IDESIGNEIDEAS) A Review of ABCD Parameters Ry David ‘Thorson Phonex Corporation parameters), their definition, and their applica. tion in microwave eireuit analysis, It presents their relationship to seattering parameters and demon- sirates thelr use by analyzing a popular transistor amplifier circuit. Several parameter sets exist for characterizing linear two port notworles. The moat common paramotor oota include admittance (y), impedance, (2), bybrid (i), and scattering (s) parameters. Although these sets ean be unsed to deseribe a linear network with an arbitrary nnm- her of ports, this article will only discuss two-port net- works. The terminal characteristies of a given two-port are represented by any of these parameter sets as a 2 * 2 matrix with each element generally being a complex number, These parameter representations can be used to describe both active and passive networks. It is impor- tant to note that these sets ure valid only for linear net works. When these sets are used to model active devices the network must be operating under small signal condi- tione. Othor parumotor eote oxic for decoribing large cig nal operation but they will not be discussed here. Its helpful to understand that a given two-port can be represented by anv of these parameter sets and that the terminal behavior of the network is completely described by that set. No new information is given in ine set that is not available in another set's representa- tion of the network. Formulas exist in many texts for conversion between the various parameter sets [1]. The differences lie in how the two-port sets are measured ssid bow tliey ary usta, Certain circuit evuigurations are more easily characterized by one set. than another: Parameter sets y, 2, and h represent ratios of voltages and curronts af the torminale of the two-port and are measured with open or short circuit port terminations. Hybrid parameters have commonly been used to deseribe transistor behavior at DC and low frequencies, ‘Admittance parameters have been used extensively for transistor characterization at higher frequencies and many design methods exist for transistors based on this parameter set (Z|, Series and paraliel connections ot two. two-port networks are easily analyzed by the use of impedance and admittance parameters respectively ‘Gcattering parameters, mainly used tw characterize networks at microwave frequencies, represent ratios of Ts article reviews transmission matrices (ABCD V\=AVo+ Bly 1, =CV2+ Dh ‘A Figure 1. Two-port ABCD parameter definitions. 7 Bez | : Atl Boo | cova SEE nceospe Doresim 2. C= sing De cess ‘A Figure 2. Some common two-port networks and their ABCD parameters. incident and reflected traveling waves (voltage or cur- rent), They are measured by terminating the network in a known real impedance (uewally 50 ohme) rathor than aan open or short circuit, This is due to the difficulty in producing open and short eireuits at high frequencies and because active devices can become unstable with highly reflective loads. Seattering parameters are also popular because powerful design and analysis methods have been developed using this parameter set {'ransmussion or ABUD parameters are another 2 2 matrix parameter set that can be used to characterize linear two-port networks. The defining equations for an ADOD walsia in eclativu wa Lwurpae ate given tit Figure 1. The individual parameters represent ratios of May 1999 © 99the voltage or current at port 1 with the voltage or cur- rent at port 2, For example, A = V/V, with Ip = 0 (open cireuit at port 2), B = Vy/ ly with V, = 0 (short cireuit at port 2), and s0 on, It is evident that ABCD parameters are quite similar to hybrid parameters. The unique advantaye of ABCD parameters is thal a cascaded net- work of two or more two-ports can be easily analyzed by multiplying the individual transmission matrices. This ean bo vary usoful in microwave motwork analysis sines many circuits consist of cascaded connections of bath active and passive elements. Some common two-port net- works along with their ABCD representations are shown in Figure 2, The following example will demonstrate the uso of transmission matrices in eircuit analysis A usefull transistor amplifier circuit is the cascode butter configuration. It consists of a common emitter transistor followed by a common base transistor as shown in Figure 3. This eireuit has many advantages over @ siugle teansistin amplifier, The caseude congue ration offers improved frequeney response due to a reduction of the Miller effect. It has a much lower reverse transmission which provides highor isolation from output to input and generally provides higher gain, ‘This circuit may find application between an antenna and a mixer in receiver: The increased reverse isolation will reduce the amount of emissions at the antenna due to the local oscillator frequency. This eireuit may also serve as a buffer following an oscillator to decrease the amount of load pulling although the small signal condi- tion may not apply. A disadvantage of this circuit is the ‘additional power supply voltage needed since Vagus must be biased abore Vaal ‘The transmission parameters for both QI and Q2 are eded in their respective configurations to analyze the uit, ax a single two-part ‘Thie evamplo uses the NES5633 operating at f, = 3 mA, V,, = 2.5 V and 900 MHz. Note that the two transistors do not need to have the same bias voltage but they must have the same col- lector current. The scattering parameters for this device in common emitter configuration at the above condi tions (as provided hy the manufacturer) are 54, = 4952-158" Sq) = 2.55275" Kaa Again, the information contained in these parameters is sufficient to determine the ABCD representation af this network, eliminating any need to measure them directly twhich may be dilficul if not impossible). The appendix. includes the relationships for converting between scattering and ABCD parameters. The ABCD parameters for QI can be devived directly from these relations while those for Q2 must be found by first con- tins die abuve dats tu ernman base confuguration. ‘This is straightiorward using the relations in [2] ho MI KOWAVE & WH Port 2 Q2 “A Figuro 2, Cirouit example used for ilustration: a cascode ransistor buffer amplifier. which further demonstrate that using any one parame- ter set in a given configuration completely describes the network for use in any other configuration. The trans- mmission matrix for Q2 ean then be found and is given in polar form along with that for QL as WvaZiol” 12261 005132" Dis ~ LOLI" Ag) = 0802-20" Bay = 1032-16 Cay = 0052-63" Dag — 2802 73° Using matrix multiplication the equivalent two-port transmission matrix is fonnd as (2 ole wee. a] CODY [Ga Pe] Cae Dae Note that the ordor of the matrices on the right hand side is impor amt sinee matrix multipieation 1s not corn mutative. ‘The order of the matrices must appear in the same order as the cireuit elements, The result, after con- vorting baok to coattoring paramctons, is found as 536 Zec131° = 385247" 3.59 1a) 008.2172° ayaa 812 su se Note that the magnitude of the reverse transmission coetticient, 8,2, has been significantly reduced compared to that of a single transistor However, the network: now suffers from greater instability as indicated by the factor K ad te misguitude of sgp. fact, & stability analysts shows that no passive souree termination will make the reflection coefficient looking into the output less than restrict tho valuo of the Toad termination ceded for stability and may limit the application of this circuit as an amplifier. To demonstrate ABCD parame- ters further, the stability of this cireuit will he improved by adding a shunt resistance at the output of the net work. his resistive loading technique ean sometimes br used to improve stability 13 The resistance isin cascade with the network whieh makes ABCD parameters a ust- fil method to analyze the loading effect as shown in ane his‘A Resistive ij for Improved etability. Figure 4. Also, a short transmission line is included botwoen the two transistors for demonstration and for practicality in eircuit realization, The values for the two added olements aro also shown in the figure and their ABCD representations ean be lound trom the relations in Figure 2. The resulting equation for the network is Bry A BY [Aa Sea] An C DY {Cy Palin Pr, where the order of th ‘Aa oct | Ca Dalle Dr. matrices is once again empha- sized. The resulting sealtering parameters are 5632-134" Sy. = OOTZITE 39/4) Bp = 8202-30" Jal = 434 The two wrt maintains the high reverse isolation, the forward transmission is still high, but now the net work io unconditionally otable. The teanomiasion line in negligible but the 300 ohm resistor has greatly improved the usefulness of this circuit. The designer is now free to use whatever source and load terminatinns necessary to meet gain, VSWR, and noise requirements, For example, if maximum gain is needed the network may be designed with a simultaneous conjugate match, The transducer power gin for this network with this yw ts) tan) tn 1 (Le sult see) ssn z, Bou ie ‘A Appendix. s to ABCD parameter (let) and ABCD to s parameter (right) conversions. 98 + evtini Mucnumavn: & WIKELESS A hh match is greater than 17 dB, Other termin: used to satisfy other requirements, This analysis using ABCD parameters has proven quite simple and straightforward. The same analysis could have been performed with methods based on the original scattering parameters. For example, Mason's rule is a powerful approach that is well suited for cas- caded as well as other connections of two-ports Howoven, thio methed becomeo vory cumbersome For networks containing more than a few elements, ‘Transmission parameters are clearly easier to use for these types of networks. ‘This article has demonstrated the advantage of using ABCD parameters in analyzing cascaded connections of two-port networks. The simplified example above requires additional work to be done to account for sta- bility at other frequencies and to account for noise, mis match, and other performance criteria. Much of this additional work woul sls by doue usieng tansiission parameters. In fact, by combining ABCD parameters along with the other parameter sets, almost all types of Tinoar notworks can easily be analyzod. All thooo para metor representations serve as powerful tools in linear cireuit analysis. . jons can be References 1. David M. Pozar, Mierowave Engineering, Addison. Wesley, 1990, 2. HT. Krauss, C. Bostan and K Kab, Solid Slate Radio Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, 1980, 3. G, Gonzalez, Microwave Transistor Amplifiers, Prentice-Iall, 1904. ‘Author information Dave Thorson received his RSER and MERI fram tho University of Utah in 1995 and 1997. He currently works for Phonex Corporation designing wireless con sumer electronic producis. He can be reached at dthor: son(e phonex.com hy —-D ar fi where, AP= A+ #402, 1.0 h Za B czyep |