TRANSMISSION MEDIA AND ANTENNA MODULE

TOPIC: WAVEGUIDES

WAVEGUIDE THEORY.
Most high-power microwave energy transmission above about 6 GHz is handled
by waveguides, which are hollow metal conducting pipes designed to carry and
constrain the electromagnetic waves of a microwave signal. Most waveguides are
rectangular. Waveguides can be used to carry energy between pieces of equipment or
over longer distances to carry transmitter power to an antenna or microwave signals
from an antenna to a receiver.
Waveguides are made of copper, aluminum, or brass. These metals are extruded
into long rectangular or circular pipes. Often the insides of waveguides are plated with
silver to reduce resistance, keeping transmission losses to a very low level.

Waveguides
❖ are hollow metal “pipes” that guide electromagnetic waves.
❖ A Hollow metallic tube of uniform cross section for transmitting
electromagnetic waves by successive reflections from the inner walls of
the tube is called waveguide

1. Rectangular Waveguide Dimension

❖ Widest dimension of a waveguide is called the "a" dimension and determines the
range of operating frequencies.
❖ The narrowest dimension determines the power handling capability of the
waveguide and is called the "b" dimension.

2. Types of Electromagnetic (EM) Wave Propagation

❖ Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM)
The electric and magnetic field components are transverse to the direction
of propagation.
❖ Transverse Electric (TE)
All electric field components are transverse to the direction of propagation.
 ❖ Transverse Magnetic (TM)
All magnetic field components are transverse to the direction of
propagation.

3. Dominant Modes & Cut-off frequency

4. Waveguide Velocities

❖ Group velocity (νG) The velocity of propagation of a wave along a waveguide is

less than its velocity through free space (speed of light). This lower velocity is caused
by the zigzag path taken by the wavefront.

➔ The forward-progress velocity of the wavefront in a waveguide is called group

velocity and is somewhat slower than the speed of light.

❖ Phase Velocity Phase velocity is the rate at which the wave appears to move
along the wall of the guide, based on the way the phase angle varies along the walls.
5. Impedance and Guide Wavelength
6. CIRCULAR WAVEGUIDES.
❖ TE (Transverse Electric) Mode The lower cutoff frequency (or wavelength) for a
particular TE mode in circular waveguide is determined by the following equation:

❖ TM (Transverse Magnetic) Mode The lower cutoff frequency (or wavelength) for a
particular TM mode in circular waveguide is determined by the following equation: