Microwave Engineering: Lecture Notes On
Microwave Engineering: Lecture Notes On
Microwave Engineering: Lecture Notes On
MICROWAVE ENGINEERING
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Unit-1
MICROWAVE TRANSMISSION LINES-I
Introduction to microwaves
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Band designation Frequency range(GHz)
UHF 0.3 to 3.0
L 1.1 to 1.7
S 2.6 to 3.9
C 3.9 to 8.0
X 8.0 to 12.5
Ku 12.5 to 18.0
K 18.0 to 26
Ka 26 to 40
Q 33 to 50
U 40 to 60
Advantages of Microwave
Here the available band width is 1 to 103 GHz compare with low
frequency signal. 1000 sections crowded to transmit all TV , radio ,
music telegraphs. Current trend to use microwaves are fields like
Telephone, space .Comm Telemetry Defense, Railways FM & digital
modulation schmes
2. Improved directivity properties :
4. Power requirements:
These are partly low for both transmission and reception
at microwave frequencies
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5. Transparency property :
From 300MHz to 10 GHz signals are capable of freely propagating
through the ionized layers surrounding the earth as well as through the
atmosphere like duplex .comm... exchange of information
RADAR
Surveillance (air traffic control)
Navigation (direction finding)
Meteorology 2-MEDICINE
Treatment of Diseases
Microwave Imaging 3-SURVEYING
LAND HEATING
INDUSTRIAL QUALITY CONTROL
RADIO ASTRONOMY
NAVIGATION VIA GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS
REMOTE SENSING
POWER TRANSMISSION
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As a result of common usage developed over the past half century, the microwave spectrum has been
divided into bands, each with an identifying letter designation.
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ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
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Unit-2
CAVITY RESONATOR
an oscillatory system that operates at super high frequencies; it is the analog of an oscillatory
circuit.
The cavity resonator has the form of a volume filled with a dielectric—air, in most cases. The
volume is bounded by a conducting surface or by a space having differing electrical or magnetic
properties. Hollow cavity resonators—cavities enclosed by metal walls—are most widely used.
Generally speaking, the boundary surface of a cavity resonator can have an arbitrary shape. In
practice, however, only a few very simple shapes are used because such shapes simplify the
configuration of the electromagnetic field and the design and manufacture of resonators. These
shapes include right circular cylinders, rectangular parallelepipeds, toroids, and spheres. It is
convenient to regard some types of cavity resonators as sections of hollow or dielectric wave
guides limited by two parallel planes.
The solution of the problem of the natural (or normal) modes of oscillation of the
electromagnetic field in a cavity resonator reduces to the solution of Maxwell‘s equations with
appropriate boundary conditions. The process of storing electromagnetic energy in a cavity
resonator can be clarified by the following example: if a plane wave is in some way excited
between two parallel reflecting planes such that the wave propagation is perpendicular to the
planes, then when the wave arrives at one of the planes, it will be totally reflected. Multiple
reflection from the two planes produces waves that propagate in opposite directions and
interfere with each other. If the distance between the planes is L = nλ/2, where λ is the
wavelength and n is an integer, then the interference of the waves will produce a standing wave
(Figure 1); the amplitude of this wave will increase rapidly if multiple reflections are present.
Electromagnetic energy will be stored in the space between the planes. This effect is similar to
the resonance effect in an oscillatory circuit.
Figure 1. Formation of standing wave in space between two parallel planes as a result of
interference between direct wave and reflected wave
Normal oscillations can exist in a cavity resonator for an infinitely long time if there are no
energy losses. However, in practice, energy losses in a cavity resonator are unavoidable. The
alternating magnetic field induces electric currents on the inside walls of the resonator, which
heat the walls and thus cause energy losses (conduction losses). Moreover, if there are apertures
in the walls of the cavity and if these apertures intersect the lines of current, then an
electromagnetic field will be generated outside the cavity, which causes energy losses by
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radiation. In addition, there are energy losses within the dielectric and losses caused by
coupling with external circuits. The ratio of energy that is stored in a cavity resonator to the
total losses in the resonator taken over one oscillation is called the figure of merit, or quality
factor, or Q, of the cavity resonator. The higher the figure of merit, the better the quality of the
resonator.
By analogy with wave guides, the oscillations that occur in a cavity resonator are classified in
groups. In this classification, the grouping depends on the presence or absence of axial and
radial (transverse) components in the spatial distribution of the electromagnetic field.
Oscillations of the H (or TE) type have an axial component in the magnetic field only;
oscillations of the E (or TM) type have an axial component in the electric field only. Finally,
oscillations of the TEM type do not have axial components in either the electric or the magnetic
field. An example of a cavity resonator in which TEM oscillations can be excited is the cavity
between two conducting coaxial cylinders having end boundaries that are formed by plane
conducting walls perpendicular to the axis of the cylinders.
Cylindrical cavity resonators are the most widely used type of cavity resonator. The types of
oscillation in cylindrical cavity resonators are characterized by the three subscripts m, n, and p
that correspond to the number of half waves of the electric or magnetic field that fit along the
diameter, circumference, and length of the resonator, for instance, Emnp or Hmnp. The type of
oscillation (E or H) and the subscripts of the oscillation define the structure of the electric and
the magnetic field in a resonator (Figure 2). The H011 mode of a cylindrical cavity resonator
exhibits a peculiar property: it is quite insensitive to whether or not the cylindrical walls and the
end walls are in contact. In this mode, the magnetic lines of force are directed (Figure 2, c) such
that only currents along the lateral surface of the cylinder perpendicular to the axis are excited
in the walls of the resonator. This fact makes it possible for nonradiating slots to be introduced
into the side walls and end walls of the cavity.
Figure 2. Simplest modes of oscillation in a circular cylindrical hollow resonator: (a) E 010, (b)
H111, and (c) H011. Solid lines denote lines of force of electric field; broken lines denote lines of
force of magnetic field. The density of the lines of force is a measure of the field intensity. For
the modes E010 and H111, the density of the lines is a maximum on the axis of the cylinder (an
antinode) and is equal to zero on the walls of the cylinder (a node). The lines of force of the
magnetic field are closed curves.
Resonators of other shapes are sometimes used in addition to cylindrical cavity resonators; for
instance, rectangular cavity resonators are used in laboratory equipment (Figure 3, a). Another
important design is the toroidal cavity with a capacitive gap (Figure 3, b); this resonator is used
for the oscillatory system of the klystron. The fundamental mode of such a cavity resonator is
distinguished by the fact that the electric field and the magnetic field are spatially separated.
The electric field is localized mainly in the capacitive gap, and the magnetic field in the toroidal
cavity. The field distribution in dielectric cavity resonators is similar to the field distribution in
hollow metal resonators of the same shape if the difference between the dielectric constant of
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the resonator and that of the surrounding space is substantial. In contrast to hollow cavity
resonators, the field of dielectric resonators does penetrate into the surrounding space. This
field, however, is rapidly damped with increasing distance from the surface of the dielectric.
Figure 3. (a) Rectangular hollow cavity resonator in which fundamental mode E 110 is excited;
solid lines denote lines of force of electric field and broken lines denote lines of force of
magnetic field; (b) toroidal resonator of klystron; (c) resonator system of magnetron
Hollow metal cavity resonators are usually made of metals that have a high electrical
conductivity, such as silver and copper and their alloys, or else the inner surface of the
resonator is coated with a layer of silver or gold. Cavity resonators with an extremely high
figure of merit can be obtained by using superconducting metals (seeCRYOELECTRONICS).
A cavity resonator can be tuned to a given frequency by changing the volume of the cavity by
moving the walls or by inserting metal plungers, plates, or other tuning elements into the cavity.
Coupling to external circuits is usually carried out through apertures in the walls of the cavity
with the aid of loops, probes, and other coupling components. Dielectrics with a high dielectric
constant, such as rutile and strontium titanate, have low dielectric losses and are used for
dielectric cavity resonators.
Cavity resonators are widely used in engineering as the oscillatory systems of generators
(klystrons, magnetrons), as filters, as frequency standards, as measuring circuits, and in various
devices designed for investigating solid, liquid, and gaseous substances. They can be used in the
frequency range from 109 to 10n hertz. At higher frequencies, the wavelength of the oscillations
excited in a cavity resonator becomes comparable to the dimensions of the unavoidable surface
defects on the walls of the cavity resonator. This fact causes a dissipation of the electromagnetic
energy, a drawback that is eliminated in open resonators consisting of a system of mirrors.
WAVEGUIDE JUNCTION
Waveguide junctions are used when power in a waveguide needs to be split or some extracted.
There are a number of different types of waveguide junction that can be use, each type having
different properties - the different types of waveguide junction affect the energy contained
within the waveguide in different ways.
When selecting a waveguide junction balances between performance and cost need to be made
and therefore an understanding of the different types of waveguide junction is usedful.
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There are a number of different types of waveguide junction. The major types are listed below:
H-type T Junction: This type of waveguide junction gains its name because top of the
"T" in the T junction is parallel to the plane of the magnetic field, H lines in the
waveguide.
E-Type T Junction: This form of waveguide junction gains its name as an E- type T
junction because the tope of the "T" extends from the main waveguide in the same plane
as the electric field in the waveguide.
Magic T waveguide junction: The magic T waveguide junction is effectively a
combination of the E-type and H-type waveguide junctions.
Hybrid Ring Waveguide Junction: This form of waveguide junction is another form
of waveguide junction that is more complicated than either the basic E-type or H-type
waveguide junction.
It is called an E-type T junction because the junction arm, i.e. the top of the "T" extends from
the main waveguide in the same direction as the E field. It is characterized by the fact that the
outputs of this form of waveguide junction are 180° out of phase with each other.
The basic construction of the waveguide junction shows the three port waveguide device.
Although it may be assumed that the input is the single port and the two outputs are those on the
top section of the "T", actually any port can be used as the input, the other two being outputs.
To see how the waveguide junction operates, and how the 180° phase shift occurs, it is
necessary to look at the electric field. The magnetic field is omitted from the diagram for
simplicity.
It can be seen from the electric field that when it approaches the T junction itself, the electric
field lines become distorted and bend. They split so that the "positive" end of the line remains
with the top side of the right hand section in the diagram, but the "negative" end of the field
lines remain with the top side of the left hand section. In this way the signals appearing at either
section of the "T" are out of phase.
These phase relationships are preserved if signals enter from either of the other ports.
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H-TYPE WAVEGUIDE JUNCTION
This type of waveguide junction is called an H-type T junction because the long axis of the
main top of the "T" arm is parallel to the plane of the magnetic lines of force in the waveguide.
It is characterized by the fact that the two outputs from the top of the "T" section in the
waveguide are in phase with each other.
To see how the waveguide junction operates, the diagram below shows the electric field lines.
Like the previous diagram, only the electric field lines are shown. The electric field lines are
shown using the traditional notation - a cross indicates a line coming out of the screen, whereas
a dot indicates an electric field line going into the screen.
It can be seen from the diagram that the signals at all ports are in phase. Although it is easiest to
consider signals entering from the lower section of the "T", any port can actually be used - the
phase relationships are preserved whatever entry port is ised.
The magic-T is a combination of the H-type and E-type T junctions. The most common
application of this type of junction is as the mixer section for microwave radar receivers.
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The diagram above depicts a simplified version of the Magic T waveguide junction with its four
ports.
To look at the operation of the Magic T waveguide junction, take the example of whan a signal
is applied into the "E plane" arm. It will divide into two out of phase components as it passes
into the leg consisting of the "a" and "b" arms. However no signal will enter the "E plane" arm
as a result of the fact that a zero potential exists there - this occurs because of the conditions
needed to create the signals in the "a" and "b" arms. In this way, when a signal is applied to the
H plane arm, no signal appears at the "E plane" arm and the two signals appearing at the "a" and
"b" arms are 180° out of phase with each other.
When a signal enters the "a" or "b" arm of the magic t waveguide junction, then a signal
appears at the E and H plane ports but not at the other "b" or "a" arm as shown.
One of the disadvantages of the Magic-T waveguide junction are that reflections arise from the
impedance mismatches that naturally occur within it. These reflections not only give rise to
power loss, but at the voltage peak points they can give rise to arcing when sued with high
power transmitters. The reflections can be reduced by using matching techniques. Normally
posts or screws are used within the E-plane and H-plane ports. While these solutions improve
the impedance matches and hence the reflections, they still reduce the power handling capacity.
This form of waveguide junction overcomes the power limitation of the magic-T waveguide
junction.
The hybrid ring is used primarily in high-power radar and communications systems where it
acts as a duplexer - allowing the same antenna to be used for transmit and receive functions.
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During the transmit period, the hybrid ring waveguide junction couples microwave energy from
the transmitter to the antenna while blocking energy from the receiver input. Then as the
receive cycle starts, the hybrid ring waveguide junction couples energy from the antenna to the
receiver. During this period it prevents energy from reaching the transmitter.
Waveguide junctions are an essential element within waveguide technology. Enabling signals to
be combined and split, they find applications in many areas as discussed in the text. The
waveguide T junctions are the simplest, and possibly the most widely used, although the magic-
T and hybrid ring versions of the waveguide junction are used in particular applications where
their attributes are required.
A signal can be entered into the waveguide in a number of ways. The most straightforward is to
use what is known as a launcher. This is basically a small probe which penetrates a small
distance into the centre of the waveguide itself as shown. Often this probe may be the centre
conductor of the coaxial cable connected to the waveguide. The probe is orientated so that it is
parallel to the lines of the electric field which is to be set up in the waveguide. An alternative
method is to have a loop which is connected to the wall of the waveguide. This encompasses
the magnetic field lines and sets up the electromagnetic wave in this way. However for most
applications it is more convenient to use the open circuit probe. These launchers can be used for
transmitting signals into the waveguide as well as receiving them from the waveguide.
Waveguide launcher
WAVEGUIDE BENDS
Waveguide is normally rigid, except for flexible waveguide, and therefore it is often necessary
to direct the waveguide in a particular direction. Using waveguide bends and twists it is
possible to arrange the waveguide into the positions required.
When using waveguide bends and waveguide twists, it is necessary to ensure the bending and
twisting is accomplished in the correct manner otherwise the electric and magnetic fields will
be unduly distorted and the signal will not propagate in the manner required causing loss and
reflections. Accordingly waveguide bend and waveguide twist sections are manufactured
specifically to allow the waveguide direction to be altered without unduly destroying the field
patterns and introducing loss.
There are several ways in which waveguide bends can be accomplished. They may be used
according to the applications and the requirements.
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Waveguide E bend
Waveguide H bend
Waveguide sharp E bend
Waveguide sharp H bend
Each type of bend is achieved in a way that enables the signal to propagate correctly and with
the minimum of disruption to the fields and hence to the overall signal.
Ideally the waveguide should be bent very gradually, but this is normally not viable and
therefore specific waveguide bends are used.
Most proprietary waveguide bends are common angles - 90° waveguide bends are the most
common by far.
Waveguide E bend
This form of waveguide bend is called an E bend because it distorts or changes the electric field
to enable the waveguide to be bent in the required direction.
Waveguide E bend
To prevent reflections this waveguide bend must have a radius greater than two wavelengths.
Waveguide H bend
This form of waveguide bend is very similar to the E bend, except that it distorts the H or
magnetic field. It creates the bend around the thinner side of the waveguide.
Waveguide H bend
As with the E bend, this form of waveguide bend must also have a radius greater than 2
wavelengths to prevent undue reflections and disturbance of the field.
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In some circumstances a much shorter or sharper bend may be required. This can be
accomplished in a slightly different manner. The techniques are to use a 45° bend in the
waveguide. Effectively the signal is reflected, and using a 45° surface the reflections occur in
such a way that the fields are left undisturbed, although the phase is inverted and in some
applications this may need accounting for or correcting.
This for of waveguide bend is the same as the sharp E bend, except that the waveguide bend
affects the H field rather than the E field.
There are also instances where the waveguide may require twisting. This too, can be
accomplished. A gradual twist in the waveguide is used to turn the polarization of the
waveguide and hence the waveform.
In order to prevent undue distortion on the waveform a 90° twist should be undertaken over a
distance greater than two wavelengths of the frequency in use. If a complete inversion is
required, e.g. for phasing requirements, the overall inversion or 180° twist should be undertaken
over a four wavelength distance.
Waveguide bends and waveguide twists are very useful items to have when building a
waveguide system. Using waveguide E bends and waveguide H bends and their srap bend
counterparts allows the waveguide to be turned through the required angle to meet the
mechanical constraints of the overall waveguide system. Waveguide twists are also useful in
many applications to ensure the polarization is correct.
ATTENUATOR:
A microwave circulator is a multiport waveguide junction in which the wave can flow
only from the nth port to the (n + l)th port in one direction (see Fig. 4-6-2). Although
there is no restriction on the number of ports, the four-port microwave circulator is the
most common. One type of four-port microwave circulator is a combination of two 3-dB
side-hole directional couplers and a rectangular waveguide with two nonreciprocal phase
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shifters as shown in Fig. 4-6-3.
The operating principle of a typical microwave circulator can be analyzed with the aid of Fig.
4-6-3. Each of the two 3-dB couplers in the circulator introduces a phase shift of 90°, and
each of the two phase shifters produces a certain amount of phase change in a certain
direction as indicated.
When a wave is incident to port 1, the wave is split into two components by coupler 1. The
wave in the primary guide arrives at port 2 with a relative phase change of 180°. The second
wave propagates through the two couplers and the secondary guide and arrives at port 2 with
a relative phase shift of 180°.
Since the two waves reaching port 2 are in phase, the power transmission is obtained from port
1 to port
2. However, the wave propagates through the primary guide, phase shifter, and coupler 2 and
arrives at port 4 with a phase change of 270°. The wave travels through coupler 1 and the
secondary guide, and it arrives at port 4 with a phase shift of 90°. Since the two waves
reaching port 4 are out of phase by 180°, the power transmission from port 1 to port 4 is zero.
However, their principles of operation remain the same. Figure 4-6-4 shows a four-port
circulator constructed of two magic tees and a phase shifter. The phase shifter produces a
phase shift of 180°. The explanation of how this circulator works is left as an exercise for the
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reader.
DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS:
When all ports are terminated in their characteristic impedances, there is free transmission of
power, without reflection, between port 1 and port 2, and there is no transmission of power
between port 1 and port 3 or between port 2 and port 4 because no coupling exists between
these two pairs of ports.
The degree of coupling between port 1 and port 4 and between port 2 and port 3 depends on
the structure of the coupler. The characteristics of a directional coupler can be expressed in
terms of its coupling factor and its directivity.
Assuming that the wave is propagating from port 1 to port 2 in the primary line, the coupling
factor and the directivity are defined,
It should be noted that port 2, port 3, and port 4 are terminated in their characteristic
impedances. The coupling factor is a measure of the ratio of power levels in the primary and
secondary lines. Hence if the coupling factor is known, a fraction of power measured at port 4
may be used to determine the power input at port
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As noted, there is no coupling between port 1 and port 3 and between port 2
and port 4. Thus
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Consequently, the S matrix of a directional coupler becomes
Equation (4-5-6) can be further reduced by means of the zero property of the S matrix,
so we have
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TWO HOLE DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS:
A fraction of the wave energy entered into port 1 passes through the holes and is radiated into the
secondary guide as the holes act as slot antennas.
The forward waves in the secondary guide are in the same phase, regardless of the hole space,
and are added at port 4.
The backward waves in the secondary guide (waves are progressing from right to left) are out of
phase by (2L/ A8)27T rad and are canceled at port 3.
In a directional coupler all four ports are completely matched. Thus the diagonal elements
of the S matrix are zeros
FERRITES:
An isolator is a nonreciprocal transmission device that is used to isolate one component from
reflections of other components in the transmission line. An ideal isolator completely absorbs the
power for propagation in one direction and provides lossless transmission in the opposite
direction.
Thus the isolator is usually called uniline. Isolators are generally used to improve the frequency
stability of microwave generators, such as klystrons and magnetrons, in which the reflection
from the load affects the generating frequency.
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In such cases, the isolator placed between the generator and load prevents the reflected power
from the unmatched load from returning to the generator. As a result, the isolator maintains the
frequency stability of the generator. Isolators can be constructed in many ways.
They can be made by terminating ports 3 and 4 of a four-port circulator with matched loads. On
the other hand, isolators can be made by inserting a ferrite rod along the axis of a rectangular
waveguide as shown in Fig. 4-6-5. The isolator here is a Faraday-rotation isolator. Its operating
principle can be explained as follows [5]. The input resistive card is in the y-z plane, and the
output resistive card is displaced 45° with respect to the input card.
The de magnetic field, which is applied longitudinally to the ferrite rod, rotates the wave plane of
polarization by 45°. The degrees of rotation depend on the length and diameter of the rod and on
the applied de magnetic field. An input TE10 dominant mode is incident to the left end of the
isolator. Since the TE10 mode wave is perpendicular to the input resistive card, the wave passes
through the ferrite rod without attenuation.
The wave in the ferrite rod section is rotated clockwise by 45° and is normal to the output
resistive card. As a result of rotation, the wave arrives at the output
TERMINATION:
A microwave circulator is a multiport waveguide junction in which the wave can flow only from
the nth port to the (n + l)th port in one direction
Although there is no restriction on the number of ports, the four-port microwave circulator is the
most common. One type of four-port microwave circulator is a combination of two 3-dB side-
hole directional couplers and a rectangular waveguide with two nonreciprocal phase shifters as
shown in Fig
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The operating principle of a typical microwave circulator can be analyzed with the aid of Fig.
Each of the two 3-dB couplers in the circulator introduces a phase shift of 90°, and each of the
two phase shifters produces a certain amount of phase change in a certain direction as indicated.
When a wave is incident to port 1, the wave is split into two components by coupler 1. The wave
in the primary guide arrives at port 2 with a relative phase change of 180°. The second wave
propagates through the two couplers and the secondary guide and arrives at port 2 with a relative
phase shift of 180°. Since the two waves reaching port 2 are in phase, the power transmission is
obtained from port 1 to port 2.
However, the wave propagates through the primary guide, phase shifter, and coupler 2 and
arrives at port 4 with a phase change of 270°. The wave travels through coupler 1 and the
secondary guide, and it arrives at port 4 with a phase shift of 90°. Since the two waves reaching
port 4 are out of phase by 180°, the power transmission from port 1 to port 4 is zero. In general,
the differential propagation constants in the two directions of propagation in a waveguide
containing ferrite phase shifters should be
GYRATOR:
A gyrator is a passive, linear, lossless, two-port electrical network element proposed in 1948 by
Bernard
D. H. Tellegen as a hypothetical fifth linear element after the resistor, capacitor, inductor and
ideal transformer. Unlike the four conventional elements, the gyrator is non-reciprocal.
Gyrators permit network realizations of two-(or-more)-port devices which cannot be realized
with just the conventional four elements.
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not however change the range of one-port devices that can be realized. Although the gyrator was
conceived as a fifth linear element, its adoption makes both the ideal transformer and either the
capacitor or inductor redundant. Thus the number of necessary linear elements is in fact reduced
to three. Circuits that function as gyrators can be built with transistors and op amps using
feedback.
ellegen invented a circuit symbol for the gyrator and suggested a number of ways in which a
practical gyrator might be built.
ISOLATOR CIRCULATOR:
An isolator is a nonreciprocal transmission device that is used to isolate one component from
reflections of other components in the transmission line. An ideal isolator completely absorbs the
power for propagation in one direction and provides lossless transmission in the opposite
direction. Thus the isolator is usually called uniline.
Isolators are generally used to improve the frequency stability of microwave generators, such as
klystrons and magnetrons, in which the reflection from the load affects the generating frequency.
In such cases, the isolator placed between the generator and load prevents the reflected power
from the unmatched load from returning to the generator.As a result, the isolator maintains the
frequency stability of the generator. Isolators can be constructed in many ways. They can be
made by terminating ports 3 and 4 of a four-port circulator with matched loads. On the other
hand, isolators can be made by inserting a ferrite rod along the axis of a rectangular waveguide.
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The isolator here is a Faraday-rotation isolator. Its operating principle can be explained as
follows [5]. The input resistive card is in the y-z plane, and the output resistive card is
displaced 45° with respect to the input card. The de magnetic field, which is applied
longitudinally to the ferrite rod, rotates the wave plane of polarization by 45°. The degrees of
rotation depend on the length and diameter of the rod and on the applied de magnetic field.
An input TE10 dominant mode is incident to the left end of the isolator. Since the TE10
mode wave is perpendicular to the input resistive card, the wave passes through the ferrite
rod without attenuation.
The wave in the ferrite rod section is rotated clockwise by 45° and is normal to the output
resistive card. As a result of rotation, the wave arrives at the output end without attenuation
at all. On the contrary, a reflected wave from the output end is similarly rotated clockwise
45° by the ferrite rod.
However, since the reflected wave is parallel to the input resistive card, the wave is thereby
absorbed by the input card. The typical performance of these isolators is
Unit-3
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KLYSTRON
5kW klystron tube used as power amplifier in UHF television transmitter, 1952. When installed,
the tube projects through holes in the center of the cavity resonators, with the sides of the cavities
making contact with the metal rings on the tube.
In a klystron, an electron beam interacts with radio waves as it passes through resonant cavities,
metal boxes along the length of a tube.[2] The electron beam first passes through a cavity to which
the input signal is applied. The energy of the electron beam amplifies the signal, and the amplified
signal is taken from a cavity at the other end of the tube. The output signal can be coupled back
into the input cavity to make an electronic oscillator to generate radio waves. The gain of klystrons
can be high, 60 dB (one million) or more, with output power up to tens of megawatts, but the
bandwidth is narrow, usually a few percent although it can be up to 10% in some devices.[2]
A reflex klystron is an obsolete type in which the electron beam was reflected back along its path
by a high potential electrode, used as an oscillator.
The name klystron comes from the stem form κλυσ- (klys) of a Greek verb referring to the action of
waves breaking against a shore, and the suffix -τρον ("tron") meaning the place where the action
happens.[3] The name "klystron" was suggested by Hermann Fränkel, a professor in the classics
department at Stanford University when the klystron was under development. [4]
OPERATION
Klystrons amplify RF signals by converting the kinetic energy in a DC electron beam into radio
frequency power. A beam of electrons is produced by a thermionic cathode (a heated pellet of low
work function material), and accelerated by high-voltage electrodes (typically in the tens of
kilovolts). This beam is then passed through an input cavity resonator. RF energy is fed into the
input cavity at, or near, its resonant frequency, creating standing waves, which produce an
oscillating voltage which acts on the electron beam. The electric field causes the electrons to
"bunch": electrons that pass through when the electric field opposes their motion are slowed, while
electrons which pass through when the electric field is in the same direction are accelerated,
causing the previously continuous electron beam to form bunches at the input frequency. To
reinforce the bunching, a klystron may contain additional "buncher" cavities. The beam then passes
through a "drift" tube in which the faster electrons catch up to the slower ones, creating the
"bunches", then through a "catcher" cavity. In the output "catcher" cavity, each bunch enters the
cavity at the time in the cycle when the electric field opposes the electrons' motion, decelerating
them. Thus the kinetic energy of the electrons is converted to potential energy of the field,
increasing the amplitude of the oscillations. The oscillations excited in the catcher cavity are
coupled out through a coaxial cable or waveguide. The spent electron beam, with reduced energy,
is captured by a collector electrode.
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To make an oscillator, the output cavity can be coupled to the input cavity(s) with a coaxial cable
or waveguide. Positive feedback excites spontaneous oscillations at the resonant frequency of the
cavities.
The simplest klystron tube is the two-cavity klystron. In this tube there are two microwave cavity
resonators, the "catcher" and the "buncher". When used as an amplifier, the weak microwave signal
to be amplified is applied to the buncher cavity through a coaxial cable or waveguide, and the
amplified signal is extracted from the catcher cavity.
At one end of the tube is the hot cathode heated by a filament which produces electrons. The
electrons are attracted to and pass through an anode cylinder at a high positive potential; the
cathode and anode act as an electron gun to produce a high velocity stream of electrons. An
external electromagnet winding creates a longitudinal magnetic field along the beam axis which
prevents the beam from spreading.
The beam first passes through the "buncher" cavity resonator, through grids attached to each side.
The buncher grids have an oscillating AC potential across them, produced by standing wave
oscillations within the cavity, excited by the input signal at the cavity's resonant frequency applied
by a coaxial cable or waveguide. The direction of the field between the grids changes twice per
cycle of the input signal. Electrons entering when the entrance grid is negative and the exit grid is
positive encounter an electric field in the same direction as their motion, and are accelerated by the
field. Electrons entering a half-cycle later, when the polarity is opposite, encounter an electric field
which opposes their motion, and are decelerated.
Beyond the buncher grids is a space called the drift space. This space is long enough so that the
accelerated electrons catch up to the retarded electrons, forming "bunches" longitudinally along the
beam axis. Its length is chosen to allow maximum bunching at the resonant frequency, and may be
several feet long.
Klystron oscillator from 1944. The electron gun is on the right, the collector on the left. The two
26
cavity resonators are in center, linked by a short coaxial cable to provide positive feedback.
The electrons then pass through a second cavity, called the "catcher", through a similar pair of grids
on each side of the cavity. The function of the catcher grids is to absorb energy from the electron
beam. The bunches of electrons passing through excite standing waves in the cavity, which has the
same resonant frequency as the buncher cavity. Each bunch of electrons passes between the grids at
a point in the cycle when the exit grid is negative with respect to the entrance grid, so the electric
field in the cavity between the grids opposes the electrons motion. The electrons thus do work on
the electric field, and are decelerated, their kinetic energy is converted to electric potential energy,
increasing the amplitude of the oscillating electric field in the cavity. Thus the oscillating field in
the catcher cavity is an amplified copy of the signal applied to the buncher cavity. The amplified
signal is extracted from the catcher cavity through a coaxial cable or waveguide.
After passing through the catcher and giving up its energy, the lower energy electron beam is
absorbed by a "collector" electrode, a second anode which is kept at a small positive voltage.
KLYSTRON OSCILLATOR
An electronic oscillator can be made from a klystron tube, by providing a feedback path from
output to input by connecting the "catcher" and "buncher" cavities with a coaxial cable or
waveguide. When the device is turned on, electronic noise in the cavity is amplified by the tube and
fed back from the output catcher to the buncher cavity to be amplified again. Because of the high Q
of the cavities, the signal quickly becomes a sine wave at the resonant frequency of the cavities.
MULTICAVITY KLYSTRON
In all modern klystrons, the number of cavities exceeds two. Additional "buncher" cavities added
between the first "buncher" and the "catcher" may be used to increase the gain of the klystron, or to
increase the bandwidth.
The residual kinetic energy in the electron beam when it hits the collector electrode represents
wasted energy, which is dissipated as heat, which must be removed by a cooling system. Some
modern klystrons include depressed collectors, which recover energy from the beam before
collecting the electrons, increasing efficiency. Multistage depressed collectors enhance the energy
recovery by "sorting" the electrons in energy bins.
REFLEX KLYSTRON
Low-power Russian reflex klystron from 1963. The cavity resonator from which the output is
taken, is attached to the electrodes labeled Externer Resonator. Reflex klystrons are almost
obsolete now.
27
The reflex klystron (also known as a Sutton tube after one of its inventors, Robert Sutton) was a
low power klystron tube with a single cavity, which functioned as an oscillator. It was used as a
local oscillator in some radar receivers and a modulator in microwave transmitters the 1950s and
60s, but is now obsolete, replaced by semiconductor microwave devices.
In the reflex klystron the electron beam passes through a single resonant cavity. The electrons are
fired into one end of the tube by an electron gun. After passing through the resonant cavity they are
reflected by a negatively charged reflector electrode for another pass through the cavity, where they
are then collected. The electron beam is velocity modulated when it first passes through the cavity.
The formation of electron bunches takes place in the drift space between the reflector and the
cavity. The voltage on the reflector must be adjusted so that the bunching is at a maximum as the
electron beam re-enters the resonant cavity, thus ensuring a maximum of energy is transferred from
the electron beam to the RF oscillations in the cavity. The reflector voltage may be varied slightly
from the optimum value, which results in some loss of output power, but also in a variation in
frequency. This effect is used to good advantage for automatic frequency control in receivers, and
in frequency modulation for transmitters. The level of modulation applied for transmission is small
enough that the power output essentially remains constant. At regions far from the optimum
voltage, no oscillations are obtained at all.
There are often several regions of reflector voltage where the reflex klystron will oscillate; these
are referred to as modes. The electronic tuning range of the reflex klystron is usually referred to as
the variation in frequency between half power points—the points in the oscillating mode where the
power output is half the maximum output in the mode.
Modern semiconductor technology has effectively replaced the reflex klystron in most applications.
28
FLOATING DRIFT TUBE KLYSTRON
The floating drift tube klystron has a single cylindrical chamber containing an electrically isolated
central tube. Electrically, this is similar to the two cavity oscillator klystron with a lot of feedback
between the two cavities. Electrons exiting the source cavity are velocity modulated by the electric
field as they travel through the drift tube and emerge at the destination chamber in bunches,
delivering power to the oscillation in the cavity. This type of oscillator klystron has an advantage
over the two-cavity klystron on which it is based. It only needs one tuning element to effect
changes in frequency. The drift tube is electrically insulated from the cavity walls, and DC bias is
applied separately. The DC bias on the drift tube may be adjusted to alter the transit time through
it, thus allowing some electronic tuning of the oscillating frequency. The amount of tuning in this
manner is not large and is normally used for frequency modulation when transmitting.
APPLICATIONS
Klystrons can produce far higher microwave power outputs than solid state microwave devices
such as Gunn diodes. In modern systems, they are used from UHF (hundreds of MHz) up through
hundreds of GHz (as in the Extended Interaction Klystrons in the CloudSat satellite). Klystrons can
be found at work in radar, satellite and wideband high-power communication (very common in
television broadcasting and EHF satellite terminals), medicine (radiation oncology), and high-
energy physics (particle accelerators and experimental reactors). At SLAC, for example, klystrons
are routinely employed which have outputs in the range of 50 MW (pulse) and 50 kW (time-
averaged) at 2856 MHz. The Arecibo Planetary Radar uses two klystrons that provide a total power
output of 1 MW (continuous) at 2380 MHz.[9]
Popular Science's "Best of What's New 2007"[10][11] described a company, Global Resource
Corporation, currently defunct, using a klystron to convert the hydrocarbons in everyday materials,
automotive waste, coal, oil shale, and oil sands into natural gas and diesel fuel.
TRAVELING-WAVE TUBE
A traveling-wave tube (TWT) is a specialized vacuum tube that is used in electronics to amplify
radio frequency (RF) signals in the microwave range.[1] The TWT belongs to a category of "linear
beam" tubes, such as the klystron, in which the radio wave is amplified by absorbing power from a
beam of electrons as it passes down the tube.[1] Although there are various types of TWT, two
major categories are:[1]
Helix TWT
In which the radio waves interact with the electron beam while traveling down a wire helix
which surrounds the beam. These have wide bandwidth, but output power is limited to a
few hundred watts.[2]
Coupled cavity TWT
In which the radio wave interacts with the beam in a series of cavity resonators through
which the beam passes. These function as narrowband power amplifiers.
A major advantage of the TWT over some other microwave tubes is its ability to amplify a wide
range of frequencies, a wide bandwidth. The bandwidth of the helix TWT can be as high as two
29
octaves, while the cavity versions have bandwidths of 10–20%.[1][2] Operating frequencies range
from 300 MHz to 50 GHz.[1][2] The power gain of the tube is on the order of 40 to 70 decibels,[2]
and output power ranges from a few watts to megawatts.[1][2]
TWTs account for over 50% of the sales volume of all microwave vacuum tubes.[1] They are
widely used as the power amplifiers and oscillators in radar systems, communication satellite and
spacecraft transmitters, and electronic warfare systems.[1]
A TWT has sometimes been referred to as a traveling-wave amplifier tube (TWAT),[3] although
this term was never widely adopted. "TWT" has been pronounced by engineers as "twit", [4] and
"TWTA" as "tweeta".[5]
BASIC TWT
The TWT is an elongated vacuum tube with an electron gun (a heated cathode that emits electrons)
at one end. A voltage applied across the cathode and anode accelerates the electrons towards the far
end of the tube, and an external magnetic field around the tube focuses the electrons into a beam.
At the other end of the tube the electrons strike the "collector", which returns them to the circuit.
Wrapped around the inside of the tube, just outside the beam path, is a helix of wire, typically
oxygen-free copper. The RF signal to be amplified is fed into the helix at a point near the emitter
end of the tube. The signal is normally fed into the helix via a waveguide or electromagnetic coil
placed at one end, forming a one-way signal path, a directional coupler.
By controlling the accelerating voltage, the speed of the electrons flowing down the tube is set to
be similar to the speed of the RF signal running down the helix. The signal in the wire causes a
magnetic field to be induced in the center of the helix, where the electrons are flowing. Depending
on the phase of the signal, the electrons will either be sped up or slowed down as they pass the
windings. This causes the electron beam to "bunch up", known technically as "velocity
modulation". The resulting pattern of electron density in the beam is an analog of the original RF
signal.
30
Because the beam is passing the helix as it travels, and that signal varies, it causes induction in the
helix, amplifying the original signal. By the time it reaches the other end of the tube, this process
has had time to deposit considerable energy back into the helix. A second directional coupler,
positioned near the collector, receives an amplified version of the input signal from the far end of
the RF circuit. Attenuators placed along the RF circuit prevent the reflected wave from traveling
back to the cathode.
Higher powered helix TWTs usually contains beryllium oxide ceramic as both a helix support rod
and in some cases, as an electron collector for the TWT because of its special electrical,
mechanical, and thermal properties.[6][7]
Coupled-cavity TWT
Helix TWTs are limited in peak RF power by the current handling (and therefore thickness) of the
helix wire. As power level increases, the wire can overheat and cause the helix geometry to warp.
Wire thickness can be increased to improve matters, but if the wire is too thick it becomes
impossible to obtain the required helix pitch for proper operation. Typically helix TWTs achieve
less than 2.5 kW output power.
The coupled-cavity TWT overcomes this limit by replacing the helix with a series of coupled
cavities arranged axially along the beam. This structure provides a helical waveguide, and hence
amplification can occur via velocity modulation. Helical waveguides have very nonlinear
dispersion and thus are only narrowband (but wider than klystron). A coupled-cavity TWT can
achieve 60 kW output power.
Operation is similar to that of a klystron, except that coupled-cavity TWTs are designed with
attenuation between the slow-wave structure instead of a drift tube. The slow-wave structure gives
the TWT its wide bandwidth. A free electron laser allows higher frequencies.
TRAVELING-WAVE-TUBE AMPLIFIER
A TWT integrated with a regulated power supply and protection circuits is referred to as a
traveling-wave-tube amplifier[10] (abbreviated TWTA and often pronounced "TWEET-uh"). It is
used to produce high-power radio frequency signals. The bandwidth of a broadband TWTA can be
as high as one octave,[citation needed] although tuned (narrowband) versions exist; operating
frequencies range from 300 MHz to 50 GHz.
A TWTA consists of a traveling-wave tube coupled with its protection circuits (as in klystron) and
regulated power supply electronic power conditioner (EPC), which may be supplied and integrated
by a different manufacturer. The main difference between most power supplies and those for
vacuum tubes is that efficient vacuum tubes have depressed collectors to recycle kinetic energy of
the electrons, so the secondary winding of the power supply needs up to 6 taps of which the helix
voltage needs precise regulation. The subsequent addition of a liberalizer (as for inductive output
tube) can, by complementary compensation, improve the gain compression and other
characteristics of the TWTA; this combination is called a linear zed TWTA (LTWTA, "EL-tweet-
uh").
31
Broadband TWTAs generally use a helix TWT, and achieve less than 2.5 kW output power.
TWTAs using a coupled cavity TWT can achieve 15 kW output power, but at the expense of
bandwidth.
USES
TWTAs are commonly used as amplifiers in satellite transponders, where the input signal is very
weak and the output needs to be high power. [23]
A TWTA whose output drives an antenna is a type of transmitter. TWTA transmitters are used
extensively in radar, particularly in airborne fire-control radar systems, and in electronic warfare
and self-protection systems.[24] In such applications, a control grid is typically introduced between
the TWT's electron gun and slow-wave structure to allow pulsed operation. The circuit that drives
the control grid is usually referred to as a grid modulator.
Another major use of TWTAs is for the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing industry for
immunity testing of electronic devices. [citation needed]
TWTAs can often be found in older (pre-1995) aviation SSR microwave transponders.
32
Unit-4
In previous sections klystrons and reflex klystrons were analyzed in some detail. Before starting
to describe the TWT, it seems appropriate to compare the basic operating principles of both the
TWT and the klystron. In the case of the TWT, the microwave circuit is nonresonant and the
wave propagates with the same speed as the electrons in the beam. The initial effect on the beam
is a small amount of velocity modulation caused by the weak electric fields associated with the
traveling wave.
Just as in the klystron, this velocity modulation later translates to current modulation, which then
induces an RF current in the circuit, causing amplification. However, there are some major
differences between the TWT and the klystron:
The interaction of electron beam and RF field in the TWT is continuous over the entire length of
the circuit, but the interaction in the klystron occurs only at the gaps of a few resonant cavities.
The wave in the TWT is a propagating wave; the wave in the klystron is not.
In the coupled-cavity TWT there is a coupling effect between the cavities, whereas each cavity
in the klystron operates independently.
As the operating frequency is increased, both the inductance and capacitance of the resonant
circuit must be decreased in order to maintain resonance at the operating frequency. Because the
gain-bandwidth product is limited by the resonant circuit, the ordinary resonator cannot generate
a large output. Several nonresonant periodic circuits or slow-wave structures (see Fig. 9-5-2) are
designed for producing large gain over a wide bandwidth.
33
Slow-wave structures are special circuits that are used in microwave tubes to reduce the wave
velocity in a certain direction so that the electron beam and the signal wave can interact. The
phase velocity of a wave in ordinary waveguides is greater than the velocity of light in a vacuum.
In the operation of traveling-wave and magnetron-type devices, the electron beam must keep in
step with the microwave signal. Since the electron beam can be accelerated only to velocities that
are about a fraction of the velocity of light, a slow-wave structure must be incorporated in the
microwave devices so that the phase velocity of the microwave signal can keep pace with that of
the electron beam for effective interactions. Several types of slow-wave structures are shown in
figure.
MAGNETRON
MAGNETRON OSCILLATORS
Hull invented the magnetron in 1921 [1], but it was only an interesting laboratory device until
about 1940. During World War II, an urgent need for high-power microwave generators for radar
transmitters led to the rapid development of the magnetron to its present state.
All magnetrons consist of some form of anode and cathode operated in a de magnetic field
normal to of the crossed field between the cathode and anode, the electrons emitted from the
cathode are influenced by the crossed field to move in curved paths. If the de magnetic field is
strong enough, the electrons will not arrive in the anode but return instead to the cathode.
Consequently, the anode current is cut off.
34
Magnetrons can be classified into three types:
1. Split-anode magnetron: This type of magnetron uses a static negative resistance between two anode
segments.
2. Cyclotron-frequency magnetrons: This type operates under the influence of synchronism between an
alternating component of electric field and a periodic oscillation of electrons in a direction parallel to the
field.
3. Traveling-wave magnetrons: This type depends on the interaction of electrons with a traveling
electromagnetic field of linear velocity. They are customarily referred to simply as magnetrons.
Cylindrical Magnetron
A schematic diagram of a cylindrical magnetron oscillator is shown in Fig. 10-1-1. This type of
magnetron is also called a conventional magnetron.
In a cylindrical magnetron, several reentrant cavities are connected to the gaps. The de voltage Vo
is applied between the cathode and the anode. The magnetic flux density Bo is in the positive z
direction. When the de voltage and the magnetic flux are adjusted properly, the electrons will
follow cycloidal paths
in the cathodeanode space under the combined force of both electric and magnetic fields as
shown in Fig. 10-1-2.
Equations of electron motion. The equations of motion for electrons in a
cylindrical magnetron can be written with the aid of Eqs.(l-2-Sa) and (1-2-
Sb) as
35
36
Cyclotron
angular frequency. Since the magnetic field is normal to the
motion of electrons that travel in a cycloidal path, the outward centrifugal force is
equal to the pulling force. Hence
37
Since the slow-wave structure is closed on itself, or "reentrant," oscillations are possible only if
the total phase shift around the structure is an integral multiple of 27T radians. Thus, if there are
N reentrant cavities in the anode structure, the phase shift between two adjacent cavities can be
expressed as
where n is an integer indicating the nth mode of oscillation. In order for oscillations to be
produced in the structure, the anode de voltage must be adjusted so that the average rotational
velocity of the electrons corresponds to the phase velocity of the field in the slow-wave structure.
Magnetron oscillators are ordinarily operated in the 7T mode.
That is
38
Maxwell's equations subject to the boundary conditions. The solution for the fundamental cf>
component of the electric field has the form [l]
where £ 1 is a constant and f3o is given in Eq. (10-1-18). Thus, the traveling field of the
fundamental mode travels around the structure with angular velocity
where~ can be found from Eq. (10-1-19). When the cyclotron frequency of the electrons is equal
to the angular frequency of the field, the interactions between the field and electron occurs and
the energy is transferred. That is,
The application of two-terminal semiconductor devices at microwave frequencies has been increased
usage during the past decades. The CW, average, and peak power outputs of these devices at higher
microwave frequencies are much larger than those obtainable with the best power transistor. The common
39
characteristic of all active two-terminal solid-state devices is their negative resistance. The real part of
their impedance is negative over a range of frequencies.
In a positive resistance the current through the resistance and the voltage across it are in phase. The
voltage drop across a positive resistance is positive and a power of (/2 R) is dissipated in the resistance. In
a negative resistance, however, the current and voltage are out of phase by 180°. The voltage drop across
a negative resistance is negative, and a power of (-/ 2 R) is generated by the power supply associated with
the negative resistance. In other words, positive resistances absorb power (passive devices), whereas
negative resistances generate power (active devices).
In this chapter the transferred electron devices (TEDs) are analyzed. The differences between microwave
transistors and transferred electron devices (TEDs) are fundamental. Transistors operate with either
junctions or gates, but TEDs are bulk devices having no junctions or gates. The majority of transistors are
fabricated from elemental semiconductors, such as silicon or germanium, whereas TEDs are fabricated
from compound semiconductors, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), or cadmium
telluride (CdTe). Transistors operate with "warm" electrons whose energy is not much greater than the
thermal energy (0.026 eV at room temperature) of electrons in the semiconductor, whereas TEDs operate
with "hot" electrons whose energy is very much greater than the thermal energy. Because of these
fundamental differences, the theory and technology of transistors cannot be applied to TEDs.
GUNN DIODE
Gunn Effect:
Gun effect was first observed by GUNN in n_type GaAs bulk diode. According to GUNN, above
some critical voltage corresponding to an electric field of 2000-4000v/cm, the current in every
specimen became a fluctuating fuction of time. The frequency of oscillation was determined
mainly by the specimen and not by the external circuit.
40
i)Voltage-controlled and
ii) current controlled modes as shown in Fig.
In the voltage-controlled mode the current density can be multivalued, whereas in the current-
controlled mode the voltage can be multivalued.
thus they are in planes perpendicular to the current direction as shown in Fig. 7-2-2(a). In the
current- controlled negative-resistance mode splitting the sample results in high-current
filaments running along the field direction as shown in Fig. 7-2-2(b).
41
Expressed mathematically, the negative resistance of the sample at a particular region is
If an electric field Eo (or voltage Vo) is applied to the sample, for example, the current density is
generated. As the applied field (or voltage) is increased to E2 (or V2), the current density is
decreased to J2.
When the field (or voltage) is decreased to E1 (or V1), the current density is increased to J1 .
These phenomena of the voltage controlled negative resistance are shown in Fig. 7-2-3(a).
Similarly, for the current controlled mode, the negative-resistance profile is as shown in Fig. 7-2-
3(b).
According to the energy band theory of then-type GaAs, a high-mobility lower valley is
separated by an energy of 0.36 eV from a low-mobility upper valley
42
When the applied electric field is lower than the electric field of the lower valley (£ < Ec), no
electrons will transfer to the upper valley as show in Fig. 7-2-S(a).
When the applied electric field is higher than that of the lower valley and lower than that of the
upper valley (Ec < E < Eu), electrons will begin to transfer to the upper valley as shown in Fig.
7-2-S(b).
43
And when the applied electric field is higher than that of the upper valley (Eu < E), all electrons
will transfer to the upper valley as shown in Fig. 7-2-S(c).
If electron densities in the lower and upper valleys are nc and nu , the conductivity of the n -type
GaAs is
When a sufficiently high field E is applied to the specimen, electrons are accelerated and their
effective temperature rises above the lattice temperature. Furthermore, the lattice temperature
also increases. Thus electron density n and mobility f-L are both functions of electric field E.
Differentiation of Eq. (7-2-2) with respect toE yields
44
If the total electron density is given by n = nt + nu and it is assumed that f.Le and /Lu are
proportional to
EP, where p is a constant,
then
Clearly, for negative resistance, the current density J must decrease with
increasing field E or the ratio of dJ!dE must be negative. Such would be the
case only if the right-hand term of Eq. (7-2-9) is less than zero. In other
words, the condition for
negative resistance is
45
Substitution of Eqs. (7-2-2) and (7-2-7) with/= nu/ne results in [2]
The tunnel diode was the first such device to be realized in practice. Its operation depends on the
properties of a forward-biased p-n junction in which both the p and n regions are heavily doped. The other
two devices are the transferred electron devices and the avalanche transit-time devices. In this chapter the
latter type is discussed.
The transferred electron devices or the Gunn oscillators operate simply by the application of a de voltage
to a bulk semiconductor. There are no p-n junctions in this device. Its frequency is a function of the load
and of the natural frequency of the circuit. The avalanche diode oscillator uses carrier impact ionization
and drift in the high-field region of a semiconductor junction to produce a negative resistance at
microwave frequencies.
The device was originally proposed in a theoretical paper by Read in which he analyzed the negative-
resistance properties of an idealized n+p- i-p+ diode. Two distinct modes of avalanche oscillator have
been observed. One is the IMPATT mode, which stands for impact ionization avalanche transit-time
operation. In this mode the typical dc-to-RF conversion efficiency is 5 to 10%, and frequencies are as
high as 100 GHz with silicon diodes.
The other mode is the TRAPATT mode, which represents trapped plasma avalanche triggered transit
operation. Its typical conversion efficiency is from 20 to 60%. Another type of active microwave device
is the BARITT (barrier injected transit-time) diode [2]. It has long drift
regions similar to those of IMPATT diodes. The carriers traversing the drift regions of BARITT
diodes, however, are generated by minority carrier injection from forward-biased junctions rather
46
than being extracted from the plasma of an avalanche region. Several different structures have
been operated as BARITT diodes, such as p-n-p, p-n-v-p, p-n-metal, and metal-nmetal. BARITT
diodes have low noise figures of 15 dB, but their bandwidth is relatively narrow with low output
power.
Physical Structures
A theoretical Read diode made of ann+ -p-i-p+ or p+ -n-i-n+ structure has been analyzed. Its
basic physical mechanism is the interaction of the impact ionization avalanche and the transit
time of charge carriers. Hence the Read-type diodes are called IMPATT diodes. These diodes
exhibit a differential negative resistance by two effects:
1)The impact ionization avalanche effect, which causes the carrier current lo(t) and the ac voltage to be
out of phase by 90°
2) The transit-time effect, which further delays the external current l,(t) relative to the ac voltage by 90°
The first IMPATT operation as reported by Johnston et al. [4] in 1965, however, was obtained
from a simple p-n junction. The first real Read-type IMPATT diode was reported by Lee et al.
[3], as described previously.
From the small-signal theory developed by Gilden [5] it has been confirmed that a negative
resistance of the IMPATT diode can be obtained from a junction diode with any doping profile.
Many IMPATT diodes consist of a high doping avalanching region followed by a drift region
where the field is low enough that the carriers can traverse through it without avalanching.
The Read diode is the basic type in the IMPATT diode family. The others are the one-sided
abrupt p-n junction, the linearly graded p-n junction (or double-drift region), and the p-i-n diode,
all of which are shown in Fig. 8-2-1.
The principle of operation of these devices, however, is essentially similar to the mechanism
described for the Read diode.
47
Negative Resistance
Small-signal analysis of a Read diode results in the following expression for the real part of the
diode terminal impedance [5]:
48
Moreover, () is the transit angle, given by
The variation of the negative resistance with the transit angle when w > Wr is plotted in Fig. 8-2-
2. The peak value of the negative resistance occurs near () = 7T. For transit angles larger than 7T
and approaching 37T /2, the negative resistance of the diode decreases rapidly. For practical
purposes, the Read-type IMPATT diodes work well only in a frequency range around the 7T
transit angle. That is,
49
For a uniform avalanche, the maximum voltage that can be applied across the diode is given by
where
This maximum applied voltage is limited by the breakdown voltage. Furthermore, the maximum
current that can be carried by the diode is also limited by the avalanche breakdown process, for
the current in the space-charge region causes an increase in the electric field. The maximum
current is given by
It is interesting to note that this equation is identical to Eq. (5-1-60) of the powerfrequency
limitation for the microwave power transistor. The maximum power that can be given to the
mobile carriers decreases as 1/ f. For silicon, this electronic limit is dominant at frequencies as
high as 100 GHz. The efficiency of the IMPATT diodes is given by
50
Unit-5
SCATTERING MATRIX:
"Scattering" is an idea taken from billiards, or pool. One takes a cue ball and fires it up the
table at a collection of other balls. After the impact, the energy and momentum in the cue
ball is divided between all the balls involved in the impact. The cue ball "scatters" the
stationary target balls and in turn is deflected or "scattered" by them.
In a microwave circuit, the equivalent to the energy and momentum of the cue ball is the
amplitude and phase of the incoming wave on a transmission line. (A rather loose analogy,
this). This incoming wave is "scattered" by the circuit and its energy is partitioned between
all the possible outgoing waves on all the other transmission lines connected to the circuit.
The scattering parameters are fixed properties of the (linear) circuit which describe how the
energy couples between each pair of ports or transmission lines connected to the circuit.
Formally, s-parameters can be defined for any collection of linear electronic components,
whether or not the wave view of the power flow in the circuit is necessary. They are
algebraically related to the impedance parameters (z-parameters), also to the admittance
parameters (y-parameters) and to a notional characteristic impedance of the transmission
lines.
An n-port microwave network has n arms into which power can be fed and from which power can be
taken. In general, power can get from any arm (as input) to any other arm (as output). There are
thus n incoming waves and n outgoing waves.
We also observe that power can be reflected by a port, so the input power to a single port can partition
between all the ports of the network to form outgoing waves. Associated with each port is the notion
of a "reference plane" at which the wave amplitude and phase is defined.
Usually the reference plane associated with a certain port is at the same place with respect to
51
incoming and outgoing waves. The n incoming wave complex amplitudes are usually designated by
the n complex quantities an, and the n outgoing wave complex quantities are designated by the n
complex quantities bn. The incoming wave quantities are assembled into an n-vector
A and the outgoing wave quantities into an n-vector B. The outgoing waves are expressed in terms of
the incoming waves by the matrix equation B = SA where S is an n by n square matrix of complex
numbers called the "scattering matrix". It completely determines the behaviour of the network. In
general, the elements of this matrix, which are termed "s-parameters", are all frequency-dependent.
A one-port scattering parameter s is merely the reflection coefficient gamma, and as we have seen we
can relate gamma to the load impedance zL = ZL/Zo by the formula gamma = (zL-1)/(zL+1).
Similarly, given an n by n "Z-matrix" for an n-port network, we obtain the S matrix from the formula
S = (Z-I)(Z+I)^-1, by post-multiplying the matrix (Z-I) by the inverse of the matrix (Z+I). Here, I is
the n by n unit matrix. The matrix of z parameters (which has n squared elements) is the inverse of the
matrix of y parameters.
PROPRTIES OF S MATRIX
52
For an ideal network with matched termination Sii=0, since there is no refiection from any
port. Therefore under perfect matched condition yhe diagonal element of [s] are zero
For a reciprocal network with assumed normalized the impeadence matrix equation is [b]
[ -1
[ -1 ------------(3)
[S]t = [Z-u]t [
-1
Z+U]t
Then
[Z-u]t = [ Z-U]
[Z+u]t-1 = [
Z+U] [S] t = [z-u]
[z+u]-1
53
[S] t = [R][Q]-1 -------------(4)
For any loss less network the sum of product of each term of any one row or any one column of s
matrix multiplied by its complex conjugate is unity
) Sni Sni ∗ = 1
n=1
For a lossless N port devices the total power leaving N ports must be equal to total input to the
ports
4) Zero property
It states that the sum of the product of any each term of any one row or any one column of a
s matrix is multiplied by the complex conjucate of corresponding terms of any other row is
zero
N
) Sni Sni ∗ = 0
n=1
distance βk, lk. each of the coefficient Sij involving K will be multiplied by the factor (e –
jβk/k)
54
S MATRIX FORMULATION OF TWO PORT JUNCTION
In the case of a microwave network having two ports only, an input and an output, the s-
matrix has four s-parameters, designated s11 s12 s21 s22
These four complex quantities actually contain eight separate numbers; the real and imaginary
parts, or the modulus and the phase angle, of each of the four complex scattering parameters. Let us
consider the physical meaning of these s-parameters. If the output port 2 is terminated, that is, the
transmission line is connected to a matched load impedance giving rise to no reflections, and then
there is no input wave on port 2.
The input wave on port 1 (a1) gives rise to a reflected wave at port 1 (s11a1) and a transmitted
wave at port 2 which is absorbed in the termination on 2.
The transmitted wave size is (s21a1). If the network has no loss and no gain, the output power must
equal the input power and so in this case |s11|^2 + |s21|^2 must equal unity. We see therefore that
the sizes of S11 and S21 determine how the input power splits between the possible output paths.
MICROWAVE JUNCTIONS:
E
PLANE
TEE
H
PLANE
TEE
MAGIC TEE OR HYPRID TEE
55
TEE JUNCTIONS:
From the S parameter theory of a microwave junction it is evident that a tee junction should be
characterized by a matrix of third order containing nine elements, six of which should be
independent.
The characteristics of a three-port junction can be explained by three theorems of the tee junction.
These theorems are derived from the equivalent- circuit representation of the tee junction. Their
statements follow
1. A short circuit may always be placed in one of the arms of a three-port junction in such a
way that no power can be transferred through the other two arms.
2. If the junction is symmetric about one of its arms, a short circuit can always be placed in that arm
so that no reflections occur in power transmission between the other two arms. (That is, the arms
present matched impedances.)
H-plane tee (shunt tee). An H -plane tee is a waveguide tee in which the axis of its side arm is
"shunting" the E field or parallel to the H field of the main guide as shown in Fig.
56
It can be seen that if two input waves are fed into port 1 and port 2 of the collinear arm, the output
wave at port 3 will be in phase and additive. On the other hand, if the input is fed into port 3, the
wave will split equally into port 1 and port 2 in phase and in the same magnitude.
E -plane tee {series tee). An E -plane tee is a waveguide tee in which the axis of its side arm is
parallel to theE field of the main guide
57
If the collinear arms are symmetric about the side arm, there are two different transmission
characteristics
It can be seen from Fig. 4-4-4 that if the Eplane tee is perfectly matched with the aid of
screw tuners or inductive or capacitive windows at the junction, the diagonal components
of the scattering matrix, S1~, Szz, and S33, are zero because there will be no reflection.
is always negative. The negative sign merely means that Sl3 and S23 have opposite signs.
For a matched junction, the S matrix is given by
58
From the symmetry property of S matrix, the symmetric terms in Eq. ( 4-4-I3) are equal and
they are
From the zero property of S matrix, the sum of the products of each term of any column (or
row) multiplied by the complex conjugate of the corresponding terms of any other column
(or row) is zero and it is
This means that either Sl3 or St3, or both, should be zero. However, from the unity property
of S matrix, the sum of the products of each term of any one row (or column) multiplied by
its complex conjugate is unity; that is,
zero and thus Eq. ( 4-4-19) is false. In a similar fashion, if S23 = 0, then S 13 becomes zero
59
and therefore Eq. (4-4-20) is not true.
This inconsistency proves the statement that the tee junction cannot be matched to the three
arms. In other words, the diagonal elements of the S matrix of a tee junction are not all
zeros.
However, since the collinear arm is usually symmetric about the side arm, I S13l = I S23l
and S11 = S22. Then the S matrix can be simplified to
MAGIC TEE:
A magic tee is a combination of the E -plane tee and H -plane tee (refer to Fig. 4-4-7). The
magic tee has several characteristics:
1. If two waves of equal magnitude and the same phase are fed into port 1 and port 2, the output
will be zero at port 3 and additive at port 4.
2. If a wave is fed into port 4 (the Harm), it will be divided equally between port 1 and port 2 of
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the collinear arms and will not appear at port 3 (the E arm).
3. If a wave is fed into port 3 (the E arm), it will produce an output of equal magnitude and opposite
phase at port 1 and port 2. The output at port 4 is zero. That is, S43 = S34 = 0.
4. If a wave is fed into one of the collinear arms at port 1 or port 2, it will not appear in the other
collinear arm at port 2 or port 1 because the E arm causes a phase delay while the Harm causes a phase
advance. That is, S,z = Sz1 = 0.
The magic tee is commonly used for mixing, duplexing, and impedance measurements. Suppose, for
example, there are two identical radar transmitters in equipment stock.
A particular application requires twice more input power to an antenna than either transmitter can
deliver. A magic tee may be used to couple the two transmitters to the antenna in such a way that the
transmitters do not load each other.
The two transmitters should be connected to ports 3 and 4, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4-4-8.
Transmitter 1, connected to port 3, causes a wave to emanate from port 1 and another to emanate from
port 2; these waves are equal in magnitude but opposite in phase.
Similarly, transmitter 2, connected to port 4, gives rise to a wave at port 1 and another at port 2, both
equal in magnitude and in phase.
At port 1 the two opposite waves cancel each other. At port 2 the two in-phase waves add together; so
double output power at port 2.
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RATE RACE –CORNERS
Applications of rat-race couplers are numerous, and include mixers and phase shifters. The rat-race
gets its name from its circular shape, shown below. The circumference is 1.5 wavelengths. For an
equal-split rat-race coupler, the impedance of the entire ring is fixed at 1.41xZ0, or 70.7 ohms for a
50 ohm system. For an input signal Vin, the outputs at ports 2 and 4 (thanks, Tom!) are equal in
magnitude, but 180 degrees out ofphase.
The coupling of the two arms is shown in the figure below, for an ideal rat-race coupler centered at
10 GHz (10,000 MHz). An equal power split of 3 dB occurs at only the center frequency. The 1-dB
bandwidth of the coupled port (S41) is shown by the markers to be 3760 MHz, or 37.6 percent.
BENTS &TWISTS:
The waveguide corner, bend, and twist are shown in Fig. 4-4-10. These waveguide components are
normally used to change the direction of the guide through an arbitrary angle. In order to minimize
reflections from the discontinuities, it is desirable to have the mean length L between continuities
equal to an odd number of quarter-wavelengths. That is,
62
where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... , and A8 is the wavelength in the waveguide. If the mean length L is an odd
number of quarter wavelengths, the reflected waves from both ends of the waveguide section are
completely canceled. For the waveguide bend, the minimum radius of curvature for a small
reflection is given by Southworth [2] as
R = 1.5b for an E bend
R = 1.5a for an H bend
DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS:
When all ports are terminated in their characteristic impedances, there is free transmission of power,
without reflection, between port 1 and port 2, and there is no transmission of power between port 1
and port 3 or between port 2 and port 4 because no coupling exists between these two pairs of ports.
The degree of coupling between port 1 and port 4 and between port 2 and port 3 depends on the
structure of the coupler. The characteristics of a directional coupler can be expressed in terms of its
coupling factor and its directivity.
Assuming that the wave is propagating from port 1 to port 2 in the primary line, the coupling factor
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and the directivity are defined,
It should be noted that port 2, port 3, and port 4 are terminated in their characteristic impedances. The
coupling factor is a measure of the ratio of power levels in the primary and secondary lines. Hence if
the coupling factor is known, a fraction of power measured at port 4 may be used to determine the
power input at port
64
As noted, there is no coupling between port 1 and port 3 and between port 2 and
port 4. Thus
Equation (4-5-6) can be further reduced by means of the zero property of the S matrix, so
we have
65
Equations (4-5-7) and (4-5-8) can also be written
A two-hole directional coupler with traveling waves propagating in it is illustrated in Fig. 4-5-3.
The spacing between the centers of two holes must be
66
A fraction of the wave energy entered into port 1 passes through the holes and is radiated into the
secondary guide as the holes act as slot antennas.
The forward waves in the secondary guide are in the same phase, regardless of the hole space, and
are added at port 4.
The backward waves in the secondary guide (waves are progressing from right to left) are out of
phase by (2L/ A8)27T rad and are canceled at port 3.
In a directional coupler all four ports are completely matched. Thus the diagonal elements of
the S matrix are zeros
FERRITES:
Thus the isolator is usually called uniline. Isolators are generally used to improve the
frequency stability of microwave generators, such as klystrons and magnetrons, in which the
reflection from the load affects the generating frequency.
67
In such cases, the isolator placed between the generator and load prevents the reflected
power from the unmatched load from returning to the generator. As a result, the isolator
maintains the frequency stability of the generator. Isolators can be constructed in many
ways.
They can be made by terminating ports 3 and 4 of a four-port circulator with matched loads.
On the other hand, isolators can be made by inserting a ferrite rod along the axis of a
rectangular waveguide as shown in Fig. 4-6-5. The isolator here is a Faraday-rotation
isolator. Its operating principle can be explained as follows [5]. The input resistive card is in
the y-z plane, and the output resistive card is displaced 45° with respect to the input card.
The de magnetic field, which is applied longitudinally to the ferrite rod, rotates the wave
plane of polarization by 45°. The degrees of rotation depend on the length and diameter of
the rod and on the applied de magnetic field. An input TE10 dominant mode is incident to
the left end of the isolator. Since the TE10 mode wave is perpendicular to the input resistive
card, the wave passes through the ferrite rod without attenuation.
The wave in the ferrite rod section is rotated clockwise by 45° and is normal to the output
resistive card. As a result of rotation, the wave arrives at the output
TERMINATION:
A microwave circulator is a multiport waveguide junction in which the wave can flow only
from the nth port to the (n + l)th port in one direction
Although there is no restriction on the number of ports, the four-port microwave circulator is
the most common. One type of four-port microwave circulator is a combination of two 3-dB
side-hole directional couplers and a rectangular waveguide with two nonreciprocal phase
shifters as shown in Fig
68
The operating principle of a typical microwave circulator can be analyzed with the aid of
Fig. Each of the two 3-dB couplers in the circulator introduces a phase shift of 90°, and
each of the two phase shifters produces a certain amount of phase change in a certain
direction as indicated.
When a wave is incident to port 1, the wave is split into two components by coupler 1. The
wave in the primary guide arrives at port 2 with a relative phase change of 180°. The
second wave propagates through the two couplers and the secondary guide and arrives at
port 2 with a relative phase shift of 180°. Since the two waves reaching port 2 are in phase,
the power transmission is obtained from port 1 to port 2.
However, the wave propagates through the primary guide, phase shifter, and coupler 2 and
arrives at port 4 with a phase change of 270°. The wave travels through coupler 1 and the
secondary guide, and it arrives at port 4 with a phase shift of 90°. Since the two waves
reaching port 4 are out of phase by 180°, the power transmission from port 1 to port 4 is
zero. In general, the differential propagation constants in the two directions of propagation
in a waveguide containing ferrite phase shifters should be
69
GYRATOR:
A gyrator is a passive, linear, lossless, two-port electrical network element proposed in 1948
by Bernard H. Tellegen as a hypothetical fifth linear element after the resistor, capacitor,
inductor and ideal transformer. Unlike the four conventional elements, the gyrator is
non- reciprocal. Gyrators permit network realizations of two-(or-more)-port devices which
cannot be realized with just the conventional four elements.
ellegen invented a circuit symbol for the gyrator and suggested a number of ways in
which a practical gyrator might be built.
ISOLATOR CIRCULATOR:
70
An isolator is a nonreciprocal transmission device that is used to isolate one component
from reflections of other components in the transmission line. An ideal isolator completely
absorbs the power for propagation in one direction and provides lossless transmission in the
opposite direction. Thus the isolator is usually called uniline.
Isolators are generally used to improve the frequency stability of microwave generators, such
as klystrons and magnetrons, in which the reflection from the load affects the generating
frequency. In such cases, the isolator placed between the generator and load prevents the
reflected power from the unmatched load from returning to the generator.
As a result, the isolator maintains the frequency stability of the generator. Isolators can be
constructed in many ways. They can be made by terminating ports 3 and 4 of a four-port
circulator with matched loads. On the other hand, isolators can be made by inserting a ferrite rod
along the axis of a rectangular waveguide as shown in Fig. 4-6-5.
The isolator here is a Faraday-rotation isolator. Its operating principle can be explained as follows
[5]. The input resistive card is in the y-z plane, and the output resistive card is displaced 45° with
respect to the input card. The de magnetic field, which is applied longitudinally to the ferrite rod,
rotates the wave plane of polarization by 45°. The degrees of rotation depend on the length and
diameter of the rod and on the applied de magnetic field. An input TE10 dominant mode is
incident to the left end of the isolator. Since the TE10 mode wave is perpendicular to the input
resistive card, the wave passes through the ferrite rod without attenuation.
The wave in the ferrite rod section is rotated clockwise by 45° and is normal to the output
resistive card. As a result of rotation, the wave arrives at the output end without attenuation at all.
On the contrary, a reflected wave from the output end is similarly rotated clockwise 45° by the
ferrite rod.
However, since the reflected wave is parallel to the input resistive card, the wave is thereby
absorbed by the input card. The typical performance of these isolators is about 1-dB insertion loss
in forward transmission and about 20- to 30-dB isolation in reverse attenuation
71
72
PHASE CHANGER:
H palne tee:
Directional coupler:
E palne Tee
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DESCRIPTION OF MICROWAVE BENCH
Microwave Bench:
The micro wave test bench incorporates a range of instruments capable of allowing all
types of measurements that are usually required for a microwave engineer
.The bench is capable of being assembled or disassembled in a number of ways to suit individual
experiments .A general block diagram of the test bench comprising its different units and
ancillaries are shown bellow.
Crystal Measuring
Power
Frequency Slotted
MW Isolator Variable Component
Klystron Power Supply generates voltages required for driving the reflex
74
Klystron tube like 2k25 .It is stable, regulated and short circuit protected power supply. It
has built on facility of square wave and saw tooth generators for amplitude and frequency
modulation. The beam voltage ranges from 200V to 450V with maximum beam
current.50mA. The provision is given to vary repeller voltage continuously from- 270V
DC to -10V.
e = electron charge
m = mass of the electron
The repeller, which is placed at a short distance from the resonator grids, is kept at negative
potential with respect to cathode. And consequently it retards and finally reflects the electrons
which then turn back through the resonator grids.
To understand the operation of this device, assume that the resonator cavity is
oscillating slightly, causing an AC potential, say V1sinωt in addition to Vo, to appear across
75
the cavity grids. These initial oscillations could be cause by any small disturbance in the
electron beam. In the presence of the RF field, the electrons which traverse towards the
repeller will acquire the velocity
Thus we have a velocity modulated beam traveling towards the repeller, having velocities
between Vo√1+V1/Vo and Vo√1- V1/Vo, i.e electrons leaving the cavity during the positive
half cycle are accelerated while electrons leaving the cavity during negative half cycle are
decelerated. Obviously, the electrons traversing towards the repeller with increased velocity,
i.e. faster ones shall penetrate farther into the region of the repeller field (called drift space) as
compared to the electrons traversing towards the repeller with decreased velocity, i.e., slower
ones. But the faster electrons, leaving the cavity take longer time to return to it and the faster
electrons, therefore, catch up with slow ones. As a result the resulting electrons group together
in bunches.
As the electron bunches re cross the cavity, they interact with the voltage between the Cavity
grids. If the bunches pass through the grids at the time when the grid potential is such that the
electrons are severally decelerated, the decelerated electrons give up their energy and this
energy reinforces oscillations within the cavity. Hence under these conditions, sustained
oscillations are possible. The electrons having spent much of their energy are then collected
by the positive cavity wall near the cathode. Thus, it is clear that in its normal operation the
repeller electrode does not carry any current and indeed this electrode can severely be damaged
by bombardment. To protect the repelled from such damage, the repeller voltage VR is always
applied before the accelerating voltage Vo.
The cavities used in reflex klystrons do not have infinite Q, as such each mode of
operation will be spread over a narrow range of repeller voltages. Fig.3 shows the variation of
frequency and power output versus repeller voltages along with mode number. . It should,
however, be noted that repeller voltage - mode number correspondence is valid only at the
center of mode (maximum power) of operation. That is, the repeller voltage needed for the
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calculations should measure only at the peak (top) of the mode. The variation in repeller
voltage from the peak of the mode causes change in transit time, as a result the bunch is either
not properly formed or starts de-bunching, thereby decreasing output power and also a slight
change in frequency observed.
3. Gunn oscillator:
Gunn oscillator uti1izes Gunn diode which works on the principle that when a DC voltage
is applied across a sample of n-type Gallium Arsenide; the current oscillates at
.microwave frequencies. This does not need high voltage as it is necessary for Klystrons and
therefore solid state oscillators are now finding wide applications. Normally, they are capable
of delivering 0.5 watt at 10GHz, but as the frequency of operation is increased the microwave
output power gets considerably reduced.
Gunn oscillators can also be' used as modulated microwave sources. The modulation is
generally provided by means of a PIN diode. PIN diode is a device whose resistance varies with
the bias applied to it. When waveguide line is shunted with PIN diode and the diode is biased
positively, it presents a very high impedance thereby not affecting the line appreciably.
However, it is negatively biased, it offers a very low impedance, almost short- circuit thereby
reflecting the microwave power incident on it. As impedance varies with bias, the signal is
amplitude modulated as the bias varies. Since heavy-power is reflected during the negative
biasing of PIN diode, so an isolator or an attenuator should invariably be used to isolate PIN
diode and avoid overloading of the latter. Gunn oscillator can also be pulse – modulated, but it
is accompanied by the frequency modulation and frequency modulation is not good, so separate
PIN modulation is preferred.
4. Isolator:
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5. Variable Attenuator:
The device that attenuates the signal is termed as attenuator. Attenuators are categorized
into two categories namely, the fixed attenuators and variable attenuators. The attenuator used
in the microwave set is of variable type. The variable attenuator consists of a strip of absorbing
material which is arranged in such a way that its profusion into the guide is adjustable. Hence,
the signal power to be fed to the microwave set up can be set at the desired level.
6. Frequency Meter:
7. Slotted Section:
To sample the field with in a wave guide, a narrow longitudinal slot with ends tapered
to provide smoother impedance transformation and thereby providing minimum mismatch, is
milled on the top of broader dimension of wave guide. Such section is known as slotted wave
guide section. The slot is generally so many wave lengths long to allow many minima of
standing wave pattern to be covered. The slot location is such that its presence does not
influence the field configurations to any great degree. On this Section a probe inserted with in a
holder, is mounted on a movable carriage. The output is connected to detector and indicating
meter. For detector tuning a tuning plunger is provided instead of a stub.
8. Matched Load:
The microwave components which absorb all power falling on them are matched loads.
78
These consist of wave guide sections of definite length having tapered resistive power
absorbing materials. The matched loads are essentially used to test components and circuits for
maximum power transfer.
Wave guide short circuit terminations provide standard reflection at any desired,
precisely measurable positions. The basic idea behind it is to provide short circuit by changing
reactance of the terminations.
The simplest and the most sensitive detecting element is a microwave crystal. It is a nonlinear,
non reciprocal device which rectifies the received signal and produces a current proportional to
the power input. Since the current flowing through the crystal is proportional to the square of
voltage, the crystal is rejoined to as a square law detector. The square law detection property of a
crystal is valid at a low power levels (<10 mw). However, at high and medium power level (>10
79
mw), the crystal gradually becomes a linear detector.
IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT
The impedance at any point on a transmission line can be written in the form R+jx.
For comparison SWR can be calculated as
1R
S where reflection coefficient ‗R‘
1R
Given as
Z Z0
R
Z Z0
Zo = characteristics impedance of wave guide at operating frequency.
Z is the load impedance
The measurement is performed in the following way.
The unknown device is connected to the slotted line and the position of one minima is
determined. The unknown device is replaced by movable short to the slotted line. Two successive
minima portions are noted. The twice of the difference between minima position will be guide wave
length. One of the minima is used as reference for impedance measurement. Find the difference of
reference minima and minima position obtained from unknown load. Let it be ‗d‘. Take a smith chart,
taking ‗1‘ as centre, draw a circle of radius equal to S. Mark a point on circumference of smith chart
towards load side at a distance equal to d/λg.
Join the center with this point. Find the point where it cut the drawn circle. The co-ordinates
of this point will show the normalized impedance of load.
80
Steps:
1. Calculate a set of Vmin values for short or movable short as load.
2. Calculate a set of Vmin values for S-S Tuner + Matched termination as a load.
Note: Move more steps on S-S Tuner
3. From the above 2 steps calculate d = d1~d2
4. With the same setup as in step 2 but with few numbers of turns (2 or 3). Calculate low VSWR.
Note: High VSWR can also be calculated but it results in a complex procedure.
5. Draw a VSWR circle on a smith chart.
6. Draw a line from center of circle to impedance value (d/λg) from which calculate admittance and
Reactance (Z = R+jx)
MEASUREMENT OF POWER
To measure power at high frequencies from 500 MHz to 40 GHz two special type of absorption
meters are popularly used. These meters are,
81
Both these meters use the sensing of heating effects caused by the power signal to be measured.
The Bolometer power meter basically consists of a bridge called Bolometer Bridge. One of the arms of this
bridge consists of a temperature sensitive resistor. The basic bridge used in Bolometer power meter is
shown in the Fig 8.14. The high frequency power input is applied to the temperature sensitive resistor RT.
The power is absorbed by the resistor and gets heated due to the high frequency power input signal.
This heat generated causes change in the resistance RT. This change in resistance is measured
with the help of bridge circuit which is proportional to the power to be measured.
The most common type of temperature sensitive resistors are the thermistor and barretter. The
thermistor is a resistor that has large but negative temperature coefficient. It is made up of a semiconductor
material. Thus its resistance decreases as the temperature increases. The barretter consists of short length of
fine wire or thin film having positive temperature coefficient. Thus its resistance increases as the
temperature increases. The barretters are very deli<::ate while thermistors are rugged. The bolometer power
meters are llsed to measure radio frequency power in the range 0.1 to 10 mW.
In modern bolometer power meter set up uses the differential amplifier und bridge [orl11 an oscillator
which oscillates at a particular amplitude when bridge is unbalanced.
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Initially when temperature sensitive resistor is cold, bridge is almost balance. With d.c. bias,
exact balance is achieved. When power input at high frequency is applied to RT, it absorbs
power and gets heated. Due to this its resistance changes causing bridge unbalance. This unbalance is in
the direction opposite to that of initial cold resistance. Due to this, output from the oscillator decreases
to achieve bridge balance.
MEASUREMENT OF VSWR
High VSWR by Double Minimum Method: The voltage standing wave ratio of
where Vmax and Vmin are the voltage at the maxima and minima of voltage standing wave
distribution. When the VSWR is high ( , the standing wave pattern will have a high maxima and low
minima. Since the square law characteristic of a crystal detector is limited to low power, an error is
introduced if ≥ 5)Vmax is measured directly. This difficulty can be avoided by using the
‗double minimum method‘ in which measurements are take on the standing wave pattern near the
voltage minimum. The procedure consists of first finding the value of voltage minima. Next two
positions about the position of Vmax are found at which the output voltage is twice the minimum value.
If the detector response is square
where λ g is the guide wavelength and d is the distance between the two points
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Measurement of high VSWR:
Select ―Unmatched Load‖ to terminate the slotted line by pressing the button.
1. Use slider to fix the value of ―Resistance‖ and ―Reactance‖ of the load.
2. Locate the position of Vmin and take it as a reference.(If VSWR meter is used in actual
experiment, set the output so that meter reads 3dB).
3. Move the slider (probe of slotted line) along the slotted line on either side of Vmin so that the
reading is 3 db below the reference i.e. 0 db. Record the probe positions and obtain the distance
between the two. Determine the VSWR using equation (2).
4. The simulated value for VSWR can be seen by clicking the buttons ―Technique used to
calculate VSWR 1 & 2‖.
5. Then match the calculated value with the value displayed in the simulated VSWR.
84