Lecture No.

11

Properties of n-port Networks

Introduction to Passive Microwave Devices

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Spring 2009

Department of Electrical Engineering Air University

Introduction
Passive devices are widely used in microwave circuits, antenna transmission and reception, feeding networks, radars, test and measurement etc. Power Dividers (combiners) and directional couplers are the most common passive microwave devices. They can be characterized as n-port networks (3 and 4-ports)while it is common in practice to find even more than that. A T-junction and a 2-way power splitter/combiner A directional coupler is a 4-port device Implementation is possible/feasible using microstrip and waveguide technology.
RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009 Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

A simple Divider/Combiner

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Basic Properties of 3-port Networks

Matched at all ports Reciprocal Lossless
As we will show here, it is not possible to construct a 3-port network that fulfills all three properties!

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

3-Port Network S-parameters

1. Matched

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

3-Port Network S-parameters

2. Reciprocal

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

3-Port Network S-parameters

3. Lossless
Eq.1 Eq.2 Eq.3 Eq.4 Eq.5 Eq.6

At least two of the three S-parameters (S12,S13,S23) must be zero to hold equations 4 - 6 true. If this is the case, then none of the equations 1 - 3 can be satisfied.
RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009 Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Lossless, Reciprocal, Matched

What does the result of previous equations tell us about the three properties of a 3-port microwave network? It is not possible to construct a three-port network fulfilling all the above properties. These basic properties limits our design expectations for power dividers and combiners which have three ports.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Conclusion
So our conclusion is that a 3-port network cannot be reciprocal, lossless and matched at all the ports. We have to design the component around this limitation!

However, one can realize and design such a 3-port

network if one of the three constraints are loosened.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Three Possibilities!! 1.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Three Possibilities! 2.

3.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Basic Properties of 4-port Networks

A four port network can be lossless, reciprocal and matched at all ports unlike 3-port network. The S matrix of such a network is shown here:

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Symmetric Coupler

Phases of the terms having amplitude are chosen equal.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Asymmetric Coupler

Phases of the terms having amplitude are chosen to be 180o apart.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Directional Coupler

Arrows indicate the assumed direction of time average power flow.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009 Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Operation of Directional Coupler

Observe the pattern in S-matrix of the couplers
Port 1---Input port Port 2,3---Output port Port 4--- Isolated port

We can easily deduce the operation of a symmetrical or asymmetrical directional coupler from its S matrix.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Directional Coupler
The performance of directional coupler is characterized by three terms: Coupling, Directivity and Isolation.

RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009

Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU

Passive RF/Microwave Components Examples

Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors Connectors, Transformers, Transitions Matching networks, Baluns, Tuners Directional Couplers, Power dividers and Combiners Resonators, Filters, Isolators Circulators, Delay lines, Antennas Multiplexers, Hybrids
RF & Microwave Engineering BETE-Fall 2009 Basit Ali Zeb Department of Electrical Engineering, AU