Q13 CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS

WAVEGUIDES AND CAVITY RESONATORS

For every conceptual question, exactly one answer is correct

QUESTION 13.1 Waveguide phase coefficient below the cutoff fre-

quency. Fig.Q13.1 shows a lossless rectangular metallic waveguide of transverse
dimensions a and b, filled with a homogeneous dielectric of permittivity ε and per-
meability µ. The cutoff frequency of this waveguide for a given wave mode is fc . At
a frequency f such that f < fc , the associated phase coefficient of the waveguide,
β, is
(A) nonzero, finite, and purely real.
(B) nonzero, finite, and purely imaginary.
(C) zero.
(D) infinite.
(E) None of the above.
(F) Need more information.

b
e, m
z a x

Figure Q13.1 Rectangular metallic waveguide with a homogeneous dielectric; for

Question 13.1.

QUESTION 13.2 Waveguide phase coefficient above the cutoff. Repeat

the previous question but for a frequency f satisfying the condition f > fc .

QUESTION 13.3 Phase coefficient at the cutoff. Repeat Question 13.1 but
now for the frequency f = fc .

QUESTION 13.4 Propagating wave modes in a waveguide. At a given

operating frequency (f ) of the waveguide in Fig.Q13.1, all wave modes whose cutoff
frequency (fc ) satisfies the condition
(A) fc < f

135
136 Branislav M. Notaroš: Electromagnetics (Pearson Prentice Hall)

(B) fc ≤ f
(C) fc > f
(D) fc ≥ f
(E) fc = f
(F) fc 6= f
can propagate along the structure.

QUESTION 13.5 TE, TM, and TEM wave types on a waveguide. Con-
sider the possibilities that waves of different types, namely, of transverse electric
(TE), transverse magnetic (TM), and transverse electromagnetic (TEM) types,
propagate along a rectangular metallic waveguide (Fig.Q13.1). Denoting by f the
operating frequency of a time-harmonic electromagnetic wave on the waveguide, we
have that
(A) TE waves of all frequencies f
(B) TM waves of all frequencies f
(C) TEM waves of all frequencies f
(D) TE and TM waves of some frequencies f
(E) TE, TM, and TEM waves of some frequencies f
can travel along the structure.

QUESTION 13.6 Cutoff frequency of TEM waves on a coaxial cable.

The cutoff frequency of TEM waves on a lossless coaxial cable, with a homogeneous
dielectric of permittivity ε and permeability µ0 , and conductor radii a and b (a < b),
is
√
(A) fc = 1/(2 εµ0 a).
√
(B) fc = 1/(2 εµ0 b).
√
(C) fc = 1/[ εµ0 (a + b)].
√
(D) fc = 1/[ ε0 µ0 (a + b)].
(E) fc = 0.
(F) fc → ∞.

QUESTION 13.7 Field components of the dominant waveguide mode.

For the waveguide in Fig.Q13.1, assuming that a > b, the following is a complete
list of electric and magnetic field components of the dominant mode:
(A) Ex , Ez , and Hy .
(B) Ex and Hy .
(C) Ey , Hx , and Hz .
Q13. Conceptual Questions: Waveguides and Cavity Resonators 137

(D) Ey , Hy , and Hz .
(E) Ex , Ez , Hy , and Hz .

QUESTION 13.8 Standing-wave patterns of the dominant mode. With

reference to the notation in Fig.Q13.1, the electric and magnetic fields of the dom-
inant mode traveling through an air-filled rectangular waveguide with a = 1.5b
exhibit standing-wave patterns in
(A) the x direction only.
(B) the y direction only.
(C) the x and y directions only.
(D) the x and z directions only.
(E) all three directions.
(F) none of the directions.

QUESTION 13.9 Field configuration of an arbitrary TE mode. Consider

the field configuration of an arbitrary TEmn wave mode propagating along a rect-
angular metallic waveguide, in Fig.Q13.1. The integers m and n (if nonzero) equal
the number of
(A) wavelengths along the x- and y-axes that fit into a and b, respectively.
(B) half-wavelengths along the x- and y-axes that fit into a and b, respectively.
(C) wavelengths along the x-axis for electric and magnetic fields, respectively.
(D) half-wavelengths along the x-axis for electric and magnetic fields, respectively.
(E) wavelengths along the x-axis for the electric and y-axis for the magnetic field.
(F) None of the above.

QUESTION 13.10 Phase coefficients for TE and TM waves. The phase

coefficient for a TEmn wave and that for a TMmn wave at the same propagating
frequency in a lossless air-filled rectangular waveguide are the same.
(A) True.
(B) False.

QUESTION 13.11 List of possible propagating modes in a standard

waveguide. For an air-filled standard (a = 2b) rectangular metallic waveguide (see
Fig.Q13.1), a = 5 cm and b = 2.5 cm, so that the cutoff frequency of the dominant
mode amounts to (fc )10 = 3 GHz. The following is a complete list of modes that
can propagate along this waveguide at an operating frequency of f = 4 GHz:
(A) TE10 .
138 Branislav M. Notaroš: Electromagnetics (Pearson Prentice Hall)

(B) TE10 and TM10 .

(C) TE10 , TE01 , and TE20 .
(D) TE10 , TE01 , TM10 , and TM01 .
(E) TE10 , TE01 , TE20 , TE11 , and TM11 .
(F) None.

QUESTION 13.12 List of propagating modes at a higher frequency.

Repeat the previous question but for an operating frequency of f = 6.2 GHz.

QUESTION 13.13 Four times larger waveguide. Repeat Question 13.11

but now assuming that a = 20 cm, b = 10 cm, and f = 1 GHz.

QUESTION 13.14 TE wave impedance, dependence on coordinates.

There is a single traveling TEmn wave on a lossless rectangular waveguide,
Fig.Q13.1. Consider the wave impedance of this wave, ZTE , defined as the ra-
tio of transverse electric and magnetic complex field intensities, E t and H t , in the
structure, and whether it is a function of spatial coordinates, x, y, and/or z. The
impedance ZTE
(A) depends on x and y, but not on z.
(B) depends on x, but not on y and z.
(C) depends on z, but not on x and y.
(D) depends on x, y, and z.
(E) does not depend on any of the coordinates.
(F) Need more information.

QUESTION 13.15 Dependence on frequency and/or mode indices. For

the wave impedance ZTE from the previous question, consider whether it is a func-
tion of the operating frequency of the wave, f , and of mode indices, m and n,
respectively. This impedance
(A) depends on f , but not on (m, n).
(B) depends on (m, n), but not on f .
(C) depends on both f and (m, n).
(D) does not depend on any of the above parameters.
(E) Need more information.

QUESTION 13.16 TE and TM wave impedances. In a lossless air-filled

rectangular waveguide, the wave impedance of a TEmn wave and that of a TMmn
wave at the same operating frequency, in the propagating frequency region for that
wave mode,
Q13. Conceptual Questions: Waveguides and Cavity Resonators 139

(A) have very different magnitudes.

(B) are close together in magnitude.
(C) are exactly the same.
(D) Need more information.

QUESTION 13.17 TE and TM waves similar to TEM waves. Both TEmn

and TMmn waves in an air-filled rectangular waveguide have characteristics of TEM
waves in free space
(A) at propagating frequencies close to the cutoff.
(B) at frequencies far above the cutoff.
(C) at intermediate frequencies between those in (A) and (B).
(D) at none of the propagating frequencies.

QUESTION 13.18 TE and TM wave impedances below the cutoff. At

frequencies below the cutoff, both TE and TM wave impedances of a rectangular
waveguide become
(A) zero.
(B) infinite.
(C) nonzero, finite, and purely real (resistive).
(D) nonzero, finite, and purely imaginary (reactive).
(E) None of the above.
(F) Need more information.

QUESTION 13.19 Field components not contributing to the power flow.

For an arbitrary TE or TM wave mode propagating along a lossless rectangular
waveguide (Fig.Q13.1), the following electric and magnetic field components either
are zero or, if nonzero, do not contribute to the power transfer along the waveguide:
(A) Ex , Ey , Hx , and Hy .
(B) Ex , Ez , Hy , and Hz .
(C) Ey , Hy , and Hz .
(D) Ex and Hz .
(E) Ez and Hz .
(F) None of the components.

QUESTION 13.20 Flux of the Poynting vector into waveguide walls.

In a lossless rectangular metallic waveguide with the dominant (TE10 ) mode only,
given the notation in Fig.Q13.1, the flux of the complex Poynting vector, P, into
the following waveguide walls is zero:
140 Branislav M. Notaroš: Electromagnetics (Pearson Prentice Hall)

(A) walls defined by x = 0 and x = a only.

(B) walls defined by x = 0 and y = 0 only.
(C) walls defined by y = 0 and y = b only.
(D) all four walls.
(E) none of the walls.

QUESTION 13.21 Low-loss vs. lossless waveguides. Waveguides with small

losses can generally be treated as those with no losses.
(A) True.
(B) False.

QUESTION 13.22 Large wave attenuation on a waveguide with small

losses. The attenuation of a TE or TM wave on a waveguide with small losses can
be prohibitively large for practical use of the structure.
(A) True.
(B) False.

QUESTION 13.23 Electric-field distribution in low-loss and lossless

waveguides. A waveguide with the dominant (TE10 ) wave mode and small losses
has approximately the same distribution (dependence on respective spatial coordi-
nates) of the electric field vector, E,
(A) in a cross section of the guide and along the guide
(B) in a cross section of the guide, but not along the guide,
(C) along the guide, but not in a cross section of the guide,
(D) in no cross sections and along no directions
as the same waveguide with losses neglected.

QUESTION 13.24 Magnetic field of low- and no-loss waveguides. Repeat

the previous question but for the distribution of the magnetic field vector, H, of the
low-loss and lossless waveguides carrying the dominant wave mode.

QUESTION 13.25 Frequency dependence of the guide attenuation co-

efficient. An air-filled rectangular copper waveguide carries a TE10 wave, whose
cutoff frequency is (fc )10 = 5 GHz. Consider the following three frequencies within
the dominant frequency range of the waveguide: 5.1 GHz, 7.5 GHz, and 9.9 GHz.
Out of these frequencies, the associated attenuation coefficient, αc , is the greatest
at
Q13. Conceptual Questions: Waveguides and Cavity Resonators 141

(A) 5.1 GHz.

(B) 7.5 GHz.
(C) 9.9 GHz.
(D) No difference.

QUESTION 13.26 Waveguide as a dispersive or nondispersive propa-

gation medium. A rectangular waveguide has walls made of a perfect electric
conductor, which is a nonpenetrable medium, and is filled with a perfect dielectric,
which is a nondispersive propagation medium. Above the cutoff frequency for the
dominant wave mode, the waveguide as a whole represents
(A) a dispersive propagation medium
(B) a nondispersive propagation medium
for this mode.

QUESTION 13.27 Dispersion diagrams for two modes in an arbitrary

waveguide. The dispersion diagram, i.e., the β-ω relationship, for the TE20 wave
mode in a rectangular waveguide (Fig.Q13.1) with an arbitrary aspect ratio a/b is
the same as that for the TE01 mode.
(A) True.
(B) False.

QUESTION 13.28 Dispersion diagrams for two modes in a standard

waveguide. Repeat the previous question but for a standard waveguide, with the
aspect ratio a/b = 2.

QUESTION 13.29 Phase and group velocities of the dominant mode.

With vp and vg being the phase and group velocities, respectively, of the dominant
(TE10 ) mode propagating along an air-filled rectangular waveguide with PEC walls
and c0 = 3 × 108 m/s standing for the speed of light in free space, which of the
following inequalities holds true?
(A) vp > c0 .
(B) vg > c0 .
(C) Both inequalities.
(D) None of the inequalities.

QUESTION 13.30 Operating frequencies for individual resonant-cavity

modes. Consider a lossless rectangular metallic cavity of dimensions a, b, and d,
filled with a homogeneous dielectric of permittivity ε and permeability µ. For fixed
a, b, d, ε, and µ, each cavity mode, namely, TEmnp or TMmnp mode – for given
(m, n, p), can exist
142 Branislav M. Notaroš: Electromagnetics (Pearson Prentice Hall)

(A) at a single frequency only.

(B) at a discrete set of frequencies.
(C) in a continuous range of frequencies.
(D) in multiple (separated) frequency ranges.

QUESTION 13.31 Standing-wave patterns of the dominant cavity

mode. Assume that the TE101 wave mode (dominant cavity mode) is established
in the cavity resonator described in the previous question. Considering the three
mutually orthogonal directions parallel to the respective cavity edges, the electric
and magnetic field components of this mode exhibit a standing-wave variation in
(A) one of the directions only.
(B) two of the directions only.
(C) all three directions.
(D) none of the directions.

QUESTION 13.32 Maximum electric energy of a cavity resonator. At

instants when the electric energy stored in a lossless rectangular metallic cavity
resonator with the dominant resonance wave mode (TE101 ) is at its maximum value,
the magnetic field intensity is
(A) at its maximum value at all points in the cavity.
√
(B) at 1/ 2 of its maximum value at all points in the cavity.
(C) at 1/2 of its maximum value at all points in the cavity.
(D) at its maximum and minimum values periodically in equidistant planes.
(E) zero at all points in the cavity.

QUESTION 13.33 Phase shift between electric and magnetic fields in

a cavity. The instantaneous total electric and magnetic fields of the TE101 mode
in a lossless rectangular cavity resonator are in time-phase quadrature (are shifted
in phase by 90◦ with respect to each other)
(A) at every point of the cavity.
(B) at some (but not all) locations in the cavity.
(C) at no locations in the cavity.

QUESTION 13.34 Phase shift for an arbitrary cavity mode. Repeat the
previous question but for an arbitrary cavity mode, TEmnp or TMmnp .
Q13. Conceptual Questions: Waveguides and Cavity Resonators 143

QUESTION 13.35 Polarization state of field vectors in a cavity. Consider

the polarization state of the electric field vector, E, and magnetic field vector, H,
of the TE101 wave mode in a lossless rectangular cavity resonator. At an arbitrary
point inside the cavity,
(A) both E and H are elliptically polarized.
(B) both E and H are circularly polarized.
(C) both E and H are linearly polarized.
(D) E is linearly polarized and H is elliptically polarized.
(E) E is linearly polarized and H is circularly polarized.
(F) None of the above combinations.

QUESTION 13.36 Quality factor of a brass cavity, air- vs. teflon-filled.

Consider an air-filled cubical cavity with edge length a = 30 cm and brass (σc =
15 MS/m and µc = µ0 ) walls. Let Qc and Qd denote the quality factors for the
conductor and dielectric, respectively, of this resonator – for its dominant (TE101 )
mode of operation. If the cavity is then filled with teflon (εr = 2.1 and tan δd =
10−4 ),
(A) Qc changes and Qd remains the same.
(B) Qd changes and Qc remains the same.
(C) both Qc and Qd change.
(D) both Qc and Qd remain the same.