Reflection Coefficient

v(z) = v
1
e
-yz
+v
2
e
yz

v
1
e
-yz
is the voltage corresponding to wave progressing in +z direction from source
towards load
v
2
e
yz
is the voltage corresponding to wave progressing in -z direction from load
towards source
Reflection Coefficient is defined as
F =
Rc]Icctcd voIutgc
Incdcnt oItugc
=
v
2
c
yz
v
1
c
-yz

The voltage and current relationship in the transmission line shall be
!(z) = !
1
e
-yz
+!
2
e
yz
I
1
=
v
1
z
0
and
I
2
=
-v
2
z
0
hence
!(z) =
1
z
0
(v
1
e
-yz
- v
2
e
yz
)
Reflection Coefficient at the Load
As shown in figure at z= l i.e. at the load point
v
l
= v
1
e
-yl
+v
2
e
yl

!
l
=
1
z
0
(v
1
e
-yl
- v
2
e
yl
)
So load impedance
Z
I
=
v
l
I
l
=
v
1
c
-yl
+ v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl
- v
2
c
yl

Z
9

= Z
0
v
1
c
-yl
+ v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl
-v
2
c
yl

= Z
0

1+
v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl
1-
v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl

F =
Rc]Icctcd voIutgc
Incdcnt oItugc
=
v
2
c
yz
v
1
c
-yz

F
I
=
v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl

So Z
I
= Z
0

1+ F
l
1-F
l


Rearranging
Z
I
(1 -F
I
) = Z
0
(1 + F
I
)
Z
I
- Z
I
F
I
= Z
0
+ Z
0
F
I

Source
Source Impedance
ZL
Transmission Line of Length l
Vs
Zs
Z0
Increasing z z = 0 z = l
Load
IL
I1
I2
VL
V2 V1
Sending End
Receiving End

Collating F
I
terms
Z
I
- Z
0
= Z
I
F
I
+ Z
0
F
I

Z
I
- Z
0
= (Z
I
+ Z
0
)F
I

So
F
I
=
z
l
-z
0
z
l
+ z
0

The F
I
is a complex quantity since Z
I
, Z
0
are complex quantities. So it can be
expressed as
F
I
= |F
I
|c
]0
l

Where
|F
I
| is magnitude of complex Reflection Coefficient F
I

0
I
is argument of complex Reflection Coefficient F
I

0
I
is also the angle between incident and reflected voltage fCurrent wave
The magnitude of reflection coefficient |F
I
| shall never be greater than unity, i.e.
|F
I
| 1.

Reflection Coefficient at any point on the transmission line
The Reflection Coefficient as defined
F =
Rc]Icctcd voIutgc
Incdcnt oItugc
=
v
2
c
yz
v
1
c
-yz

Consider distance z such that z = l-d, that is at distance d from the load.
So F shall be
F =
v
2
c
yz
v
1
c
-yz
=
v
2
c
y(l-d)
v
1
c
-y(l-d)
since z = l-d
Simplifying
F =
v
2
c
y(l)
c
-yd)
v
1
c
-y(l)
c
+yd)

F =
v
2
c
yl
c
-2yd
v
1
c
-yl

F =
v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl
c
-2yd

But
v
2
c
yl
v
1
c
-yl
= F
I

Replacing in Equation
F = F
I
c
-2yd

The reflection Coefficient at any point at distance d from load is given by
F = F
I
c
-2yd

Noting that the propagation constant y is
y = o + ][
Substituting in the equation above
F = F
I
c
-2yd
= F
I
c
-2(u+][)d
=F
I
c
-2ud-]2[d

Also F
I
= |F
I
|c
]0
l

So, F at any point at a distance d from the load is
F = |F
I
|c
-2ud-](0
l
-2[d)

Simplifying
F = |F
I
|c
-2ud
c
-](0
l
-2[d)

As can be seen from the expression,
The Reflection coefficient at any point at distance d
1. is proportional to reflection coefficient at load
2. The magnitude of the reflection coefficient decreases by term c
-2ud

a. Attenuation constant o will affect the magnitude of the reflection
coefficient
b. !f Attenuation constant o = 0 ,like in loss less line, the magnitude of
the reflection coefficient remains constant
c. Hence
F = |F|c
-](0
l
-2[d)
where = |F| = |F
I
|c
-2ud

3. Phase of the reflection coefficient changes with changing distance from load
!f Z
I
= Z
0
, then F
I
= 0. Then there is no reflected wave. Such a transmission line is
called flat line
!f Z
I
= Z
0
, then reflections take place and hence reflection coefficient exists. !t is
also to be noted if source impedance Z
s
= Z
0
, then reflected wave is again reflected
towards load and so forth