Electromagnetics

(ENGR 367)
The Smith Chart:
A Graphical Method for T-lines
 Advantages of Knowing
the Smith Chart
• Popularity: one of most widely used graphical
methods for T-line analysis & design
– as an aid in a pencil & paper approach
– for display by measurement and CAD tools
• Labor-saving: facilitates complex number
calculations without losing too much accuracy
• Serves as a valuable tool for visualizing key
aspects of T-line systems as they depend on
frequency or position along the line
 Requirements for Understanding
the Smith Chart
• Have basic orientation to T-lines
– Concepts (generator, load, matching, etc.)
– Parameters (Z0, Zin, , , VSWR, Y=1/Z, etc.)
• Become familiar with some unique aspects
– What curves on the graph represent
– How to show Z or Y and move along the line
• Practice using the Smith Chart to find ,
VSWR, Zin, and do T-line matching
 Outline of Lecture on Smith Chart

• Basic layout: shows what curves represent

• Learn where to plot points:
complex impedance (or admittance)
• Identify key reference points
• Find out how to move along the line
• Work examples of Smith Chart usage
• Solve impedance Matching Problems
• Draw Conclusions
Basic Layout of the Smith Chart

• Within a circle of constant unit radius

(=1), graph explicitly shows a family of
– Circles of constant resistance
– Curves of constant reactance
• A polar coordinate graph of  = ej
exists w/r/to the center of the chart that
may be evaluated for   1 along with
VSWR  1 on scales beneath the chart
 Plotting Points on the Smith Chart

• Define Normalized Impedance

Z L RL  jX L
zL    rL  jxL
Z0 Z0
• Reflection Coefficient in terms of z L

Z L  Z 0  1/ Z 0  zL  1
  
Z L  Z 0  1/ Z 0  zL  1
Note: this keeps values w/in range on S.C.
 Plotting Points on the Smith Chart

• Zero Reactance Line (Im{z} = x = 0):

– Also Horizontal Center Line of Pure Resistance Re{z} = r

– Divides the Upper Half from the Lower Half

• Upper Half represents Im{z} > 0 (inductive reactance) [or
alternatively: Im{y} > 0 (capactive susceptance)]

• Lower Half represents Im{z} < 0 (capacitive reactance) [or

alternatively: Im{y} < 0 (inductive susceptance)]
 Essential (Key) Reference Points
On The Smith Chart
1) Center (z = r = 1): matched condition
– Also represents  = 0 and VSWR = 1
– Becomes the destination (objective) for
impedance matching problems (HOME !)
2) Right Extreme (z = r = ): open circuit
– Also  = 10° and VSWR = 
– An open circuited stub has Zin that begins here
 Essential (Key) Reference Points
On The Smith Chart
3) Left Extreme (z = r = 0): short circuit
– Also  = 1180° and VSWR = 
– A short circuited stub has Zin that begins here

• Key Reference Points on the Smith Chart

* Center Point: matched condition (HOME)
O Right Extreme: open circuit termination
 Left Extreme: short circuit termination
 Moving Toward the Generator
(or Load) on the Smith Chart
• Use Circular Band at Outer Edge of Chart: has
scales that indicate distance (in )
– To go toward the generator, move CW
– To go toward the load, move CCW
• Normalized Input Impedance on the T-line
j (  2  l )
1  e  j 2  l 1   e 1 
zin (l )   j 2l
 j (  2  l )
where z in (0)   z L @ load position
1  e 1  e 1 
1 
and zin ( m / 2) 
 z L for m  0,1, 2,...
1 
 load and all other wave impedances repeat every  / 2 along the line @ a rate of 2 l
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Example A (conditions same as in TLS3)

Given: Z0 = ZL = 300 ,  = l = 0.8 = 288°)
Find: Zin, , VSWR
Solution: take the following steps on the S.C.
Z L 300 
1) normalize load impedance: zL   1
Z 0 300 

2) locate the load point: here @ center of chart!

Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Solution: (Example A continued)

3)   0 and VSWR  1 for the matched condition
(since radius = 0 on the polar plot w/r/to center)

4) zin  zL on the   0 circle for a rotation of

0.8 (  576 ) CW toward the generator
(or for any rotation angle here) since the line is matched!

5) Un-normalize: Z in  zin  Z 0  (1)(300 )  300 

Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Example B (conditions same as in TLS3)

Given: ZL = RinRin = 300   300  = 150 
and Z0 = 300 ,  = l = 0.8 = 288° as before
Find: Zin, , VSWR
Solution: take these steps on the chart
Z L 150 
1) normalize: zL    0.50
Z 0 300 
2) locate point: rL  0.50 (directly left of center)
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Solution: (Example B continued)

zL  1 0.5  1 1/ 2 1
3)     
zL  1 0.5  1 3 / 2 3
(or by radius of circle from center on RFL COEFF scale below Smith Chart)
1   1  1/ 3 4 / 3
4) VSWR    2
1   1  1/ 3 2 / 3
(or by radius of circle from center on SWR scale below Smith Chart)
5) rotate from zL CW 0.8  (0.5  0.3) on constant   1/ 3 circle
to get zin  1.55  j 0.69 (to lower right of center)
6) Un-normalize: Z in  (1.55  j 0.69)(300 )  (466  j 206) 
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Example C (conditions same as in TLS3)

Given: ZL = (120 - j60) , Z0 = 300 
and  = l = 0.8 = 288° as before
Find: Zin, , VSWR
Solution: follow these steps on the chart
120  j 60
1) normalize: zL   0.40  j 0.20
300
2) locate point: (to lower left of center)
on rL  0.40 circle and xL  0.20 curve
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Solution: (Example C continued)

zL  1
3)    0.45  153
zL  1
(can verify  on RFL COEFF scale or x  0 line)
1 1.45
4) VSWR    2.6 (or by SWR scale)
1   0.55
5) rotate  L 2 l = 2(288 )  576  (360  216 )
to get in   e j (  2  l )  zin  2.52  j 0.46 (to lower right of center)
6) Un-normalize: Z in  (2.52  j 0.46)(300 )  (755  j138) 
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Example D (conditions same as in TLS3)

Given: ZL = - j300 , Z0 = 300 
and  = l = 0.8 = 288° as before
Find: Zin, , VSWR
Solution: take these steps
 j 300
1) z L    j1 (located at bottom center edge)
300
 j 1
2)     j  1  90
 j 1
Examples of Smith Chart Usage

• Solution: (Example D continued)

3) rotate  L 0.3 CW toward generator to get
in and zin  j1.96 (on upper right edge)

4)  Z in  ( j1.96)(300 )  j589 , a purely

inductive reactance since r  0 on this circle!
 Impedance Matching Problems

• Methods of T-line Matching (Load-to-line)

– Single stub
• Series insertion
• Parallel insertion
– Double stub tuner: usually a manuf’d device
with movable shorts (act like trombone slides)
– Quarter-wave transformer (QWT): fixed freq.
– Tapered transformer (~g long): for pulses
and wideband applications
 Matching Problem
Using the Smith Chart: Example 1
• Single Stub Matching (P3-4-9, K&F, 5/e, p. 149)
Given: a uniform Z0 = 100  T-line
terminated by a load ZL = (150 + j50) 
Find: a) min. dist. d1 from load to parallel shorted stub
b) min. length d2 of the shorted stub to match
Solution: first examine the schematic diagram
 Single Stub Matching
• Solution: take the following steps on S.C.
150  j 50
1) Normalize the load: zL   1.5  j 0.50
100
2) Convert to admittance: yL  1/ zL  0.60  j 0.20
1  e  j 2  (  / 4) 1  e  j
Note: zin (l   / 4)   j 2  (  / 4)

1  e 1  e  j
1  1 1
    yL
1   zin (0) zL
 going halfway ( /4) around the smith chart converts
any impedance to its reciprocal (admittance)!
 Single Stub Matching
• Solution: (continued)
3) Find the intersection between  L  0.27
(VSWR  1.78) circle and the g  1 circle
Note that two intersection points exist, but one
minimizes the length d1. In terms of admittance
 yB  1.0  j 0.58  g B  jbB
 d1  zB  zA'  (0.647  0.454)  0.193
 Single Stub Matching
• Solution: (continued)
4) Find the minimum length of a shorted stub, that when
inserted in parallel at B, produces a match (Z in  Z B  R0 ).
1
yss    (exists at the right extreme)
zss
Desire: yinss  yC  0  jbB   j 0.58
This occurs at the pos. on the S.C.: zC  0.416
 d 2  zC  zss  (0.416  0.250)  0.166
5) Adding the shorted stub of length d 2 in parallel at
B completes our path on the S. C. from B to C (HOME!).
 Single Stub Matching
• Design of the Single Stub Match has been
completed since location and length of the
shorted stub have been specified.
• For further consideration
– What if an open circuited stub had been used?
– Actual physical location and length of the stub
depends on frequency and phase velocity since
the wavelength  = vp/f.
 Matching Problem
Using the Smith Chart: Example 2
• QWT Matching (P3-4-10, K&F, 5/e, p. 151)
Given: a 100  T-line terminated by a ZL = (300 + j200)  load
Find: a) min. length d1 to transform ZL to a pure resistance
b) impedance of the QWT required for a match
c) VSWR on each section of line
Solution: first examine the schematic diagram
 QWT Matching
• Solution: take the following steps on S.C.
300  j 200
1) Normalize load: zL   3  j2
100
2) Rotate CW on the   0.63 (VSWR  4.4) circle to
intersect with the horizontal (x  0) midline where
zB  4.4  j 0  zB  (4.4)(100 )  440 
1  1 
Note: zB    VSWR  4.4 here!
1  1 
Find length: d1  zB  zA  (0.250  0.224)  0.026
 QWT Matching
• Solution: (continued)
3) Find Z ( λ / 4) for a match with 100  line:
Z ( λ/ 4)  (440 )(100 )  210 
zB 440 
then re-normalize on the QWT to get zB'    2.09
z ( / 4) 210 
4) Rotate CW on the   0.36 (VSWR  2.09) circle
halfway ( λ/ 4) around the chart to input of the QWT
where zC  0.48  j 0 and Z C  (0.48)(210 )  100.8 
5) Now re-normalize on the Z 0  R0  100 Ω line to get
zD  1.0  VSWR at D (we have arrived at HOME for a match!)
 QWT Matching
• Actual physical length of QWT depends on
operating frequency and phase velocity since
=vp/f
• For a microstrip QWT, Z(/4) is determined by its
width a substrate of known r and thickness (d),
but must be within manufacturable limits
• As for Single Stub matching, QWT method works
well for fixed frequency applications but its
quality deteriorates for wideband applications
 Matching with Double Stub Tuner

• Tuner design possible on the Smith Chart

• Tuner has one more degree of freedom

than the Single Stub, so more involved

• In practice, tuning for match usually done

experimentally with a pre-fabricated device
 Variations of QWT Method for
Wideband, Pulse & Digital Data Tx
Description Elements Real Estate Bandwidth
of Method (vs. QWT) (vs. QWT)
Shorter than 2 /16 Less (+) Less (-)
/4 lengths transformers
Lumped LC section Less (+) Less (-)
Elements
Multiple /4 Match to inter- More (-) More (+)
sections mediate imp’s.
Tapered  1 continuous More (--) More (++)
section piece
Reference: Kraus & Fleisch, 5/e, pp. 155-166 (Bandwidth, Pulses & Transients).
 Conclusions

• The Smitch Chart serves as a graphical

method of T-line analysis and design to
help visualize aspects of the system

• The Smith Chart represents complex

normalized impedances (or admittances)
on curves within a polar plot of  = 1
 Conclusions

• Moving toward the generator (or load) on

the Smith Chart corresponds to rotating on
the constant  circle CW (or CCW)

• The Smith Chart may be used to find ,

VSWR and Zin any position on a T-line
ahead of a complex load impedance
 Conclusions
• Fixed frequency T-line impedance
matching methods whose design may be
illustrated on the Smith Chart include
– Single & Double Stub Tuner
– Quarter-wave Transformer (QWT)

• For wideband applications, a tapered

transformer provides more bandwidth at
the expense of more space to implement
 References and Other Resources
• Hayt & Buck, Engineering Electromagnetics,
7/e, McGraw Hill: New York, 2006.
• Kraus & Fleisch, Electromagnetics with
Applications, 5/e, McGraw Hill: New York,
1999.