EE3104

Introduction to RF and Microwave

Systems and Circuits
Introduction
Lecturer: Prof Yeo Tat Soon
Consultation location: E1-05-05
Office phone: 6516-2119
E-mail: eleyeots@nus.edu.sg
1
Course Syllabus
1. Transmission lines
2. Scattering parameters
3. Antennas
4. Amplifiers
5. Mixers
6. Oscillators
7. Transceiver architectures
8. Radar systems
9. GSM/CDMA systems
10.RFID systems
11.Short range wireless communication systems
12.Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
Part 1
(Components)
Part 2
(Systems)
2
3
Course Syllabus
Course Syllabus
generation
modulation
amplification
radiation
propagation
reception
amplification demodulation
4
Course Overview
Continuous Assessment Components:
Patch antenna design (individual) 5%
Paper design (group) 5%
Two experiments (pt1) 5%
Quiz (pt1) 5%
Tutorials/Projects/Quiz (pt2): 20%
Final Exam.: 60%
5
Part 1 Lecture Schedule (Guide)
Week Monday (1200-1400 @
E1-06-04)
Friday* (1700-
1800 @ E1-06-04)
1 (12-16 Aug) House keeping and
Transmission Lines,
Scattering Parameters
Introduction to EMC
2 (19-23 Aug) Scattering Parameters and
Antennas
Antenna
3 (26-30 Aug) Antennas and Amplifier Tutorial 1
4 (2-6 Sept) Amplifier Class Quiz
5 (9-13 Sept) E-
learning week
Mixer** and Oscillator** Paper design
6 (16-20 Sept) Amplifier, Discussion on
Quiz, Tutorials 2 and 3
Tutorial 4
7 (23-27 Sept) Mid-term Break (Re-test,
Revision, if necessary)
Mid-term Break
6
Part 1 Patch Antenna
A printed antenna around 2.5 GHz (different center
frequencies will be assigned individually) designed using
commercial EM software. One of the design will be
selected for fabrication, and the S parameters of the
prototype will be measured at the Microwave laboratory.
The parameters of the PCB are listed as follows:
Material: Rogers RO4003
Substrate thickness: 0.8 mm
Dielectric constant: 3.38
Metal thickness: 35 m. (1 oz.)
The designated frequency shall start from 2.0 GHz and
increase by 20 MHz according to class roll
Submit the final design online.
7
8
Part 1 Paper Design
Each group of five (5) students will be assigned to do a
paper design of a particular RF front-end (e.g., RFID,
synthetic aperture radar, mobile phone) with certain
specifications/requirements.
The students need to source the internet for components
to build up the particular front-end.
A short report (not more than 5 pages, including figures,
etc) is to be submitted after the mid-term break. The
report shall briefly discussed how you think the
assembled components shall meet the specifications.
Please note:- even if you copy from the internet, do not
copy words for words. I will run a check and if found
copied words for words, the whole team will get 0 mark.
Part 1 Experiments
Familiarization on VNA Calibration and S-parameter
Measurement
Two-tone Third-order Inter-Modulation Distortion IMD3
Measurement
9
D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 3rd Ed., Wiley, 2005.
C.A. Balanis, Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design, 3rd Edition
Recommended Text Books
10
Outline
A. Introduction
B. Transmission lines
C. Transmission line theory
11
For efficient point-to-point transmission, the source energy must be guided.
Note: Plan wave propagation also follow transmission line characteristics
the guide is just of infinite extent.
Evolution of guided structure:
1) Simplest two-wire line (improvement twisted wires)
2) Coaxial cables lower loss
3) Semi-rigid coaxial cables much lower loss
4) Metallic waveguides very low loss, high power capacity
1. Transmission Lines
Coaxial line
- Support a TEM wave;
- High bandwidth,
convenient fortest;
- Not suitable for IC/MMIC
Waveguide
-High power-
handling capability
-Low loss
-Bulky and expensive
12
1. Transmission Lines
TEM modes can only exist in two-conductor waveguides such as
two-wire transmission lines, co-axial lines, parallel-plate
waveguides, etc, but not in single-conductor waveguides such as
rectangular waveguides and circular waveguides. A closed
conductor (such as a rectangular waveguide) cannot support TEM
waves since the corresponding static potential would be zero (or
possibly a constant).
Waveguide theory is more difficult to handle than coaxial lines.
New type of transmission lines planar, easy to analyse, easy to
integrate with printed circuit, light weight, low cost, easy to
fabricate, but low power handling capacity.
13
Types of Planar Transmission Lines
14
Basic structure: one dielectric substrate with
conducting metals on both or either sides
Main advantages
simple and inexpensive to fabricate
by printed circuit techniques
easy integration with other passive
and active devices for microwave
integrated circuit (MIC) and
Monolithic microwave integrated
circuit (MMIC)
small size & light weight
Major disadvantages
low efficiency & low power
also, losses and coupling
Hybrid MIC
Why Planar Transmission Lines
MMIC
15
Stripline vs Microstrip Line
Stripline Microstrip line
This is made by sandwiching
two boards together. All fields
are within material of
r
.
Hence velocity ~ .
r
c c /
In microstrips the fields are partly in air.
So for wide lines, the fields are almost all
within dielectric, while narrower lines will
have proportionally more field energy in
air.
Wide lines:
r
c v c / ~
16
For finite-width (W) microstrip lines, this leads to the idea of an
equivalent permittivity
Effective dielectric constant can be interpreted as the dielectric constant
of a homogenous medium that replaces the air and dielectric regions of
the microstrip, as shown Fig. (c) below
Note: z-axis referred as to longitudinal direction
xy-plane referred as to transverse plane, transverse to the direction of wave propagation
Equivalent Dielectric Constant
Wide line:
e
=>
r
Narrow line:
e
=>
(
r
+ 1)/2
17
The microstrip line cannot support a pure TEM wave, since the
phase velocity of TEM fields in the dielectric region and in the air would
be different. In most applications, the dielectric substrate is electrically
very thin (h<<) and so the fields are quasi-TEM.
Phase velocity and propagation constant can be expressed as
Quasi-TEM
18
Given the dimensions of the microstrip line, characteristic
impedance can be calculated as
For a fixed thickness (h) of the selected substrate,
(a)wide line (large W): large
e
& small Z
0
;
(b)narrow line (small W): small
e
& large Z
0
Why??
Characteristic Impedance
There is no need to
memorize these
equations. Can be found
in any handbook. If
needed in exam, they will
be given.
19
For given Z
0
and
r
, W/h ratio can be found
where
Microstrip-Line Synthesis
There is no need to memorize these
equations. Can be found in any handbook. If
needed in exam, they will be given.
20
Calculate width and length of a microstrip line with Z
0
=50 and 90 degree phase shift ()
at 2.5 GHz using the substrate with h = 0.05 and
r
= 2.20.
Solution We first find W/h for Z
0
= 50 , and initially guess that W/h > 2.
, B = 7.985
W/h = 3.081 (otherwise we would use the expression for W/h < 2)
For line length L, for a 90 degree phase shift
Example 1
T
o
o

m
u
c
h

i
t
e
r
a
t
i
o
n
s

a
n
d

c
o
m
p
u
t
a
t
i
o
n
s
,


n
o
t

m
u
c
h

t
h
e
o
r
e
t
i
c
a
l

i
n
s
i
g
h
t
s
,

b
e
s
t

l
e
a
v
e

i
t

t
o

c
o
m
p
u
t
e
r

s
o
f
t
w
a
r
e
.
21
Transmission-line analysis if circuit lengths comparable with
Schematic for TL of short length (z 0) Lumped-element equivalent circuit
Kirchhoffs voltage law:
Kirchhoffs current law:
Dividing the above two equations by and taking the limit as gives:
Transmission Line Theory (re-visited)
0 ) , (
) , (
) , ( ) , ( = A +
c
c
A A t z z v
t
t z i
z L t z zi R t z v
0 ) , (
) , (
) , ( ) , ( = A +
c
A + c
A A + A t z z i
t
t z z v
z C t z z zv G t z i
z A 0 Az
t
t z v
C t z Gv
z
t z i
t
t z i
L t z Ri
z
t z v
c
c
=
c
c
c
c
=
c
c
) , (
) , (
) , (
) , (
) , (
) , (
This slide is for self-
reading/self interest only.
22
For the sinusoidal steady-state condition, i.e.,
Then
Wave equations on TL simplified as
Complex propagation constant
Solutions of the Wave equations
Then
t j
V(z)e t) v(z, ) ( ) , (
e e
= =
t j
e z I t z i
0 ) (
) (
, 0 ) (
) (
2
2
2
2
2
2
= = z I
dz
z I d
z V
dz
z V d

) )( ( C j G L j R j e e | o + + = + =
z z
z z
e I e I z I
e V e V z V


+ +
+ +
+ =
+ =
0 0
0 0
) (
) (
C j G
L j R
I
V
I
V
Z
e
e
+
+
=

= =

+
+
0
0
0
0
0
Transmission Line Theory (re-visited)
) ( ) (
) (
), ( ) (
) (
z V C j G
dz
z dI
z I L j R
dz
z dV
e e + = + =
) ( ) ( ] [
) ( ) (
0 0
0 0
z I L j R e V e V
dz
e V e V d
dz
z dV
z z
z z
e


+ = =
+
=
+ +
+ +
] [ ) (
0 0
z z
e V e V
L j R
z I

e

+ +

+
=
Characteristic Impedance
This slide is for
self-
reading/self
interest only.
23
24
Any doubt?
C j G
L j R
Z
e
e
+
+
=
0
1) R = G = 0 => lossless. But isnt R = 1/G, thus R = 0
=> G = and vice versa?
2) Lossless line => Z
o
= (L/C) is real. But shouldnt
real load (e.g., a resistor) lossy?
Lossless TL (R=G=0, =0, no attenuation)
Characteristic Impedance
Solutions of the Wave equations
Converting back to the time domain, the voltage waveform:
where is the phase angle of the complex voltage
Phase velocity: a fixed phase point on the wave travels.
Wavelength: two successive maxima on the wave at a fixed instant of time.
c e e | j LC j j = = =
z j z j
z j z j
e I e I z I
e V e V z V
| |
| |
+ +
+ +
+ =
+ =
0 0
0 0
) (
) (
C
L
I
V
I
V
Z =

= =

+
+
0
0
0
0
0
Transmission Line Theory (re-visited)
z j z j
z j z j
e
Z
V
e
Z
V
z I
e V e V z V
| |
| |
+

+
+ +
=
+ =
0
0
0
0
0 0
) (
) (
) cos( | | ) cos( | | ) , (
0 0
+ +
+ + + + = | | e | | e z t V z t V t z v

|

0
V
|
e
= =
dt
dz
v
p
| t t | e | e / 2 , 2 )] ( [ ] [ = = + z t z t
You are expected to
know the information
in this slide.
25
Terminated lossless TL
Forward (+z):
Reverse (-z):
+ +
+ + + +
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
, ,
, ,
I V e I e V
I V e I e V
z j z j
z j z j
| |
| |
) tan(
) tan(
) sin )(cos ( ) sin )(cos (
) sin )(cos ( ) sin )(cos (
) (
0
0
0
0 0
0 0
0
l jZ Z
l jZ Z
Z
l j l Z Z l j l Z Z
l j l Z Z l j l Z Z
Z l Z
L
L
L L
L L
in
|
|
| | | |
| | | |
+
+
=
+ +
+ + +
=
| | 1
| | 1
min
max
L
L
V
V
SWR
I
I +
= =
Transmission Line Theory (re-visited)
z j z j
z j z j
e
Z
V
e
Z
V
z I
e V e V z V
| |
| |
+

+
+ +
=
+ =
0
0
0
0
0 0
) (
) (
0
0 0
0 0
) 0 (
) 0 (
Z
V V
V V
I
V
Z
L
+
+

+
= =
+
+

=
0
0
0
0
V
Z Z
Z Z
V
L
L

Z Z
Z - Z
/
0 L
0 L
0 0 L(V)
+
= = I
+
V V
Reflection Coefficient at z=0:
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) (
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
z j
L
z j z j z j
z j
L
z j z j z j
e e
Z
V
e
V
V
e
Z
V
z I
e e V e
V
V
e V z V
| | | |
| | | |
+
+
+
+

+
+ + +
+

+
I = =
I + = + =
z j
L
l j
z j
L
l j
in
e e
e e
Z
l I
l V
l Z
| |
| |

I
I +
=

=
0
) (
) (
) (
) (
2
L
0
0
l j
l j
l j
e
e V
e V
l
|
|
|

+ +

I = = I
26
What is
L(I)
= I
-
o
/I
+
o
?
Special cases: Terminated lossless TL
Short circuit
Open circuit
Matched load

= I = =
= = I = =
l j
in
L
e l jZ Z l z
SWR z
|
|
2
0
L
); tan( ; @
; 1 ; 0 Z , 0 @

+ = I = =
= + = I = =
l j
in
L
e l jZ Z l z
SWR z
|
|
2
0
L
); cot( ; @
; 1 ; Z , 0 @

= I = =
= = I = =
0 ; ; @
1 ; 0 ; Z , 0 @
0
0 L
Z Z l z
SWR Z z
in
L
Questions: At high frequency, can a opened circuit be open
circuit? How short can be considered a short circuit?
Special Cases

Z Z
Z - Z

0 L
0 L
) (
L
+
= = I
I
V L
| | 1
| | 1
L
L
SWR
I
I +
=
) (
2
L
l j
e l
|
I = I
) tan(
) tan(
) (
0
0
0
l jZ Z
l jZ Z
Z l Z
L
L
in
|
|
+
+
=
er transform impedance wave - Quarter , Z , 4 / If
2
0
in
L
Z
Z
l = =
27
calculate
L
, SWR, Z
in
9 . 52 7 . 69
) 6 . 0 tan( ) 20 40 ( 75
) 6 . 0 tan( 75 ) 20 40 (
75
6 . 0 3 . 0
2
) (
05 . 2
345 . 0 1
345 . 0 1
1
1
) (
345 . 0
7 . 116
31 . 40
75 ) 20 40 (
75 ) 20 40 (
) (
39 . 140
87 . 9
26 . 150
0
0
j
j j
j j
Z
l c
SWR b
e
e
e
j
j
Z Z
Z Z
a
in
j
j
j
L
L
L
o
o
o
=
+ +
+ +
=
= =
=

+
=
I
I +
=
= =
+ +
+
=
+

= I
+
+
+
t
t
t

t
|
Example 2
28
Power Flow and Return loss
Now consider the time-average power flow along the line at the point z:
z j z j
z j z j
e
Z
V
e
Z
V
z I
e V e V z V
| |
| |
+

+
+ +
=
+ =
0
0
0
0
0 0
) (
) (
} | | 1 Re{
| |
2
1
] ) ( ) ( Re[
2
1
2 2 2 *
0
2
0
*
I I + I = =

+
z j z j
av
e e
Z
V
z I z V P
| |
Thus smission. power tran no imaginary, purely ), Im( 2 that Note
*
A j A A =
) | | 1 (
| |
2
1
2
0
2
0
I =
+
Z
V
P
av
Incident power: Reflected power:
0
2
0
2
| |
Z
V
+
2
0
2
0
| |
2
| |
I
+
Z
V
29
) ( ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) (
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
z j
L
z j z j z j
z j
L
z j z j z j
e e
Z
V
e
V
V
e
Z
V
z I
e e V e
V
V
e V z V
| | | |
| | | |
+
+
+
+

+
+ + +
+

+
I = =
I + = + =
30
Power Flow and Return loss
When the load is mismatched, then not all of the available power from the generator is
delivered to the load. This loss is called return loss (RL), and is defined (in dB) as:
dB | | log 20 I = RL
Notes:
1) RL is defined as a positive value (for lossy termination) as < 1.
2) RL, although is called a return loss, is not power (thus its unit is dB and not
dBm or dBW) but a power ratio = reflected power/incident power.
3) In dB terms, 10log(P
reflected
) = 10log(P
in
) RL, if the powers are in dBm, then
P
reflected
(dBm) = P
in
(dBm) RL (dB).
4) In other words, the higher the value will indicate a better matched network.
Insertion loss
The voltage for z<0 is
0 z ), ( ) (
0
< I + =
+ z j z j
e e V z V
| |
No reflection for z>0, the voltage for z>0 is outgoing only and can be written as
Equating these voltages at z=0 gives the transmission coefficient, T, as
0 z , ) (
0
> =
+ z j
Te V z V
|
z j z j
z j z j
e
Z
V
e
Z
V
z I
e V e V z V
| |
| |
+

+
+ +
=
+ =
0
0
0
0
0 0
) (
) (
0 1
1
0 1
0 1
2
1 1
Z Z
Z
Z Z
Z Z
T
+
=
+

+ = I + =
31
32
Insertion loss
transmission coefficient between two pints in a circuit is often expressed in dB as
the insertion loss, IL,
dB | | log 20 T IL =
Notes:
1) IL is defined as a positive value (for lossy termination) as T < 1.
2) IL, although is called a insertion loss, is not power (thus its unit is dB and
not dBm or dBW).
3) It other words, the lower the value will indicate the better power transfer.
Case #1 Matched load
We have Z
L
= Z
o
and Z
in
=
R
in
= Z
o
, and X
in
= 0.
Then
0 =
IL
( ) ( )
X X R R
R
V
g in g in
g
in
P
+ +
+
=
2 2
2
2
1
( ) ( )
X R Z
Z
V
g g o
g
o
2 2
2
2
1
+
=
+
Z
g
Z
o
V
g
No standing wave
Special Cases
33
Z
g
Z
L
V
g
Case #2(a) Matched generator
Z
g
= Z
o
We have Z
in
(looking into line from load side) = Z
o
.
Where
Z
o
Z
L
V
L
V V V
o o L
+
+ =
V
Z Z
Z Z
V
o
o L
o L
o
+
+

=
e e Z Z
Z V
V
L j L j
in g
in g
o
| |
+
I + +
=
1
Note: Standing wave single reflection
Special Cases
34
Z
L
V
g
Z
g
Case #2(b) Matched generator
Z
g
= Z
in
Half of the power delivered by the source goes into the
transmission line without reflection at the input end.
Where
Z
g
Z
in
V
g
Note: Standing wave multiple reflections
( ) ( )
X X R R
R
V
g in g in
g
in
P
+ +
+
=
2 2
2
2
1
) ( 4 2
1
2 2
2
X R
R
V
g g
g
g
+
=
Special Cases
35
Z
g
Z
L
V
g
Case #3 Matched generator Conjugate match
This is the case for maximum power transfer.
=
c
c
0
Rin
P
| |
0
) ( 2 1
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
2 2
2
2 2
=
+
+
+
+ + +
+ +
X X R R
R R R
X X R R
g in g in
g in g in
g in in
0
) (
2
2 2
= +
+
X X
R R g in in g
=
c
c
0
Xin
P
| |
0
) ( 2
) ( ) (
2 2
2
=
+
+ + +
X X R R
X X X
g in g in
g in in
0
) (
2
=
+
X X
X g in in
Solving, R
g
= R
in
, X
g
= - X
in
, or Z
g
= Z*
in
Special Cases
36
Note: Standing wave multiple reflections
Maximum power !!
( ) ( )
X X R R
R
V
g in g in
g
in
P
+ +
+
=
2 2
2
2
1
R
V
g
g
4
1
2
1
2
=
Special Cases
37
But then why is it that, in earlier years, the impression was matched load gives
maximum power transfer?
Hints: This is because, at that time, Z
g
is always assumed to be equal to Z
o
.
Insert Z
g
= R
g
= Z
o
and X
g
= 0 into the result from slide 32 (repeated below) and
you will get the same result as above.
( ) ( )
X R Z
Z
V
g g o
g
o
2 2
2
2
1
+
=
+
R
V
g
g
4
1
2
1
2
Special Cases
Z
L
= Z
o
No reflection
Z
g
= Z
o
Single
reflection
Z
g
= Z
in
Multiple
reflections
Conjugate
match
Multiple
reflections
Z
L
= Z
g
= Z
o
No reflection
Special case
of conjugate
match
( ) ( )
X R Z
R
V
g g o
g
in
2 2
2
2
1
+
+
) ( 4
2
1
2 2
2
X R
R
V
g g
g
g
+
R
V
o
g
4
1
2
1
2
( ) ( )
X R Z
R
V
in in o
g
in
2 2
2
2
1
+
+
38