EM-THEORY

REFERENCES:
1. M.N.O. Sadiku: Elements of Electromagnetics, Second Edition,
Oxford University Press, 1995.
2. P.Lorrain & D. Corson: Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, Second
Edition, W.H. Freeman & Co, New York, 1970.

Lecturer: Dr. Thomas Afullo,

School of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering,
University of Kwazulu-Natal,
Durban, South Africa.
Tel: +27-31-260 2713; E-mail: afullot@ukzn.ac.za

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 1

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
LOSSLESS TRANSMISSION LINE
In many practical transmission lines, the loss of the line is very small –
hence the line may be considered as a “lossless” line.
In such a case, R=0, and G=0; hence, from (16):
 2  RG   2 LC   j RC  LG    2 LC
24
     LC  j LC
2

But :     j  j LC
25
  0;    LC
From (23):

( R  jL) jL
Zo   
L
26
(G  jC ) jC C

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 2

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
LOSSLESS TRANSMISSION LINE - EXAMPLE
Consider a lossless line with L=0.2mH/m and C=300pF/m. Determine the
propagation constant, the phase constant, the phase velocity, and the
characteristic impedance at 100 kHz and 100 MHz.
f  100kHz :
  j LC  j  j 2 100x103  0.2 x106 300x1012   j 4.87 x103
   
   4.87 x103 rad / m; v p     2 100x103 4.87 x103  1.29x108 m / s
Zo  L C  0.2 x10  300x10
6 12
  25.8 
f  100MHz :
  j LC  j  j 2 100x106  0.2 x106 300x1012   j 4.87
   
   4.87rad / m; v p     2 100x106 4.87  1.29x108 m / s
Zo  L C  0.2 x10  300x10   25.8 
6 12

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 3

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
DISTORTIONLESS TRANSMISSION LINE
As can be seen from equations (21), the phase constant  is generally a
complicated function of frequency, , when the line is lossy.
Indeed, we note that,  is generally not a linear function of frequency,
unless the line is lossless.
If  is not a linear function of frequency, then the phase velocity vp=/
will be different for different frequencies, . The implication is that
different frequency components of a wide-band signal will travel with
different phase velocities, and so arrive at the receiver (at the end of the
transmission line) at different times. This will lead to distortion of the
original signal, and is generally undesirable.
If a signal received in a transmission line is an exact replica of the
transmitted signal, then we have a distortionless line.

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 4

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
DISTORTIONLESS TRANSMISSION LINE
For a line to be distortionless, each of Zo  and phase velocity,vp, must be
independent of frequency. For Zo, given in (23), to be independent of
frequency, we have:
( R  jL) R(1  j L R) R  (1  j L R) 
Zo     
(G  jC ) G (1  j C G ) G  (1  j C G ) 
jL jC
   CR  LG 27
L C
 
R G R G

 Zo 
L

R
28
C G
Using the condition in (27), we have the propagation constant :
 R  jL G  jC   RG 1  j L R 1  j C G 
But j L R  j C G 29
     j  RG 1  j L R 2  RG 1  j L R 
   RG ;   L G R  L C L   LC 30
Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 5
Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
DISTORTIONLESS TRANSMISSION LINE
Therefore, from equation (30), the attenuation constant  is independent
of frequency – hence there is no attenuation distortion.
From (30), the phase constant  is a linear function of frequency, .
Therefore the phase velocity vp is given by:
 
vp   
1
31
  LC LC

Thus the phase velocity is constant, independent of frequency. Thus all

frequencies travel along the transmission line at a constant phase velocity.
Thus there is no dispersion or velocity distortion.
Thus the conditions derived in equation (27) are necessary and sufficient
for a line to be distortionless.

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 6

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
DISTORTIONLESS TRANSMISSION LINE - EXAMPLE
A distortionless line has Zo=60 , =20x10-3 Np/m, and phase velocity
vp=0.6c, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum. Find R, L, G, C, and 
at 100 MHz.
R
Zo  ;   RG  R  Z o  60 x 20 x103  1.2  / m
G
G   Z o  20 x103 60  3.33x10 4 S / m

v p        v p  2x100x106  0.6 x3x10   3.49rad / m
8

Zo 
L
C
 
;    LC  L   Z o   3.49 x60 2x100x106  3.33x107 H / m

 
C   Z o   3.49 60 x 2x100x106  9.26 x1011 F / m
  2   1.8m

Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 7

Smith Chart
 TRANSMISSION LINES &
IMPEDANCE MATCHING
LOW-LOSS TRANSMISSION LINE
In practice, all transmission lines have loss due to finite conductivity
and/or lossy dielectric. However, these effects are usually small.
Indeed, in most practical transmission lines, the loss is small – otherwise
the line would be of little practical application. Thus, from (15), with
R<<L and G<<C:
  RG  j CR  LG    2 LC  j CR  LG    2 LC
 R 
1/ 2  
 R G  32
  
2
LC 1  j 
 G
 
1
 j LC  LC   
  C L   2 L C
R G 1 C L

1
LC      R G  33
2 L C 2 L C
   LC 34
 R 
1 
L j 2L 
Zo   
L
35
C 1  G  C
 j 2C 
Transmission Lines and EM THEORY 8
Smith Chart