Lecture 12

Microwave Waveguides

Sections: 5.5 (parallel-plate waveguide) and Appendix E

Acknowledgement: Some diagrams are from M. Steer’s “Microwave and RF

Design” and D. Pozar’s “Microwave Engineering”
 Maxwell’s Equations in Rectangular Coordinates
• Maxwell’s equations in RCS for a traveling wave: ~ exp(−jβz)

  E   j H   H  j E

F
if F  F0 e j z then   j 
F
0e

 j z   j  F

z F

Ez H z
 j  E y   j H x  j  H y  j Ex
y y
Ez H z
 j  Ex    j H y  j H x   j E y
x x
E y Ex H y H x
   j H z   j Ez
x y x y

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 General Solutions for TE and TM Waves
• expressing the transverse components through the longitudinal ones
Ez H z
 j  E y   j H x  j  H y  j Ex
y y
E H z
 j  Ex  z   j H y  j H x   j E y
x x
E y Ex H y H x
   j H z   j Ez
x y x y
j H z Ez  j  Ez H z 
Ex  2    H x  2   
kc  y x  kc  y x 
j  H z Ez  j Ez H z 
E y  2    H y  2   
kc  x y  kc  x y 
kc2  k 2   2 , k   
• when k=β (kc=0), Ez=Hz=0, TEM case (eqns above cannot used)
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 Transverse Electric (TE) Waves
Ez  0, H z  0

• all field components can be found from Hz,

 j  H z
Hx  2  which satisfies the Helmholtz equation
kc x 2 H z 2 H z 2 H z
 j  H z    k 2H  0
Hy  2  x 2 y 2 z 2
z
kc y
 j H z • for H z ( x, y , z )  hz e  j z
eigenvalue eqn
Ex  
kc2 y  2 hz  2 hz 2 h  0, k 2  k 2   2
j H z   k c z c
Ey  2  x 2 y 2
kc x
• the above is solved for hz for the given BCs
kc  0
E x E y  k
• wave impedance: Z TE    

Hy 
Hx  
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 Transverse Magnetic (TM) Waves
Ez  0, H z  0

• all field components can be found from Ez,

j Ez which satisfies Helmholtz’ equation
Hx  2 
kc y  2 Ez  2 Ez  2 Ez
 j Ez    k 2E  0
z
Hy   x 2 y 2 z 2
kc2 x
 j  Ez • for E z ( x, y , z )  ez e  j z
eigenvalue eqn
Ex  2 
kc x  2 ez  2 ez 2 e  0, k 2  k 2   2
 j  E   k c z c
Ey  2  z x 2 y 2
kc y
kc  0 • the above is solved for ez for the given BCs

E x E y  
• wave impedance: Z TM    
H y H x  k
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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TEM Mode – Review
field in this line is assumed constant in x for any mode
field vectors of TEM mode (β = k, kc = 0) BCs: ex , z ( y 0)  ex , z ( y  d )  0
 2 ex , z  2 ex , z y
  0 z

x 2 y 2
0
y
 ex , z  0 eTEM
y hxTEM

from Maxwell’s equations:

[set  / x  0 and ez  ex  0]

jke y   j hx
wave impedance phase velocity
0   j hz
  1
Z TEM   vp  
 e y   hx ,    /   k 
hz  0
TEM mode can exist at any frequency
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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes
• solve for Ez
 2 ez  2 e z  2 ez BCs: ez ( y 0)  0
  k 2
c e z  0   k 2e  0
c z
x

2 y 2 y 2 ez ( y  d )  0
0
• general solution j Ez
ez ( y )  A sin(kc y )  B cos( kc y ) eigenvalue eqn Hx  2 
kc y
kc2  k 2   2  j Ez
• apply BCs Hy  
n kc2 x
B  0 and kc  , n  0,1, 2,  j  Ez  0
d Ex  2 
ez = 0 kc x
 n   j  Ez
(n)
ez ( y )  An sin  y Ey  2 
 d  kc y
 n   j  n z kc  0
Ez( n ) ( y, z )  An sin  y e
 d  TM mode equations

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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes (2)
• transverse field components for the discrete spectrum of TM modes
j  n   j n z
H x( n )  An cos  y e longitudinal
kc , n  d   n   j n z
E z( n ) ( y , z )  An sin  ye
 j  n  n   d 
E y( n )  An cos  y  e jn z
kc , n  d 
Ex( n )  H y( n )  0 n  1, 2,
• phase constant 2 2
 n   n 
n = k2       
2

d
   d 
kc , n

TM1 mode field map

y
z

g 8
 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes (3)

• TM modes have cut-off frequency below which they cannot

propagate down the line – they decay exponentially along z
 n = k 2  kc2,n =  2   (n / d ) 2
if k  kc ,n , then  n is real   e j z
if k  kc ,n , then  n is imaginary ( n   j n )   e  j  n z  e  n z

• kc,n is referred to as the cut-off wavenumber

n n
kc , n   c ,n   f c ,n  cut-off frequency
d 2d 
cut-off frequency

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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes (4)
• if f < fc,n then the nth mode cannot propagate; if generated, it decays
very fast (exponentially) – evanescent mode
• if f > fc,n then the nth mode can propagate; if generated, it becomes
a propagating mode (i.e., traveling wave)
• wave impedance (strong dependence on frequency – dispersion)

2  k2 2 2
E y  k c ,n  kc , n   f c ,n 
(n)
Z TM    n
   1     1  
Hx k k  k   f 
(n)
if f  f c ,n then Z TM is imaginary n
f c ,n 
(n)
if f  f c ,n then Z TM is real 2d 

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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes (5)
• the phase velocity depends on the frequency as well
  vTEM vTEM 1
v p ,n     vTEM 
 n ( ) k 2  kc2,n  k 
2
 f c ,n 
2 
1   c ,n  1  
 k   f 
• for a propagating mode, f > fc,n  v p ,n  v0 !

• guided modal wavelength – not just inverse proportional to f

2 2 TEM TEM 2
g , n     TEM 
n k 2  kc2,n  kc , n 
2
 f c ,n 
2 k
1   1  
 k   f 
• for a propagating mode, f > fc,n  g ,n  TEM !

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 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TM Modes (6)
• cut-off wavelength: the TEM-mode wavelength in the medium filling
the guide at which cut-off occurs; if λTEM > λc,n, the mode does not
propagate
2 2d vTEM 1
c ,n    
kc , n n f c ,n f c ,n 

• the dominant TM mode is the TM mode with the lowest cut-off

frequency (largest wavelength): this is TM1
vTEM
f c ,1  , c ,1  2d
2d
• the wavelength of a wave must be shorter than 2d so that a TM1
mode can propagate down the line


Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 12

 Partial Plane Wave Interpretation of the TM1 Mode
• consider the longitudinal Ez component
(1)     j1z
E z ( y , z )  A1 sin  y  e
• decompose as d 
A1 j y / d
Ez(1) ( y, z ) 
2j
 e  e  j y / d  e  j 1z , 1  k 2  ( / d ) 2

(1) A1 j ( y / d  1z )  j ( y / d  1z )

Ez ( y, z )  e e   e jk y y  jk z z  e  jk y y  jk z z
2j
• the above wave is a superposition of two plane waves with wave
vectors along z and y
k z  1 and k y   / d k z2  k y2  k 2
Ez ( y d )  0

ky if f  f c1
sin  
k   90
Nikolova 2012
Ez ( y 0)  0
L12: WAVEGUIDES 13
 Power Carried by TM Modes in Parallel-plate Lines
w d w d
Pav  0.5Re  0 (E  H )  zˆ dxdy  0.5Re  0 ( E y H x )dxdy
0 0

 Re  n d n 
Pav( n ) 
2kc2,n
w | An |2 0 cos 2 y  dy
 d 
j  n   j n z
H x( n )  An cos  y e
kc , n  d 
 jn  n   j n z
E y( n )  An cos  y e
  dw Re  n 2, n  0
kc , n  d 
 | An |
4kc2,n
Pav( n ) 
 dw Re  n
 | An |2, n  0
 2kc2,n

• below cut-off, βn is purely imaginary and the mode does not carry
power

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 14
 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TE Modes
• solve for hz(y) Ez  0, H z  0
 2 hz  2 hz  2h
z
  k 2h  0 
c z  k 2h  0
c z
x 2 y 2 y 2

0
• general solution for hz
hz ( y )  A sin(kc y )  B cos(kc y )
• E-field components
 j hz j hz
ex    0, e y  2  0
kc
2 y kc x
• boundary conditions for hz
hz n
ex  0 at y  0, d   0 at y  0, d  A  0, kc ,n 
y d
 n   n    n z
hz( n ) ( y )  Bn cos  (n)
y   H z ( y )  Bn cos  y e
 d   d 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 15
 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TE Modes (2)
• transverse field components of TEn modes
(n) j  n   j n z ( n )  n   n z
Ex  Bn sin  y e H z ( y )  Bn cos  y e
kc , n  d   d 
(n) jn  n   j n z
Hy  Bn sin  y e  = k 2  k 2 =  2   ( n / d ) 2
kc , n  d  n c ,n

E y( n )  H x( n )  0 (same as for TMn modes)

• note that there is no TE0 mode since for n = 0 all field components
are zero

TE1 mode field map

y
z

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 16

 Modes in a Parallel-plate Waveguide: TE Modes (3)

• wave impedance of TEn modes

Ex( n )  k
(n)
Z TE  (n)    n   2   ( n / d )2
Hy n n

• average power flow

Prove that the active (average) power flow for a TEn mode down a
parallel-plate guide is
(n)  dw Re  n
Pav  | Bn |2 ,n0
4kc2,n

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 17

 Field Maps for TEM, TM1 and TE1 Modes in PP Guide

TEM ≡ TM0

TM1

TE1

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 18

Dispersion Relation for TEM, TM1 and TE1 Modes in PP Guide

 0   
TM 0 or plane wave
n

TM1 and TE1

TM 2 and TE 2

1  n 
n   
  d 

c1 c 2 

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 19

 Rectangular Waveguide
• one of the most popular metallic waveguides – easy to make, simple
to analyze, suitable for linearly polarized waves

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 20

 TE Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide
• solve for hz(x,y) Ez  0, H z  0
 2 hz  2 hz
  k 2h  0
c z
x 2 y 2
• use separation of variables
hz ( x, y )  X ( x)Y ( y )
to obtain the system of ODEs
d2X
 k 2X  0
x
dx 2 where k x2  k y2  kc2
d 2Y
 k 2Y  0
y
dy 2
• general solution
hz ( x, y )   A cos(k x x)  B sin(k x x)  C cos(k y y )  D sin(k y y ) 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 21
 TE Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide (2)
• boundary conditions at waveguide walls: Ex  0 at y  0, b
E y  0 at x  0, a
 j H z hz
Ex    0 at y  0, b
kc 2 y y
j H z hz
Ey  2   0 at x  0, a
kc x x
( mn ) (m) (n) (m) m ( n ) n
 hz ( x, y )  Bm cos(k x x)  Dn cos(k y y ) k x  , ky 
( mn ) ( m) (n)
a b
 H z  Amn cos(k x x) cos(k y y )e mn  j  z

• transverse E-field components

( mn ) j n  m   n   j mn z
Ex  Amn cos  x  sin  y e
bkc ,mn
2
 a   b 
j m  m   n   j  mn z
E y( mn )   Amn sin  x  cos  y e
akc ,mn
2
 a   b 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 22
 TE Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide (3)
• transverse H-field components
( mn ) j  mn m  m   n   j  mn z
Hx  Amn sin  x  cos  y e TE00 mode
akc ,mn
2
 a   b 
    is trivial –
j n  m   n 
H y( mn )   mn Amn cos  x  sin  y  e  j  mn z
zero field
bkc ,mn
2
 a   b 
• phase constant
2 2
 m   n 
 mn  k 2  kc2,mn  k 
2
  
 a   b 
• for a mode to propagate, the frequency must above cut-off so that
βmn is real
2 2 2 2
 m   n  v0  m   n 
k  kc ,mn      or f  f c ,mn     
 a   b  2  a   b 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 23
 TE Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide (4)
• wavelength of propagating modes (f > fc)
2 2 2
g ,mn   g ,mn  TEM 
 mn  m  2  n 2  k
k 2      
 a   b  
kc2,mn
• phase velocity of propagating modes (f > fc)
   1
v p ,mn   v p ,mn  vTEM  
 mn k 2  kc2,mn k 

• wave impedance of TE modes

Ex Ey k 
Z mn 
TE   , =
Hy Hx  mn 

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 24

 TE10 Mode in a Rectangular Waveguide
• dominant mode when a > b: TE10
v0  v0 1
f c ,10    , v0  c ,10  2a
2 a 2a 
• usually rectangular waveguides operate at frequency bands such that
f c ,10  f  f c ,20
where b is chosen so that the 2nd dominant mode is TE20

• in this case only one mode (TE10) can propagate – the waveguide is
single-moded
• if in the operating frequency band, two or more modes can
propagate, the guide is overmoded

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 25

 TE10 Mode in a Rectangular Waveguide (2)
• field components
j     j 10 z 2
 
(10)
E y   2 A10 sin  x  e
akc ,10 a  10  k 2   
 a 
(10) j 10     j 10 z
H x  2 A10 sin  x  e
akc ,10 a 
 
H z(10)  A10 cos  x  e  j 10 z
a 

Prove that the power flow for the TE10 mode is

 a 3b | A10 |2
(10)
Pav  10
4 2

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 26

 TM Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide (Ez ≠ 0)
 2 ez  2 e z 2 e  0, k 2  k 2   2
  k c z c
x 2 y 2

• field components of the TM modes

 m   n   j  mn z
Ez( mn )  Bmn sin  x  sin  y e
 a   b 
( mn )  j  mn m  m   n   j  mn z
Ex  Bmn cos  x  sin  y e
akc ,mn
2
 a   b 
( mn )  j  mn n  m   n   j  mn z
Ey  Bmn sin  x  cos  y e
bkc ,mn
2
 a   b 
( mn ) j n  m   n   j mn z
Hx  Bmn sin  x  cos  y e
bkc ,mn
2
 a   b 
( mn )  j m  m   n   j  mn z
Hy  Bmn cos  x  sin  y e
akc ,mn
2
 a   b 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 27
 TM Modes in a Rectangular Waveguide (2)
• propagation constant has the same expression as for the TE modes

• TM00, TM10 and TM01 modes are trivial – zero field

• wave impedance of TE modes

Ex Ey  mn 
Z mn
TM    , =
Hy Hx k 

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 28

 Modal Field Plots for Rectangular Waveguides

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 29

 Animation: TE10 Mode in Rectangular Waveguides

vertical E field component (Ey)

see more examples at http://www.falstad.com/mathphysics.html

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 30
 Circular Waveguide
• in CCS, the transverse field components are expressed via the
longitudinal ones as
j  Ez  H z   j  z
E   2     e
kc     
j   Ez H z   j  z
E   2     e
kc     
j   Ez H z   j  z
H  2    e
kc     
j  Ez  H z   j  z
H   2     e
kc     
kc2  k 2   2

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 31

 TE Modes in Circular Waveguides (Hz ≠ 0)
• longitudinal field component is H z (  ,  , z )  hz (  ,  )e  j z
  2 1  1  2 
 Hz  k Hz  0  2 
2 2  2 2  kc  hz (  ,  )  0
2
      
kc2  k 2   2
• solve using separation of variables: hz (  ,  )  R(  ) P ( )
1 d 2 R 1 dR 1 d 2P
   2k 2  
c  k
2
R d  2 R d  P d 2
d 2P
 k 2P  0
 P( )  A sin(k )  B cos(k )
d 2

d 2R dR hz (  , ) 
 2   (  kc  k ) R  0
2 2 2
hz (  ,  2m )
d 2 d
Pn ( )  A sin(n )  B cos( n ) k  n (integer)
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 32
 TE Modes in Circular Waveguides (2)
d 2R dR
 2    (  2k 2  n2 ) R  0
c
d 2 d
• the above is the Bessel differential equation whose solution is
R(  )  CJ n (kc  )  DYn (kc  ) set to zero
Bessel function of the 1st kind Bessel function of the 2nd kind

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 33

 TE Modes in Circular Waveguides (3)

hz( n ) (  ,  )   A sin(n )  B cos(n )  J n (kc  )

• to determine kc, we impose the BC at the guide wall

j H z  j  z hz
E  2 e  0 at   a  0 at   a
kc  
 J n (kc a )  0  kc( nm )  pn m / a
mth zero of J n
• phase constant and cut-off frequency

 
 pnm
2
kc ,nm 
pnm 2 a
 nm  k2   f c ,nm  v0  v0 c ,nm 
 a  2 2 a 
pnm

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 34

 TE Modes in Circular Waveguides (4)
• transverse field components
 j n
( nm )
E   A cos( n  )  B sin( n )  J n ( k c , nm  ) e  j  nm z
 kc2,nm
j
E( nm )   A sin(n )  B cos(n ) J n (kc,nm  )e jnm z
kc ,nm
 j  nm
( nm )
H   A sin(n )  B cos(n ) J n (kc,nm  )e jnm z
kc ,nm
 j  nm n
( nm )
H   A cos( n )  B sin( n )  J n ( k c , nm  ) e  j  nm z
 kc2,nm
• TE11 is the dominant mode in the circular waveguide( p11   1.841)
• wave impedance
E( nm ) E( nm ) k 
Z nm
TE  ( nm )   ( nm )   
H H  nm   
pnm
2
k2  
L12: WAVEGUIDES  a  35
 TM Modes in Circular Waveguides (Ez ≠ 0)
• this time we solve for the longitudinal E-field
 2 1  1 2 
2 e (  , )  0
 
  2    2  2  k c  z
 
• general solution (same as for hz of the TE modes)
ez( n ) (  ,  )   A sin(n )  B cos(n )  J n (kc  )

• this time the boundary conditions lead to

ez  0 at   a  J n (kc a )  0  kc( nm )  pnm / a
mth zero of J n
• phase constant and cut-off frequency

 pnm 
2
kc ,nm pnm 2 a
 nm  k2   f c ,nm  v0  v0 c ,nm 
 a  2 2 a pnm

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 36

 TM Modes in Circular Waveguides (2)
• transverse TM field components (dual to those of the TE modes,
save for the different cut-off wavenumber)
 j  nm
( nm )
E   A sin(n )  B cos(n ) J n (kc,nm  )e jnm z
kc ,nm
 j  nm n
( nm )
E   A cos( n )  B sin( n )  J n ( k c , nm  ) e  j  nm z
 kc2,nm
j n
( nm )
H   A cos( n )  B sin( n )  J n ( k c , nm  ) e  j  nm z
 kc2,nm
 j
H( nm )   A sin(n )  B cos(n ) J n (kc,nm  )e jnm z
kc ,nm
• wave impedance
2
E( nm ) E( nm )  nm  p 
Z nm
TM  ( nm )   ( nm )    k 2   nm  / ( )
H H k  a 
Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 37
 Modal Field Plots for a Circular Waveguide

cut-off frequencies for the first dominant modes relative to the

dominant TE11 mode

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 38

 Waveguide Modes on a Coaxial Line
• the coaxial line can support TE and TM modes if the frequency is
sufficiently high
• this is usually an undesirable situation as an overmoded coaxial line
distorts the signal and has increased losses
• the dominant coaxial waveguide mode is the TE11 mode whose cut-
off wavenumber is approximately
2 kc ,11 1
kc ,11  f c ,11  v0  v0
ab 2  ( a  b)

TEM TE11

Nikolova 2012 L12: WAVEGUIDES 39