Microwave Communications

System
Introduction
Advantages/Disadvantages
Microwave Devices:
- Waveguides
Maria Leonora Guico
Tcom 126 2nd Sem Lecture 6

Why Use Microwaves?

Frequency spectrum used for radio communication is

getting crowded
More frequency spectrum is required to carry widerbandwidth video and digital information
Technological advances have overcome the high cost of
the special equipment required to generate, transmit and
receive microwaves
This has opened the microwave spectrum for cell
phones, wireless LANs, digital satellite radio and
wireless broadband

Introduction
Microwaves are Ultrahigh (UHF), Superhigh (SHF) and

Extremely high (EHF) frequencies

The practical microwave region is 1 40 GHz
Microwave signals have wavelengths between 1 cm to 60 cm.
Full-duplex operation is generally required of microwave
communications systems, each freq band is divided in half
(lower half low band; upper half high band)

Microwave Frequency Bands

Advantages of Microwaves
Greater bandwidth (carry large quantities of info) available at

higher frequencies
Higher frequencies mean short wavelengths, require relatively
small antennas (with very high gain)
Underground facilities are minimized. No need for physical
transmission media such as coaxial cables or optical fibers
(hence, no right of way acquisitions)
Radio signals more easily propagated around physical obstacles
Increased reliability, less maintenance

Disadvantages of Microwaves
For frequencies below 30 MHz, standard circuit analysis

applies (current-voltage relationship)

This relationship is not usable at microwave frequencies.
Most components and circuits are analyzed in terms of
electric and magnetic fields
Measuring techniques are more difficult to perfect and
implement at microwave frequencies

Disadvantages of Microwaves
Transit time of charge carriers becomes a problem at

microwave frequencies
At low frequencies, this is not a problem
At microwave frequencies, transit time becomes a high percentage

of actual signal period (transit time determines maximum bit rate

possible)
Necessary to use specialized components
Microwaves limited to line-of-sight

Simple Components Become Complex

Added Characteristics at Microwave Frequencies
Effects of short leads on components

Resistor

Capacitor

Inductor

Microwave Engineering
Considerations
Skin affect
Line of Sight (LOS)
Fading (Free Space Loss, Rain attenuation)

Range
Interference

Skin Affect
Skin Affect is the concept that high frequency energy travels

only on the outside skin of a conductor and does not

penetrate into it any great distance. Skin Affect determines the
properties of microwave signals.

Free Space & Atmospheric

Attenuation
Free space & atmospheric attenuation is defined by the loss the

signal undergoes traveling through the atmosphere.

Caused by changes in air density and absorption by

atmospheric particles.

Rain Attenuation
Raindrop absorption or scattering of the microwave signal can

cause signal loss in transmissions.

Diffraction
Diffraction is the result of variations in the terrain the signal

crosses

Reflection
Reflections can occur as the microwave signal traverses a body

of water or fog bank; cause multipath conditions

Intro to Waveguides
Long parallel transmission lines radiate electromagnetic

energy while transporting it

If used at microwave frequencies, virtually all energy is
radiated and very little arrives at the antenna
Cable losses increase at high frequencies, above 6 GHz a
waveguide must be used

Waveguides

Rectangular waveguide

Waveguides are hollow metal conducting pipes designed

to carry and constrain the electro-magnetic waves; used
to direct the signal from the RF unit to the antenna.
Pipe through which EM wave travels; reflects from the
walls
Rectangular waveguides (brass or aluminum) are most
common
Can be rigid or flexible

Waveguides
Operate essentially as high-pass filters
Have no radiation losses; dielectric loss very small
Inside is often coated with silver to reduce resistance and

minimize transmission loss

Signal Injection and Extraction

Signal is introduced into the waveguide by an antenna-like

probe
Probe creates an electromagnetic wave that propagates
through the waveguide
The position of the probe determines whether the signal is
horizontally or vertically polarized
Similar probe can also be used to extract the signal from the
waveguide

Signal Injection and Extraction

Signal is reflected (introduces 180 phase shift)
and amplifies original signal

Vertically polarized

Modes
Waves can propagate in various ways
Time taken to move down the guide varies with the mode
Each mode has a cutoff frequency below which it wont

propagate
Mode with lowest cutoff frequency is dominant mode
Low-order mode: Faster propagation

Mode Designations
TE: transverse electric
Electric field is at right angles to direction of travel

TM: transverse magnetic

Magnetic field is at right angles to direction of travel

TEM: transverse electromagnetic

Waves in free space are TEM

Rectangular Waveguides
Dominant mode is TE10
1 half cycle along long dimension (a)
No half cycles along short dimension (b)
Cutoff for a = c/2
2:1 frequency range in its dominant mode

Modes with next higher cutoff frequency are TE01 and TE20
Both have cutoff frequency twice that for TE10

Modes in Rectangular Waveguides

First number following the TE designation represents the number of half-cycles of the

wave along the dimension (a) of the rectangular waveguide, the second represents the no.
of variations along the short dimension (b)
Multimode propagation causes dispersion (interference between waves)

Cutoff Frequency
For TE10 mode in rectangular waveguide with a = 2 b

c
fc
2a
Waveguide will not transmit energy below this frequency

fc is in MHz and a is in meters

A waveguide is essentially
a high-pass filter
Height, b, is normally
half the width

Example 1
a. Find the cutoff frequency for the TE10 mode in an airdielectric waveguide with an inside section of 2cm by 4 cm.
b. Over what frequency range is the dominant mode the
only one that will propagate?

Answers to Example 1
a. Find the cutoff frequency for the TE10 mode in an airdielectric waveguide with an inside section of 2cm by 4 cm.
b. Over what frequency range is the dominant mode the
only one that will propagate?
fc = c/2a = 300x106 m/s/2x 4 x 10-2m) = 3.75 x 109 Hz or 3.75
GHz
The dominant mode is the only mode of propagation over a 2:1
frequency range, so the waveguide will be usable to a
maximum frequency of 3.75 x 2 = 7.5 GHZ

Usable Frequency Range

Single mode propagation is highly desirable to reduce

dispersion
This occurs between cutoff frequency for TE10 mode and
twice that frequency
Its not good to use guide at the extremes of this range

Example Waveguide
RG-52/U
Internal dimensions 22.9 by 10.2 mm
Cutoff at 6.56 GHz
Use from 8.2-12.5 GHz

Group Velocity
Waves propagate at speed of light c in guide

Waves dont travel straight down guide

Speed at which signal moves down guide is the group

velocity and is always less than c

fc
vg c 1
f

vg c 1
2a

Examples
1. Find the group velocity for the waveguide whose larger
dimension is 4 cm., at a frequency of 5 GHz.
2. A waveguide has a cutoff frequency for the dominant
mode of 10 Ghz. Two signals with frequencies of 12 and
17 Ghz propagate down a 50 m length of the guide.
Calculate the group velocity for each and the difference in
arrival time for the two.

Answers to Examples
1. vg = 198 x 106 m/s
2. For 12 GHz signal: vg= 165.8 x 106 m/s; t1 = 301.6 ns
For the 17 GHz signal: vg = 242.6 x 106 m/s; t2 = 206.1 ns
t1-t2= 95.5 ns

Phase Velocity
Not a real velocity (>c)
Apparent velocity of wave along wall
Used for calculating wavelength in guide
For impedance matching, etc.

vp

c
fc
1
f

Characteristic Impedance
Z0 varies with frequency

Z0

377
fc
1
f

Guide Wavelength
Longer than free-space wavelength at same frequency

fc
1
f

Impedance Matching
Same techniques as for coax can be used
Tuning screw can add capacitance or inductance
As screw is inserted further into the guide, the effect is first

capacitive, then series-resonant, and finally inductive

Coupling Power to Guides

How power can be put into and taken out of the guide
Three common methods to launch a wave down a guide:
Probe: resembling quarter-wave monopole antenna
Couples to the electric field; located at an E-field maximum

Loop: couples with magnetic field; located at an H-field

maximum
Hole: at an E-field maximum

(b) Loop

Directional Coupler
Launches or receives power in only 1 direction
Used to split some of power into a second guide
Can use probes or holes