Lecture 2

Microwave Applications

Planar Transmission Lines

Amr M. Ezzat Safwat, Ph.D.

Professor
Ain Shams University
Cairo Egypt

Course Content
 Review and introduction
 Planar transmission lines
 Network theory
 Resonators
 Filter design
 Microwave components
 Matching networks
 Amplifier design
 RF measurement

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (2)

1
 Outline
Planar Transmission lines
•Stripline
•Microstrip
•Slotline
•Coplanar waveguide
Passive microwave structures
•Inductors and capacitors
•Coupled lines

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (3)

Rectangular Waveguide

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (4)

2
 Microwave Integrated Circuit

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (5)

Connectors

SMA : 3.5 mm (12-18 GHz)

K connector: 2.92 mm (40 GHz)
2.4 mm 60 GHz
1.1 mm 110 GHz
7 mm sexless connector
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (6)

3
 Connection to Output Circuits

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (7)

Planar Transmission Lines

G S G G S G

h 2w s g h 2w s g

Substrate Substrate
G

Fig. 1.a CWPG Fig. 1.b CPW

S S
h

h 2w 2w
Substrate Substrate
G

Fig. 1.c Microstrip Fig. 1.d Stripline

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (8)

4
 Grounded Dielectric Slab: TM Modes
x
TM Modes

Ez  ez ( x, y)e jz d z
Dielectric
The slab is extended in y Ground plane
No y dependence
Write the wave equation in both regions
 2 
 2   r k02   2 ez ( x, y )  0 for 0  x  d
 x 
  2

 2  k02   2 ez ( x, y )  0 for d  x  
 x 
h 2  k02   r k02  kc2
Let kc2   r k02   2 , h 2   2  k02
h 2  kc2  ( r  1)k02
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (9)

Grounded Dielectric Slab: TM modes

ez ( x, y)  A sin kc x  B cos kc x for 0  x  d
Solution
ez ( x, y)  Ce hx  Dehx for d  x  
Ez(x,y,z)  0 at x  0
Boundary conditions are: Ez(x,y,z)   at x  

B0 , C 0
Ez(x,y,z) continuous at x  d
Boundary conditions are:
H y(x,y,z) continuous at x  d

r A D hd
A sin kc d  Dehd , cos kc d  e
kc h

kc tan kc d   r h

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (10)

5
 Grounded Dielectric Slab: TM modes
h 2  kc2  ( r  1)k02 (hd ) 2  (kc d ) 2  ( ( r  1)k0 d ) 2

kc tan kc d   r h kc d tan kc d   r hd

Cutoff
frequency of
the 2nd mode

nc
fc  n  0,1,2,....
( r  1)k0 d  n 2d ( r  1)

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (11)

Grounded Dielectric Slab: TM modes

For any nonzero-thickness sheet with a relative permittivity greater
than unity, there is at least one propagating TM mode, which we will
call the TM0 mode. This is the dominant mode of the dielectric slab
waveguide, and it has a zero cutoff frequency. (Although for
k0 = 0, kc = h = 0, and all fields vanish.)

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (12)

6
 Grounded Dielectric Slab: TE modes
x
TE Modes

H z  hz ( x, y)e jz d z
Dielectric
The slab is extended in y Ground plane
No y dependence
Write the wave equation in both regions
 2 
 2   r k02   2 hz ( x, y )  0 for 0  x  d
 x 
  2

 2  k02   2 hz ( x, y )  0 for d  x  
 x 
h 2  k02   r k02  kc2
Let kc2   r k02   2 , h 2   2  k02
h 2  kc2  ( r  1)k02
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (13)

Grounded Dielectric Slab: TE modes

hz ( x, y)  A sin kc x  B cos kc x for 0  x  d
Solution
hz ( x, y)  Ce hx  Dehx for d  x  
E y(x,y,z)  0 at x  0
Boundary conditions are:
H z(x,y,z)   at x  

A0 , C 0
E y(x,y,z) continuous at x  d
Boundary conditions are:
H z(x,y,z) continuous at x  d
B D
B cos kc d  Dehd , sin kc d  e hd
kc h

 kc cot kc d  h

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (14)

7
 Grounded Dielectric Slab: TE modes
h 2  kc2  ( r  1)k02 (hd ) 2  (kc d ) 2  ( ( r  1)k0 d ) 2

 kc cot kc d  h  kc d cot kc d  hd

Cutoff
frequency of
the 2nd mode

 (2n  1)c
( r  1)k0 d  (2n  1) fc  n  1,2,....
2 4d ( r  1)

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (15)

Grounded Dielectric Slab: TE modes

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (16)

8
Grounded Dielectric Slab: Cutoff Frequencies

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (17)

Striplines
Field of lines
Symmetric

Asymmetric

•In practice stripline is usually constructed by etching the center

conductor on a grounded substrate or thickness (b/2) and then covering
with another grounded substrate of the Same thickness.
•It can support a TEM wave and this is the usual mode of operation.
•It can also support higher order TM and TE modes, but these are
usually avoided in practice.
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (18)

9
 Striplines
TEM Mode:
Since the structure is filled
uniformly with dielectric, the
propagation velocity is thus:
 1 c
vp    c = 3108 m/sec
 LC r

The problem now is to determine Z0, as we know:

R  jL L 1
Z0    Assume lossless structure
G  jC C v pC

We need to determime C (the

capacitance per unit length)

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (19)

Electrostatic Analysis of Striplines

Starting by Laplace Equation:
a
 2V  0 Region II b
y
Boundary conditions are:
w
Region I
V=0 @ y=0 and y = b
V=0 @ x=-a/2 and x= a/2
x
Steps of solution:
•Due to the presence of the metal at y=b/2, this necessitates
the division of the stripline into two regions (region I and
region II).
•Solve Laplace’s equation into each region.
•The unknown coefficients will be determined by applying the
BC at the interface.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (20)

10
Electrostatic Analysis of Striplines (Cont’d)
In region I a
 2V  2V
 2V  2  2  0 Region II b
y
x y
2 X w
Using the separation of variable Region I Xx 2
 k 2

V=X(x)Y(y)
x
 2V  2V 2 X  2Y  2 X  2Y
  Y  X   0
x 2 y 2 x 2 y 2 Xx 2 Yy 2
2 X  2Y
 k 2 and  k2
Xx 2
Yy 2

n n
X ( x)  A sin(kx)  B cos(kx)  An cos x Y ( y)  C sinh(ky)  D cosh(ky)  Cn sinh y
a a
n n
V ( x, y)  An cos x sinh y Solution in region I
a a
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (21)

Electrostatic Analysis of Striplines (Cont’d)

In region I a
n n
V ( x, y)   An cos x sinh y Region II b
y
n odd a a
w
Similarly in region II Region I

n n
V ( x, y)  B
n odd
n cos
a
x sinh
a
(b  y ) x

First boundary condition: The potential is a continuous function

A n = Bn

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (22)

11
 Electrostatic Analysis of Striplines (Cont’d)
2nd Boundary condition (@ the strip):
a
Dn1-Dn2 = s (Gauss Law)
Region II b
y
Let’s assume the charge density w
is constant: Region I
 s = 0 within (w/2<x<w/2)
x
n n
V  An cos x sinh y
V ( x, y ) n n n
  
a a
Dn1  En     n  odd
An cos x cosh y
y y n  odd a a a
n n n
Dn 2  
n odd a
An cos
a
x cosh
a
(b  y)

@ y = b/2
0 | x | w/2 n n nb
s    Dn 2  Dn1  2   An cos x cosh
 0 n odd a a 2a
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (23)

Electrostatic Analysis of Striplines (Cont’d)

To get An, multiply both sides by cos (nx/a)
nW
2a 0 sin
An  2a
nb
 (n ) 2 cosh
2a
Q (per unit length) is simply equals to 0W
y b / 2
nb
V equals to: V   E dy  
y 0
y
n  odd
An sinh
2a
Q W
C  F /m
V nW nb
2a sin sinh
n 2a
nb
2a
 (n ) cosh
2

2a
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (24)

12
 Striplines (Empirical Equations)
Due to the lengthy mathematics (even the simplest one)
engineers usually use empirical formulae obtained by cruve
fitting techniques. (Data came from simulation or
measurements)
  
4.0b  t   8.0b  t   8.0b  t  
2
o  
Zo  ln 1.0     6.27    
2.0   r   w   w   w  
  
w
where b  2.0 h  t and w  w  t
t
w 1.0 c
 ln( )
t   1
2
  1 / 4 
m

    
 2.0b  t  / t  1   w / t  1.1 

Striplines disadvantage: Technological difficulties.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (25)

Microstrip Line

Microstrip line is one of the most popular types of planar

transmission lines, primarily because it can be fabricated
by photolithographic processes and is easily integrated
with other passive and active microwave devices.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (26)

13
 Microstrip Line

•In microstrip some of its field lines

is in the dielectric region and some
fraction is in the air region above
the substrate.

•For this reason the microstrip line cannot support a pure TEM wave,
since the phase velocity of TEM fields in the dielectric region would be
c/r but the phase velocity of TEM fields in the air region would be c.

•In most practical applications, the dielectric substrate is electrically

very thin. (d « ), and so the fields are quasi-TEM. In other words, the
fields are essentially the same as those of the static case.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (27)

Quasi TEM Approach

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (28)

14
 Electrostatic Solution: Microstrip Line
Derivation similar to the stripline can be implemented for
the microstrip case.
 n n
 
n odd
An cos
a
x sinh
a
y 0yd
V ( x, y )   n
  Bn cos n xe a
 y
0 y

 n odd a
d is the substrate hight.
Apply the same boundary conditions, we get:
Q W
C  F /m
V nW nd
4a sin sinh
n 2a
nd
a
nd
(n )  0 (sinh
2
  r cosh )
a a

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (29)

Microstrip Design Equations

  
o  4h 14  8 / r 4h  14  8 / r   4h  1  1 / r 2  
2 2

Z0  ln 1         
2 2 r  1  w'  11 w'  2   w'  2 
  

r  1 r  1   w 
0.5 2
12h 
For w/h ≤ 1  eff   1    0.041   
2 2  w   h  

0.5
r  1 r  1  12h 
For w/h > 1  eff   1  
2 2  w 

w'  w  w  11/  r 
Effect of metal thickness: w   
 2 

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (30)

15
 Dispersion

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (31)

Losses
Conductor loss

Dielectric loss

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (32)

16
 Cutoff Frequency of Higher Modes
A surface wave is a propagating mode guided by the air–
dielectric surface for a dielectric substrate on the conductor
ground plane, even without the upper conductor
strip. Although the lowest surface wave mode can propagate
at low frequency (its coupling to the quasi-TEM mode of the
microstrip only becomes significant at the frequency
c tan 1  r
fs 
2h  r  1
The excitation of higher-order modes in a microstrip can
be avoided by operating it below the cutoff frequency of
the first higher-order mode, which is given by:
c
fc 
 r (2W  0.8h)

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (33)

Different Microstrip Lines

Embedded Microstrip Line Inverted Microstrip Line

Suspended Microstrip Line Covered Microstrip Line

h2 εai
W r t

h εr

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (34)

17
 Slot Lines

•The number of the electric and magnetic field lines in the air is higher than
the number of the same lines for the microstrip case, the slot line effective
dielectric constant is typically 15% lower than microstrip case.
•The maximum reachable characteristic impedance values are higher than
in the microstrip case, typically 60% higher.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (35)

Coplanar waveguide
•Planar structure
•It simplifies fabrication
•It facilitates easy shunt as well as series
surface mounting of active & passive
devices.
•It eliminates the need for rubber round &
via hole.
•It reduces radiation losses.
•The characteristic impedance is
determined by the ratio of a/b, so size
reduction is possible without limit.
•In addition a ground plane exists
between any two adjacent lines, hence
Xtalk effect between adjacent lines are
very weak.
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (36)

18
 Report
Using matlab and using the expressions developed in the
textbook determine the propagation velocity, the
capacitance per unit length, the propagation constant, the
characteristic impedance for the following structures:

1. Stripline (groups)

2. Microstrip line (Groups)

Compare the results with the empirical formulae.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (37)

Microstrip Structures

19
 Microstrip Discontinuities I
Microstrip Cross Junction
Zo2,W2

T2

Zo1, W1 T1 T3

T4

C=C+/4
C  W   W W 
0.5

 W 
3
W  W  1/ 3 2 W  W 
( pF / m)  log 1 86.6 2  30.9 2   367   2   74 2  130 1   240   1.5 1 1  2 
w1  h 
 h  h  
  h  h 
  h  W2 / h h  h 

L1 
W  W W2 W  
2
W 
 W 
3 / 2

(nH / m)   1 165.6 2  31.2  11.8 2    32 2  3 1 

h  

h h h  h   h  

h

Similarly for L2 and L3

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (39)

Microstrip Discontinuities II
Microstrip step junction

Lw1 Lw 2
L1  Ls L2  Ls Zo eff
Lw1  Lw2 Lw1  Lw2 Lw  ( H / m)
c

2
Ls W  W W 
(nH / m)  40.5 1  1  75 log 1  0.2 1  1
h  2
W  W 2  2
W 
Cs W1
( pF / m)  (10.1log r  2.33)  12.6 log r  3.17
W1W2 W2

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (40)

20
 Microstrip Discontinuities III
Microstrip gap

Microstrip Slit

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (41)

Microstrip Components I

Inductor

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (42)

21
 Microstrip Components II

Capacitor

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (43)

Microstrip Coupled Lines

Coupled microstrip lines support two TEM modes of

operation.

General rule: N coupled microstrip lines support N

TEM modes.

Any structure has n independent metals support (n-1)

TEM modes. (in microstrip we have n coupled lines
and the ground)
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (44)

22
Even-Odd Modes in Microstrip Coupled Lines
Using the symmetry
property in microstrip
coupled lines, the two
modes can be described
in terms of their electric
field configuration:
even and odd modes

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (45)

Even Mode
In this case, we solve half the structure only with a magnetic
wall (Htan=0) placed at the center.
The even capacitance of half the structure is thus:

Parallel plate
capacitor:
Microstrip part:

Empirical formula:

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (46)

23
 Odd Mode
In this case, we solve half the structure only with an electric
wall (Etan=0) placed at the center.

The even capacitance of half the

structure is thus:

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (47)

Quasi Static Analysis of Coupled lines

Upon having Ce and Co (with and without the substrate) the
parameters of the even and odd modes can be calculated as
follows:
1 C
Z ce   re  ea
a
c Ce Ce Ce
1 Co
Z co   ro 
a
c C Co
o
Coa

Now as we have two transmission lines of known Zc and reff.

The Question now is how to write the S parameters of the
coupled lines in terms of the even and odd modes.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (48)

24
 Empirical Formulae
 ae ( v )be ( v )
For even mode: r 1 r 1  10 
 effe   1  
2 2  v
   0.9 
0.053
1  v 4  (v / 52) 2  1 
  v  
3

be ( r )  0.564   r  ae (v)  1   ln  4   ln 1    
  r  3.0  49  v  0.432  18.7 
 18.1  

u (20  g 2 )
v  g  exp( g )
10  g 2
For odd mode
  r 1  0.747 r
 effo   eff    ao (u,  r )   eff   exp( co  g o )
d
bo ( r ) 
 2  0.15   r
do  0.593  0.694  exp( 0.562u) co  bo ( r )  (bo ( r )  0.207)  exp( 0.414u)

  
ao (u,  r )  0.7287   eff  r 1   1  exp( 0.179 u) 
 2 
where u = W/h, g = s/h and ree is the effective dielectric constant for a microstrip of
width W. The error in ree is within 0.7% over the ranges of 0.1 < u < 10, 0.1 < g
<10, and 1 < r < 18.

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (49)

Empirical Formulae
  eff Z oQ4  Q1  0.8695  u
1/ 2 0.194

 

Z oe  Z o   eff   1   Q2  1  0.7519 g  0.189  g 2.31
  eff
e
 
 

377 
 6 0.387
  8.4   1  g 10 
Q3  0.1975  16.6       ln  10 
  g   241 1  ( g / 3.4) 

 
2Q1 1
Q4   u Q3  exp( g )  u Q3  (2  exp( g ))
Q2

  eff Z oQ10 
1/ 2

 
   0.638 
Z oo  Z o   eff   1   Q5  1.794  1.14  ln 1  2.43 
  eff  g  0.517  g 
e
 
 

377 

 ln 1  0.598  g 
1.154
1  g10
Q6  0.2305   ln  10 

281.3 1  ( g / 5.8)  5.1
10  190  g 2
Q7  Q8  exp(6.5  0.95  ln( g)  ( g / 0.15) 5)
1  82.3  g 3
 1  Q4  Q5  exp(ln(u)  Q6  u Q9 )
Q9  Q8    ln(Q7 ) Q10  Q4 
 16.5  Q2
where Zc is the characteristic impedance of single microstrip of width W
Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (50)

25
 Design Curves

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (51)

Next Time
Network theory

Microwave Applications Planar transmission lines (52)

26
Questions

27