aim at improving accuracy of determining
noncontacting configuration gives rise to
Pst by evaluating the integral in (2). More
a new phenomenon that can also limit the
sophisticated tools (thermal co-simulation)
tuner power-handling capacity: leakage of
are desirable to directly examine heating of
microwave energy to the environment. The
the stubs.
choke is in fact a bandstop filter inserted
between the two stub ends, providing a pole
LEAKAGE
of attenuation at the design frequency, thus
Realistic tuner differs from the
isolating the waveguide from the environment.
model in Figure 2 mainly in that the stubs
As a rule, chokes are designed and tested with
are noncontacting, comprising a microwave
waveguide terminated in a match. However,
choke (Figure 10). A properly designed choke
highly mismatched terminations that are
400
3 met in practice can impair the isolation. To
350
verify and quantify this, the effect has been
300
1 investigated both on computational and
250
experimental basis.
200 In simulations, model of Figure 10 has
Pst (W)

150
2
been used with re = 1 mm, h = 25 mm. The
100 distance zs of the shorting plate from stub axis
50 was varied (93.35 ÷ 253.35 mm, step 20 mm).
0 For each zs was computed the transmission
53 54 55 56 57 58 S21 from waveguide input (Port 1) to coaxial
z2 (mm) output formed by stub shaft (motor spindle)
Figure 9. Power dissipated in the stub closer to load passing through the choke body (Port 2). A
as a function of distance z2 for input power Pin = 6 kW. family of 17 frequency responses covering
Case 1: h = 25 mm, re = 1 mm, |ΓL|~ 1; Case 2: h = 25 one guide wavelength λg was thus obtained.
mm, re = 7 mm, |ΓL| ~ 1; Case 3: h = 28 mm, re = 7 mm, The simulation was also made for matched
|ΓL| ~ 1. load instead of the shorting plate.

Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010

184
International Microwave Power Institute
Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners
-10
4
-20
-30
1 model; this is not shown in Figure 10). The
S21 (dB)
-40
-50
3 sliding short. Transmission responses S21 in
-60
-70
-80
2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5
f (GHz)
Figure 11. Leakage transmission coefficient S21
obtained by simulation. 1: Tuner terminated in
matched load; 2, 3: Tuner terminated by a sliding short
with settings differing by 20 mm; 4: Envelope of the
transmission peaks.
The results are shown in Figure 11. As
expected, the matched load response (curve
1) exhibits a single pole of attenuation. The
pole was intentionally placed by the choke
dimensions to 2.29 GHz (6% lower than 2.45
GHz) because such choke when realized was
tuned as desired. (This effect has occurred
systematically and in spite of much effort the
cause has not been found.)
The presence of the short instead of
the matched load introduces a second pole
of attenuation, position of which varies with
distance zs (curves 2 and 3, corresponding
to zs = 163.35 mm and zs = 183.35 mm,
respectively). The pole appears nearly
exactly at the frequency for which zs is a
multiple of λg/2 and is caused by effectively
short-circuiting the waveguide at the stub
axis plane. Unfortunately, the pole is always
accompanied by a transmission peak at a higher
frequency; this is the effect that deteriorates
the choke performance compared to matched
termination. The peak is about 13 dB higher
than the matched-load response at the same
frequency, which is a typical figure. A margin
of this order (dashed line 4) must therefore
be considered when designing and measuring
a choke using a matched load only.
In experiments, the stub stepper
motor was replaced by a coaxial connector
mounted on the choke body with the center
pin connected to the spindle. Thus the
Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010
International Microwave Power Institute
transmission coefficient could be directly
compared with the simulation (in fact, the
simulation included also the connector
2 tuner was terminated by a noncontacting
the range 2.2 ÷ 2.7 GHz were measured
using Agilent HP8753D network analyzer;
distance zs was stepped by 2 mm from
2.6 2.7
60.8 mm to 220.8 mm. The 81 obtained
responses covered more 0.7 λg even at the
lowest frequency. All the responses are
overlaid as the gray lines in Figure 12.
The configuration with matched load
was also measured (thick curve 1). Except for
frequency shift, the curve shape very closely
agrees with that of the simulation. This is
evident from curve 2, which is actually the
simulated curve 1 from Figure 11 frequency-
shifted by 148 MHz. For exactness, also a
configuration with a precision fixed short (zs =
84.3 mm) was measured (curve 3); the pole of
attenuation is located at 2.5 GHz as expected
(zs ~ 0.506 λg). The transmission peak is 13
dB above the matched-load response in
good agreement with the simulation. The
envelope of the family of the sliding short
responses closely follows the matched load
response upward-shifted by 12 dB (curve 4).
4
1
3
2
Figure 12. Leakage transmission coefficient S21 obtained
by measurement. Gray curves: Tuner terminated in
sliding short with settsings stepped by 2 mm; 1: Tuner
terminated in matched load; 2: Simulated matched
load response shifted on frequency axis by 148 MHz;
3: Tuner terminated in a fixed short; 4: Curve 1 shifted
12 dB upwards copies the envelope of the sliding short
transmission peaks.
185
 Bladimir Bilik and Jan Bezek, High Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners
This substantially reduces the bandwidth of
the choke. For instance, the 40-dB isolation
bandwidth is reduced from 200 MHz to mere
47 MHz.
Generally, the following important
conclusions can be drawn. Electromagnetic
simulation yields realistic leakage levels; it
can therefore be applied also on structures
which inherently do not contain measurement
ports suitable for direct comparison. A choke
can be designed and tested using matched
termination only; then a safety margin of
about 15 dB should be considered. The choke
should be experimentally carefully fine-tuned
to a desired center frequency.
CONCLUSIONS
The simulations have confirmed that
high electromagnetic field magnitudes, which
can lead to arcing and overheating of tuning
stubs, develop as a result of resonance effect
in the space between the stubs and the load.
The critical situation occurs only for high-
reflection loads in a very narrow interval (2°)
of reflection coefficient phase. For a common
R-26 tuner electric breakdown may occur at
input power as low as 1 kW.
Methods of increasing working power
include rounding the stub edge and limiting
load reflection coefficient magnitude to
0.95 or less. A tuner working chart has been
proposed, relating maximum stub insertion,
peak tolerable input power and maximum
permissible load reflection coefficient
magnitude for arc-free operation. Tentative
electric breakdown experiments have been
performed, which in basic aspects agree with
the simulations.
Accuracy of the breakdown limit level
determining should be improved.
Leakage of microwave radiation
through a noncontacting stub has been
both simulated and measured. Apart from
frequency shift of about 6% the results are
Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy, 44 (4), 2010
186
International Microwave Power Institute
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in close agreement. It was found that high-
reflection loads can, compared to matched
load, increase leakage level by as much as
13 dB. This effect must be considered when
designing and testing noncontacting stub
tuners.
The methodology developed in the
paper can be applied on any waveguide type
and stub construction.
REFERENCES
Bilik, V. and Bezek, J. (2006).
Noncontacting R26-Waveguide Sliding Short
for Industrial Applications. Proc. of 36th
European Microwave Conference EuMC-2006.
Manchester (UK), 10-15 Sept 2006, pp. 1032-
1035.
Bilik, V. and Bezek, J. (2008).
Investigation of High-Power Limits of
Stub Tuners by Means of Electromagnetic
Simulation. Proc. of 14th Conference on
Microwave Techniques Comite 2008. Prague
(Czech Republic), 23-24 Apr 2008, pp. 99-
102.
Bilik, V. and Bezek, J. (2009).
Electromagnetic Simulation Study of High
Power Limits of Waveguide Stub Tuners. Proc.
of 12th International Conference on Microwave
and High Frequency Heating AMPERE 2009.
Karlsruhe (Germany), 7-10 Sep 2009, pp. 343-
346. CD ROM.
Collin, R. E. (1966). Foundations for
Microwave Engineering. Ch. 5. McGraw-Hill,
New York.
CST (2009). Computer Simulation
Technology, Darmstadt: CST Microwave Studio
2009, http://www.cst.com.
Hewlett-Packard (1986). Coaxial and
Waveguide Measurement Accessories Catalog,
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