Rectangular Wave Guide

A waveguide is a metallic hallow pipe of any shape which is used for transmission of
electromagnetic energy from one point to another point like transmission lines. However two
types of waveguides are very common. These are
(i) Rectangular waveguide
(ii) Cylindrical (Circular) waveguide

(a) (b)

Fig.1: (a) Rectangular Waveguide (b) Cylindrical Waveguide

Difference between Transmission line and Waveguide:
Parameter Transmission Line Waveguide
Mode of Propagation TEM TE, TM or Hybrid
Frequency of Operation Low frequency High frequency
Acts as Low pass filter High Pass Filter

Rectangular Waveguide Theory

A rectangular wave guide is Metallic pipe made up off perfectly conducting material as shown in
Fig.2. The dimensions of waveguide are 0 ≤ x ≤ a, and 0 ≤ y ≤ b.
Let the waveguide is filled with lossless dielectric material with permittivity ε, permeability μ
and conductivity σ = 0.
Assuming there are no sources of current or charges inside the waveguide (i.e. ρv = 0 and J =0),
The Maxwell’s equations for harmonically varying fields in lossless medium are
  H  j  E (1)
  E   j  H (2)

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. D  0 (3)
. H  0 (4)
Also we have
D  E (5)
B H (6)
J  E (7)

yy

a x x
0

Fig. 2: Rectangular Waveguide

Taking curl of eq. (1) we have

    H  j  (   E )

 (  . H )   2 H  j  (  E )
Substituting eq. (2) we get
 (  . H )   2 H  j  ( j   H )

Substituting eq. (6)

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 Rectangular Wave Guide

1
( ( . B ) )   2 H   2   H

Substituting eq. (4) we have
1
( (0 ) )   2 H   2   H


Hence 2 H  k 2 H  0 (8)

Where k   

Similarly we can start with eq. (2) and can derive

2 E  k 2 E  0 (9)
Eqs. (8) And (9) represent wave equations in free space. Each of these equations comprise of
three scalar Helmholtz equations.
In a rectangular waveguide the wave is propagating along z-direction. For z component of
electric field, the eq. (9) can be written as
2 2 2
E  E  E z   k 2 EZ (10)
 x2  y2  z2
z z

Where Ez is a function of x, y, z, and t.

i.e. E ( z )  F ( x, y, z, t )

The eq. (10) is a partial differential equation and it can be solved using variable separable
method.
Let the solution of eq. (10) be
E Z  F ( x) F ( y ) F ( z ) e j  t (11)
Substituting in eq. (11) into eq. (10) we get
2 2 2
F ( y) F ( z ) F ( x )  F ( x ) F ( z ) F ( y )  F ( x ) F ( y ) F ( z )   k 2 F ( x) F ( y ) F ( z )
 x2  y2  z2

1 2 1 2 1 2
F ( x )  F ( y )  F ( z)   k 2
F ( x)  x 2
F ( y)  y 2
F ( z)  z 2

1 2 1 2 1 2
F ( x)  F ( y)  F ( z )   k x  k y2  
2 2

F ( x)  x 2
F ( y)  y 2
F ( z)  z 2

Where γ is propagation constant.

Applying variable separable method we have

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 Rectangular Wave Guide

1 2
F ( x)   k x
2

F ( x)  x 2

2
F ( x)  k x F ( x)  0
2
Or x 2 (12)

2
F ( y)  k y F ( y)  0
2
Similarly y 2 (13)

2
And F ( z)   2 F ( z)  0 (14)
 z2

Let us try to verify the general solution of equation (12) i.e.

Assume
Differentiating partially with respect to x we have

Again differentiating partially with respect to x we have

This shows that constitutes the general solution of eq. (12)

Let us try to verify the general solution of equation (14) i.e.

Assume
Differentiating partially towice with respect to z we have

or

This shows that constitutes the general solution of eq. (14)

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 Rectangular Wave Guide

The general solutions of eqs. (12), (13) and (14) can be expressed as
F ( x)  A1 Cos k x x  A2 Sin k x x (15)
F ( y)  A3 Cos k y x  A4 Sin k y x (16)
F ( z )  A5 e   z (17)
Substituting (15), (16) and (17) in (11), the general solution for Ez (x, y, z, t) is
 
EZ   A1 Cos k x x  A2 Sin k x x A3 Cos k y y  A4 Sin k y y  A5 e   z e j  t (18)

Similarly on the same lines the complete general solution for Hz (x, y, z, t) can be put as
 
H Z  B1 Cos k x x  B2 Sin k x x B3 Cos k y y  B4 Sin k y y  B5 e   z e j  t (19)
The other field components like Ex, Ey , Hx , and Hy can be then obtained in terms of Ez and
Hz as follows
The eqs. (1) And (2) can be expressed as
 
Hz  H y  j   Ex (20A)
y z

 
Hx  H z  j   Ey (20B)
z x
 
Hy  H x  j   Ez (20C)
y z

 
Ez  Ey   j   H x (20D)
y z
 
Ex  Ez   j   H y (20E)
z x

 
Ey  Ex   j   H z (20F)
y z
Multiply (20A) both sides by –jωμ, we have
 
 j    Hz  ( j   H y )   2   Ex
y z
Substituting eq. (20E) we get

     
 j    Hz   Ex  Ez    2   E x
y zz x 

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 2  
 j    H z  2 Ex  Ez   2   Ex
y z x z

Since all field components are varying with respect to z, because e-γz is a factor of solution of

each one. Hence


E z    EZ
z

2
Ex   2 Ex
z 2

 
Therefore  j    H z   2 Ex   Ez   2   Ex
y x

 
 j   
y
Hz 
x

Ez   2   2   Ex 
  j       
E x   2  H z   2  Ez (21A)
     y       x
2 2

Again Multiplying (20B) by –jωμ and then substituting (20D) we get

 j       
E y   2  H z   2  Ez (21B)
     x       y
2 2

Again Multiplying (20D) by jωε and substituting (20B) we get

     j  
H x   2  H z   2  Ez (21C)
     x       y
2 2

On similar lines from (20E) and (20A) we can get

     j  
H y   2  H z   2  Ez (21D)
     y       x
2 2

Eqs. (21A), (21B), (21C) and (21D) express Ex, Ey , Hx and Hy field components in terms of

field components Ez and Hz.

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