Rectangular Waveguides

Dr. S. Cruz-Pol
INEL 6216
University of Puerto Rico
Mayagüez
 Waveguide components

Rectangular waveguide Waveguide to coax adapter

Waveguide bends E-tee

Figures from: www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/waveguide.cfm

 More waveguides

http://www.tallguide.com/Waveguidelinearity.html
Uses
 To reduce attenuation loss
 High frequencies
 High power
 Can operate only above certain
frequencies
 Acts as a High-pass filter
 Normally circular or rectangular
 We will assume lossless rectangular
 Rectangular WG
 Need to find the fields
components of the
em wave inside the
waveguide
 Ez Hz Ex Hx Ey Hy
 We’ll find that
waveguides don’t
support TEM waves

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/D.Jefferies/wguide.html
 Rectangular Waveguides:
Fields inside
Using phasors & assuming waveguide
filled with
 lossless dielectric material and

 walls of perfect conductor,

the wave inside should obey…

2 E  k 2 E  0
2 H  k 2 H  0
where k 2   2  c
Then applying on the z-component…

 Ez  k Ez  0
2 2

 2 Ez  2 Ez  2 Ez
   k Ez  0
2

x 2
y 2
z 2

Solving by method of Separation of Variables :

E z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X '' Y '' Z ''
   k 2
X Y Z
 Fields inside the waveguide
'' '' ''
X Y Z
   k 2

X Y Z
 k x2  k y2   2   k 2 h 2   2  k 2  k x2  k y2

which results in the expressions :

X k X 0
'' 2
x X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y k Y 0
'' 2
y Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Z ''   2 Z  0 Z ( z )  c5ez  c6 e z
 Substituting
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
E z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z ) Z ( z )  c5ez  c6 e z


E z   c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x   c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y  c5ez  c6 e z 
If only looking at the wave traveling in  z - direction :
E z   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x   A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y e z
Similarly for the magnetic field,
H z   B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x x   B3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y e z
Other components
From Faraday and Ampere Laws we can find the
remaining four components:
 E z j H z
Ex    2
h x
2
h y *So once we know
 E z j H z Ez and Hz, we can
Ey   2  2 find all the other
h y h x
fields.
j E z  H z
Hx  2  2
h y h x
j E z  H z
Hy   2  2
h x h y
where
h 2   2  k 2  k x2  k y2
Modes of propagation
From these equations we can conclude:
 TEM (Ez=Hz=0) can’t propagate.

 TE (Ez=0) transverse electric

 In TE mode, the electric lines of flux are
perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide

 TM (Hz=0) transverse magnetic, Ez exists

 In TM mode, the magnetic lines of flux are
perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide.

 HE hybrid modes in which all components

exists
 TM Mode
E z   A1 cos k x x  A2 sin k x x   A3 cos k y y  A4 sin k y y e z
 Boundary E z  0 at y  0 ,b
conditions: E z  0 at x  0,a
From these, we conclude:
X(x) is in the form of sin kxx,
where kx=m/a, m=1,2,3,…
Y(y) is in the form of sin kyy,
where ky=n/b, n=1,2,3,…
So the solution for Ez(x,y,z) is
E z  A2 A4  sin k x x   sin k y y e  jz

Figure from: www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~microwave/programs/magnetic/rect/info.htm

TM Mode
 Substituting

 m   n   jz
E z  Eo sin  x  sin  y e
 a   b 
where
2 2
 m   n 
h     k2 2
2

 a   b 
  m   n   jz
E z  Eo sin  x  sin  y e
TMmn  a   b 
Hz  0
 Other components are
 E z   m   mx   ny  z
Ex   2 Ex   2   Eo cos  sin  e
h x h  a   a   b 
 E z   n   mx   ny  z
Ey   2 Ey   2   Eo sin   cos e
h y h  b   a   b 
j E z j  n   mx   ny  z
Hx  2 Hx  2   Eo sin   cos e
h y h  b   a   b 
j E z j  m   mx   ny  z
Hy   2 Hy   2   Eo cos  sin  e
h x h  a   a   b 
TM modes
 The m and n represent the mode of propagation
and indicates the number of variations of the
field in the x and y directions
 Note that for the TM mode, if n or m is zero, all
fields are zero.
 See applet by Paul Falstad

http://www.falstad.com/embox/guide.html
  k 2
x 
 k y2  k 2
TM Cutoff  m   n 
2 2

       
2

 a   b 
 The cutoff frequency occurs when
2 2
 m   n 
When c     then     j  0
2
 
 a   b 
2 2
1 1  m   n 
or f c     
2   a   b 
 Evanescent:
2 2
 m   n 
When  2          and   0
 a   b 
 Means no propagation, everything is attenuated
2 2
 m   n 
 Propagation: When    
2
     j and   0
 a   b 
 This is the case we are interested since is when the wave is allowed to
travel through the guide.
 attenuation Propagation

Cutoff of mode mn

fc,mn
 The cutoff frequency is the frequency
below which attenuation occurs and above
which propagation takes place. (High Pass)
2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b
 The phase constant becomes

2 2 2
 m   n   fc 
     
2
     ' 1   
 a   b   f 
Phase velocity and impedance
 The phase velocity is defined as

 2 u p
up   
'  f
 And the intrinsic impedance of the mode
is
2
Ex Ey  fc 
TM    ' 1  
Hy Hx f 
 Summary of TM modes
Wave in the dielectric Inside the waveguide
medium
2
f 
 '   / u '       ' 1  c 
f 

2
 '  /  f 
TM  ' 1  c 
f 

up  /
u '   /  '  f  1 / 
2
f 
 ' 1  c 
f 

'
 
 '  u' / f  f 
2

1  c 
 f 
 Related example of how fields look:
Parallel plate waveguide - TM modes
 mx  e j t  z 
Ez  A sin 
 a 
Ez
m=1
0 a x

m=2

m=3
z a x
 TE Mode
H z   B1 cos k x x  B2 sin k x x   B3 cos k y y  B4 sin k y y e z
 Boundary E x  0 at y  0 ,b
conditions: E y  0 at x  0 ,a
From these, we conclude:
X(x) is in the form of cos kxx,
where kx=m/a, m=0,1,2,3,…
Y(y) is in the form of cos kyy,
where ky=n/b, n=0,1,2,3,…
So the solution for Ez(x,y,z) is
H z  B1 B3  cos k x x   cos k y y  e  jz
Figure from: www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~microwave/programs/magnetic/rect/info.htm
TE Mode
 Substituting

 mx   n   jz
H z  H o cos  cos y e
 a   b 
where again
2 2
 m   n 
h2     
 a   b 

 Note that n and m cannot be both zero

because the fields will all be zero.
  m   n   jz
H z  H o cos x  cos y e
TEmn  a   b 
Ez  0
 Other components are
j H z j  n   mx   ny  z
Ex   2 Ex  2   H o cos  sin  e
h y h  b   a   b 
j H z j  m   mx   ny  z
Ey   2 Ey   2   H o sin   cos e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z j  m   mx   ny  z
Hx   2 Hx  2   H o sin   cos e
h x h  a   a   b 
 H z
Hy   2 j   n   mx   ny  z
h y Hy  2   H o cos  sin  e
h  b   a   b 
 attenuation Propagation

Cutoff of mode mn

fc,mn
 The cutoff frequency is the same
expression as for the TM mode
2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b

 But the lowest attainable frequencies are

lowest because here n or m can be zero.
Dominant Mode
 The dominant mode is the mode with
lowest cutoff frequency.
 It’s always TE10
 The order of the next modes change
depending on the dimensions of the
guide.
 Summary of TE modes
Wave in the dielectric Inside the waveguide
medium
2
f 
 '   / u '       ' 1  c 
f 

'
TE 
 '  /  f 
1  c 
2

f 


up  /
u '   /  '  f  1 / 
2
f 
 ' 1  c 
f 

'
 '  u' / f  
 f 
2

1  c 
 f 
Variation of wave impedance
 Wave impedance varies with
frequency and mode

TE

’
TM

 fc,mn
Example:
Consider a length of air-filled copper X-band waveguide, with
dimensions a=2.286cm, b=1.016cm operating at 10GHz.
Find the cutoff frequencies of all possible propagating
modes.
Solution:
 From the formula for the cut-off frequency

2 2
u'  m   n 
f c mn     
2  a  b
Example

An air-filled 5-by 2-cm waveguide has

E z  20 sin  40x  sin  50y  e  jz V/m

at 15GHz
 What mode is being propagated?

 Find 

 Determine Ey/Ex
 Group velocity, ug

 Is the velocity at which

the energy travels.
2 j     mx  z
 fc  Ey     H sin  e
1  rad/s   m  h2  a 
o
 a 
ug   u' 1     rad/m    s 
 /  f     

 It is always less than u’

u p u g   u '
2

http://www.tpub.com/content/et/14092/css/14092_71.htm
 Group Velocity

 As frequency is increased,
the group velocity increases.  
 Power transmission
 The average Poynting vector for the waveguide
fields is 1
Pave 
2
* 1

Re E  H 
* *
 2

Re E x H y  E y H x 
2 2
Ex  E y [W/m2]
 zˆ
2
 where  = TE or TM depending on the mode
2 2
a b
Ex  E y
Pave   Pave  dS    dy dx [W]
x 0 y 0
2
Attenuation in Lossy
waveguide
 When dielectric inside guide is lossy, and walls are
not perfect conductors, power is lost as it travels
along guide.

Pave  Po e 2z
dPave
 The loss power is PL    2Pave
dz
 Where c+d are the attenuation due to ohmic
(conduction) and dielectric losses
 Usually c >> d
Attenuation for TE10

 Dielectric attenuation, Np/m Dielectric

conductivity!
 '
d  
2
f 
2 1   c 
 f 

 Conductor attenuation, Np/m

2 Rs  b  f 
2

c    0.5   c ,10  
2  a  f  
 f c ,10     
b ' 1   
 f 
Waveguide Cavities
 Cavities, or resonators, are
used for storing energy
 Used in klystron tubes,
band-pass filters and
frequency meters
 It’s equivalent to a RLC
circuit at high frequency
 Their shape is that of a
cavity, either cylindrical or
cubical.
Cavity TM Mode to z
Solving by Separation of Variables :
E z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Z ( z )  c5 cos k z z  c6 sin k z z

2
where k 2  k x2  k y2  k z
 TMmnp Boundary Conditions
E z  0 at y  0 ,b
From these, we conclude: E z  0 at x  0 ,a
kx=m/a
E y  E x  0, at z  0 ,c
ky=n/b
kz=p/c
where c is the dimension in z-axis

 mx   ny   pz 

E z  Eo sin   sin   sin   c
 a   b   c 
where
2 2 2
 m   n   p 
k2          
2

 a   b   c 
Resonant frequency
 The resonant frequency is the same
for TM or TE modes, except that the
lowest-order TM is TM111 and the
lowest-order in TE is TE101.
2 2 2
u'  m   n   p 
fr       
2  a  b  c 
 Cavity TE Mode to z
Solving by Separation of Variables :
H z ( x, y, z )  X ( x)Y ( y ) Z ( z )
from where we obtain :
X(x)  c1 cos k x x  c2 sin k x x
Y(y)  c3 cos k y y  c4 sin k y y
Z ( z )  c5 cos k z z  c6 sin k z z

2
where k  k  k  k z
2 2
x
2
y
 TEmnp Boundary Conditions
H z  0 at z  0 ,c
From these, we conclude: E y  0 at x  0 ,a
kx=m/a
E x  0, at y  0 ,b
ky=n/b
kz=p/c
where c is the dimension in z-axis

c
 mx   ny   py 
H z  H o cos  cos  sin 
 a   b   c 
Quality Factor, Q
 The cavity has walls with finite
conductivity and is therefore losing
stored energy.
 The quality factor, Q, characterized the
loss and also the bandwidth of the
cavity resonator.
 Dielectric cavities are used for
resonators, amplifiers and oscillators at
microwave frequencies.
A dielectric resonator antenna
with a cap for measuring the
radiation efficiency

Univ. of Mississippi
 Quality Factor, Q
 Is defined as
Time avera ge energy stored
Q  2π
loss energ y per cycle of oscillation
W
 2
PL

For the dominant mode TE101 where


a  c 2 abc
2
 
1
QTE101
   
 2b a 3  c 3  ac a 2  c 2  f101 o c
 Example
For a cavity of dimensions; 3cm x 2cm x 7cm filled with
air and made of copper (c=5.8 x 107)
 Find the resonant frequency and the quality factor
for the dominant mode. 2 2
3 1010  1   1   0 
2

f r110           9GHz
Answer: 2  3  2  7 
2 2 2
3 1010  1   0   1 
fr           5.44GHz
2 3  2  7
1
  1.6 10 6
(5.44 109 )  o c


3
 72  3  2  7
2
 568,378
QTE101

 2  2 3  7   3  7  3  7 
3 3 2 2
