Microwave Passive Devices

Introduction
Microwaves have frequencies > 1 GHz approx.
Stray reactances are more important as frequency
increases
Transmission line techniques must be applied to
short conductors like circuit board traces
Device capacitance and transit time are important
Cable losses increase: waveguides often used
instead
 Waveguides
Pipe through which waves propagate
Can have various cross sections
Rectangular
Circular
Elliptical
Can be rigid or flexible
Waveguides have very low loss
 Waveguide components

Rectangular Waveguide to coax

waveguide adapter

Waveguide bends E-tee

Figures from:
 More waveguides

http://www.tallguide.com/Waveguidelinearity.html
 Uses
To reduce attenuation loss
High frequencies
High power
Can operate only above certain frequencies
Acts as a High-pass filter
Normally circular or rectangular
We will assume lossless rectangular
 Modes
Waves can propagate in various ways
Time taken to move down the guide varies
with the mode
Each mode has a cutoff frequency below
which it wont propagate
Mode with lowest cutoff frequency is
dominant mode
 Mode Designations
TE: transverse electric
Electric field is at right angles to direction of
travel
TM: transverse magnetic
Magnetic field is at right angles to direction of
travel
TEM: transverse electromagnetic
Waves in free space are TEM
 Modes of propagation
From these equations we can conclude:
TEM (Ez=Hz=0) cant propagate.

TE (Ez=0) transverse electric

In TE mode, the electric lines of flux are perpendicular to
the axis of the waveguide

TM (Hz=0) transverse magnetic, Ez exists

In TM mode, the magnetic lines of flux are perpendicular
to the axis of the waveguide.

HE hybrid modes in which all components exists

 Dominant Mode
The dominant mode is the mode with lowest
cutoff frequency.
Its always TE10
The order of the next modes change
depending on the dimensions of the guide.
 Rectangular Waveguide
Let us consider a rectangular waveguide with interior Rectangular Waveguid
dimensions are a x b,
Waveguide can support TE and TM modes.
In TE modes, the electric field is transverse to the
direction of propagation.
In TM modes, the magnetic field that is transverse
and an electric field component is in the propagation
direction.
The order of the mode refers to the field configuration in
the guide, and is given by m and n integer subscripts,
TEmn and TMmn.
The m subscript corresponds to the number of half-
Location of modes
wave variations of the field in the x direction, and
The n subscript is the number of half-wave
variations in the y direction.
A particular mode is only supported above its cutoff
frequency. The cutoff frequency is given by

2 2 2 2
1 m n c m n
fcmn
2 a b 2 r r a b

1 1 1 1 c
u
o r o r o o r r r r
where c 3 108 m/s
 Rectangular Waveguide
The cutoff frequency is given by Rectangular Waveguid
For air r 1
and r 1 2 2
2 2 c m n
c m n fcmn
fcmn 2 a b
2 r r a b
where c 3 108 m/s

Location of modes
Table 7.1: Some Standard Rectangular Waveguide
Waveguide a b t fc10 freq range
Designation (in) (in) (in) (GHz) (GHz)
WR975 9.750 4.875 .125 .605 .75 1.12
WR650 6.500 3.250 .080 .908 1.12 1.70
WR430 4.300 2.150 .080 1.375 1.70 2.60
WR284 2.84 1.34 .080 2.08 2.60 3.95
WR187 1.872 .872 .064 3.16 3.95 5.85
WR137 1.372 .622 .064 4.29 5.85 8.20
WR90 .900 .450 .050 6.56 8.2 12.4
WR62 .622 .311 .040 9.49 12.4 - 18
 Rectangular Waveguide
Let us take a look at the field Rectangular Waveguid
pattern for two modes, TE10 and
TE20
In both cases, E only varies in the x direction;
since n = 0, it is constant in the y direction.
For TE10, the electric field has a half sine
wave pattern, while for TE20 a full sine wave
pattern is observed.
 Rectangular Waveguide
Example
Let us calculate the cutoff frequency for the first four modes of WR284 waveguide.
From Table 7.1 the guide dimensions are a = 2.840 mils and b = 1.340 mils.
Converting to metric units we have a = 7.214 cm and b = 3.404 cm.

2 2
c m n
fcmn where c 3 108 m/s
2 a b

c 3x108 m
s 100cm 2.08 GHz
TM11
TE10:f TE10 TE20 TE01 TE11
2a 2 7.214cm 1m
c10

c 3x108 m 2.08 GHz 4.16 GHz 4.41 GHz 4.87 GHz

s 100cm 4.41 GHz
TE01:f c 01

2b 2 3.404cm 1m
c
TE20:f c 20
4.16 GHz
a
3x108 m 2 2
s 1 1 100cm
TE11:f c11

2

7.214cm

3.404cm

1m
4.87 GHz
 Rectangular Waveguide
Example

For air c 3 108 m/s

 Rectangular Waveguide
Example

Lets determine the TE mode impedance looking into a 20 cm long section of shorted WR90
waveguide operating at 10 GHz.

From the Waveguide Table 7.1, a = 0.9 inch (or) 2.286 cm and b = 0.450 inch (or) 1.143 cm.

2 2
c m n Mode Cutoff Frequency Mode Cutoff Frequency
fcmn
2 a b TE10 6.56 GHz TE10 6.56 GHz
TE01 13.12 GHz Rearrange TE01 13.12 GHz
TE11 14.67 GHz TE20 13.13 GHz

TE20 13.13 GHz TE11 14.67 GHz

TE02 26.25 GHz TE02 26.25 GHz

TM11
TE10 TE01TE20TE11 TE02

6.56 GHz 13.12 GHz 14.67 GHz 26.25 GHz

13.13 GHz

At 10 GHz, only the TE10 mode is supported!

 Rectangular Waveguides
Dominant mode is TE10
1 half cycle along long dimension (a)
No half cycles along short dimension (b)
Cutoff for a = c/2
Modes with next higher cutoff frequency
are TE01 and TE20
Both have cutoff frequency twice that for TE10
 Cutoff Frequency
For TE10 mmode in rectangular waveguide
with a = 2 b

c
fc
2a
 Usable Frequency Range
Single mode propagation is highly desirable
to reduce dispersion
This occurs between cutoff frequency for
TE10 mode and twice that frequency
Its not good to use guide at the extremes of
this range
 Example Waveguide
RG-52/U
Internal dimensions 22.9 by 10.2 mm
Cutoff at 6.56 GHz
Use from 8.2-12.5 GHz
 Group Velocity
Waves propagate at speed of light c in guide
Waves dont travel straight down guide
Speed at which signal moves down guide is
the group velocity and is always less than c

2
fc
vg c 1
f
 Phase Velocity
Not a real velocity (>c)
Apparent velocity of wave along wall
Used for calculating wavelength in guide
For impedance matching etc.
c
vp
2
fc
1
f
 Characteristic Impedance
Z0 varies with frequency

377
Z0
2
fc
1
f
 Guide Wavelength
Longer than free-space wavelength at same
frequency

g
2
fc
1
f
 Impedance Matching
Same techniques as for coax can be used
Tuning screw can add capacitance or
inductance
 Coupling Power to Guides
3 common methods
Probe: at an E-field maximum
Loop: at an H-field maximum
Hole: at an E-field maximum
 Directional Coupler
Launches or receives power in only 1
direction
Used to split some of power into a second
guide
Can use probes or holes
 Passive Compenents
Bends
Called E-plane or H-Plane bends depending on
the direction of bending
Tees
Also have E and H-plane varieties
Hybrid or magic tee combines both and can be
used for isolation
 Resonant Cavity
Use instead of a tuned circuit
Very high Q
 Attenuators and Loads
Attenuator works by putting carbon vane or
flap into the waveguide
Currents induced in the carbon cause loss
Load is similar but at end of guide
 Circulator and Isolator
Both use the unique properties of ferrites in
a magnetic field
Isolator passes signals in one direction,
attenuates in the other
Circulator passes input from each port to the
next around the circle, not to any other port