PARALLEL-PLATE WAVEGUIDES

Wave Equation

E + ω2µεE = 0 (1)

∂ 2 Ex ∂2 E x ∂2 Ex
2 = - ω µεE x
2
2 + 2 + (2a)
∂x ∂y ∂z

∂ 2 Ey ∂2 E y ∂2 Ey
2 = - ω µεE y
2
2 + 2 + (2b)
∂x ∂y ∂z

∂ 2 Ez ∂ 2 Ez ∂2 Ez
2 = - ω µεE z
2
+ + (2c)
∂x ∂y ∂z
2 2

PEC
x
µ, ε
z
y
PEC

Transverse Electric (TE) Modes

For a parallel-plate waveguide, the plates are infinite in the y-extent; we need to study the
propagation in the z-direction. The following assumptions are made in the wave equation

∂ ∂ ∂
⇒ = 0, but ≠ 0 and ≠0
∂y ∂x ∂z

⇒ Assume Ey only

These two conditions define the TE modes and the wave equation is simplified to read

∂ 2 Ey ∂2 E y
2 = - ω µεE y
2
2 + (3)
∂x ∂z

General solution (forward traveling wave)

[
E y (x,z) = e− jβ zz Ae − jβ x x + Be + j βx x ] (4)
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At x = 0, E y = 0 which leads to A + B = 0. Therefore, A = -B = Eo/2j, where Eo is an arbitrary

constant

E y (x,z) = E oe− jβ zz sinβx x (5)

x=a
x
µ, ε
z
x=0

At x = a, Ey(x, z) = 0. Let a be the distance separating the two PEC plates

E oe − jβz z sinβx a = 0 (6)

This leads to :

β xa = mπ, where m = 1, 2, 3, ... (7)

or

mπ
βx = a (8)

Moreover, from the differential equation (3), we get the dispersion relation

β z2 + β x2 = ω2µε = β2, (9)

which leads to

2
 mπ 
βz = ω 2µε − 
 a  (10)

where m = 1, 2, 3, ... Since propagation is to take place in the z direction, for the wave to
propagate, we must have βz2 > 0, or

2
 mπ 
ω 2µε > 
 a  (11)

This leads to the following guidance condition which will insure wave propagation

m
f>
2a µε (12)
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The cutoff frequency fc is defined to be at the onset of propagation

m
fc =
2a µε (13)

The cutoff frequency is the frequency below which the mode associated with the index m will
not propagate in the waveguide. Different modes will have different cutoff frequencies. The
cutoff frequency of a mode is associated with the cutoff wavelength λ c

v 2a
λ c = fc = m (14)

Each mode is referred to as the TE m mode. From (6), it is obvious that there is no TE0 mode and
the first TE mode is the TE1 mode.

Magnetic Field

From ∇ × E = −jωµH (15)

we have

xˆ yˆ zˆ
−1 ∂ ∂
H= 0 (16)
jωµ ∂x ∂z
0 Ey 0

which leads to

βz
Hx = − E oe − jβ z z sinβx x
ωµ (17)

jβx
Hz = + E e − jβz z cosβx x (18)
ωµ o

As can be seen, there is no Hy component, therefore, the TE solution has Ey, Hx and Hz only.

x
θ θ µ, ε
z

From the dispersion relation, it can be shown that the propagation vector components satisfy the
relations
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β z = βsinθ, βx = βcosθ (19)

where θ is the angle of incidence of the propagation vector with the normal to the conductor
plates.

Transverse Magnetic (TM) modes

The magnetic field also satisfies the wave equation:

H + ω2µεH = 0 (20)

∂ 2 Hx ∂2 Hx ∂2 H x
+ + = - ω 2 µεH x (21a)
∂x2 ∂y2 ∂z2

∂ 2 Hy ∂2 Hy ∂2 H y
2 = -ω µεH y
2
+ + (21b)
∂x ∂y ∂z
2 2

∂ 2 Hz ∂2 Hz ∂2 H z
2 = - ω µεH z
2
+ + (21c)
∂x ∂y ∂z
2 2

For TM modes, we assume

∂ ∂ ∂
⇒ = 0, but ≠0 and ≠0
∂y ∂x ∂z

⇒ Assume Hy only

These two conditions define the TM modes and equations (21) are simplified to read

∂ 2 Hy ∂2 Hy
2 = - ω µεH y
2
2 + (22)
∂x ∂z

General solution (forward traveling wave)

[
H y (x,z) = e − jβ z z Ae − jβ x x + Be + jβx x ] (23)

From ∇ ×H =jωεE (24)

we get
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xˆ yˆ zˆ
1 ∂ ∂
E= 0 (25)
jωε ∂x ∂z
0 Hy 0

This leads to

E x (x,z) =
β z − jβ z z
ωε
e [Ae− jβ xx + Be + jβ x x ] (26)

E z (x,z) =
βx − jβ z z
ωε
e [
−Ae − j βx x + Be+ jβ xx ] (27)

At x=0, Ez = 0 which leads to A = B = Ho/2 where Ho is an arbitrary constant. This leads to

H y (x,z) = Ho e− jβzz cosβ xx (28)

βz
E x (x,z) = H o e− jβ zz cosβ xx (29)
ωε

jβ x
E z (x,z) = H e − jβz z sinβ xx (30)
ωε o

At x =a, Ez = 0 which leads to

β xa = mπ, where m = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... (31)

This defines the TM modes which have only Hy, Ex and Ez components.

NOTE: THE DISPERSION RELATION, GUIDANCE CONDITION AND CUTOFF EQUA-

TIONS FOR A PARALLEL-PLATE WAVEGUIDE ARE THE SAME FOR TE AND TM
MODES.

Equation (31) defines the TM modes; each mode is referred to as the TMm mode. It can be seen
from (28) that m=0 is a valid choice; it is called the TM0, or transverse electromagnetic or TEM
mode. For this mode βx=0 and,

H y = H oe − jβ z z (32)

βz µ
Ex = Ho e − jβz z = Ho e − jβz z (33)
ωε ε

Ez = 0 (34)
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where β z = β, and in which there are no x variations of the fields within the waveguide. The
TEM mode has a cutoff frequency at DC and is always present in the waveguide.

x=a
x E
µ, ε
z
H
x=0
TEM mode

Time-Average Poynting Vector

TE modes

1
P = Re{E × H *} (35)
2

P =
1
2
{ [
Re yˆ Ey × xˆ H *x + zˆ H*z ]} (36)

1  Eo 
2 2
2 Eo
P = Re zˆ βz sin βx x + xˆ j βx cosβx xsin β x x (37)
2  ωµ ωµ 

Eo 2
P = zˆ βz sin2 βx x (38)
2ωµ

TM modes

1
P = Re{E × H *} (39)
2

P =
1
2
{
Re [ xˆ Ex + zˆ Ez ] × yˆ Hy* } (40)

1  H o 
2 2
2 Ho
P = Re zˆ βz cos βx x − xˆ j βx sinβx xcos βx x (41)
2  ωε ωε 

Ho 2
P = zˆ βz cos2 βx x (42)
2ωε

The total time-average power is found by integrating <P> over the area of interest.