Smith Chart
Smith Chart
Smith Chart
The Smith chart, invented by Phillip H. Smith (1905–1987)[1][2] and independently[3] by Mizuhashi Tosaku,[4] is a graphical
calculator or nomogram designed for electrical and electronics engineers specializing in radio frequency (RF) engineering to
assist in solving problems with transmission lines and matching circuits.[5][6] The Smith chart can be used to simultaneously
display multiple parameters including impedances, admittances, reflection coefficients, scattering parameters, noise figure
circles, constant gain contours and regions for unconditional stability, including mechanical vibrations analysis.[7][8]: 9 3–103 The
Smith chart is most frequently used at or within the unity radius region. However, the remainder is still mathematically relevant,
being used, for example, in oscillator design and stability analysis.[8]: 9 8–101
While the use of paper Smith charts for solving the
complex mathematics involved in matching problems has been largely replaced by software based methods, the Smith chart is
still a very useful method of showing[9] how RF parameters behave at one or more frequencies, an alternative to using tabular
information. Thus most RF circuit analysis software includes a Smith chart option for the display of results and all but the
simplest impedance measuring instruments can plot measured results on a Smith chart display.[10]
Contents
Overview
Mathematical basis
Actual and normalised impedance and admittance
The normalised impedance Smith chart
The variation of complex reflection coefficient with position along
the line
The variation of normalised impedance with position along the
line
Regions of the Z Smith chart
Circles of constant normalised resistance and constant
normalised reactance
The Y Smith chart An impedance Smith chart (with no data
Practical examples plotted)
Working with both the Z Smith chart and the Y Smith charts
Choice of Smith chart type and component type
Using the Smith chart to solve conjugate matching problems with
distributed components
3D Smith chart
References
Further reading
External links
Overview
The Smith chart is a mathematical transformation of the two-dimensional Cartesian complex plane. Complex numbers with
positive real parts map inside the circle. Those with negative real parts map outside the circle.
If we are dealing only with
impedances with non-negative resistive components, our interest is focused on the area inside the circle.
The transformation, for
an impedance Smith chart, is:
where i.e., the complex impedance, normalized by the reference impedance, . The impedance Smith chart is
then a Argand plot of impedances thus transformed. Impedances with non-negative resistive components will appear inside a
circle with unit radius; the origin will correspond to the reference impedance, .
The Smith chart is plotted on the complex reflection
coefficient plane in two dimensions and may be scaled in
normalised impedance (the most common), normalised
admittance or both, using different colours to distinguish
between them. These are often known as the Z, Y and YZ
Smith charts respectively.[8]: 9 7 Normalised scaling allows
the Smith chart to be used for problems involving any
characteristic or system impedance which is represented by
the center point of the chart. The most commonly used
normalization impedance is 50 ohms. Once an answer is
obtained through the graphical constructions described
below, it is straightforward to convert between normalised
impedance (or normalised admittance) and the
corresponding unnormalized value by multiplying by the
characteristic impedance (admittance). Reflection
coefficients can be read directly from the chart as they are
unitless parameters. A network analyzer (HP 8720A) showing a Smith chart.
Use of the Smith chart and the interpretation of the results obtained using it requires a good understanding of AC circuit theory
and transmission-line theory, both of which are prerequisites for RF engineers.
As impedances and admittances change with frequency, problems using the Smith chart can only be solved manually using one
frequency at a time, the result being represented by a point. This is often adequate for narrow band applications (typically up to
about 5% to 10% bandwidth) but for wider bandwidths it is usually necessary to apply Smith chart techniques at more than one
frequency across the operating frequency band. Provided the frequencies are sufficiently close, the resulting Smith chart points
may be joined by straight lines to create a locus.
A locus of points on a Smith chart covering a range of frequencies can be used to visually represent:
The accuracy of the Smith chart is reduced for problems involving a large locus of impedances or admittances, although the
scaling can be magnified for individual areas to accommodate these.
Mathematical basis
A transmission line with a characteristic impedance of may be universally considered to have a characteristic admittance of
where
Any impedance, expressed in ohms, may be normalised by dividing it by the characteristic impedance, so the normalised
impedance using the lower case zT is given by
Using transmission-line theory, if a Most basic use of an impedance Smith chart. A wave travels down a transmission
transmission line is terminated in an line of characteristic impedance Z0, terminated at a load with impedance ZL and
impedance ( ) which differs from its normalised impedance z=ZL/Z0. There is a signal reflection with coefficient Γ. Each
characteristic impedance ( ), a standing point on the Smith chart simultaneously represents both a value of z (bottom left),
wave will be formed on the line comprising and the corresponding value of Γ (bottom right), related by z=(1 + Γ)/(1 − Γ).
the resultant of both the incident or forward
( ) and the reflected or reversed ( )
waves. Using complex exponential notation:
and
where
Transmission lines terminated by an open circuit
is the temporal part of the wave (top) and a short circuit (bottom). A pulse reflects
is the spatial part of the wave and perfectly off both these terminations, but the sign
where of the reflected voltage is opposite in the two
is the angular frequency in radians per second (rad/s) cases. Black dots represent electrons, and arrows
is the frequency in hertz (Hz) show the electric field.
is the time in seconds (s)
and are constants
is the distance measured along the transmission line from the load toward the generator in metres (m)
Also
where
The Smith chart is used with one frequency ( ) at a time, and only for one moment ( ) at a time, so the temporal part of the phase
( ) is fixed. All terms are actually multiplied by this to obtain the instantaneous phase, but it is conventional and
understood to omit it. Therefore,
and
where and are respectively the forward and reverse voltage amplitudes at the load.
The variation of complex reflection coefficient with position along the line
The complex voltage reflection coefficient
is defined as the ratio of the reflected
wave to the incident (or forward) wave.
Therefore,
For a uniform transmission line (in which is constant), the complex reflection coefficient of a standing wave varies according
to the position on the line. If the line is lossy ( is non-zero) this is represented on the Smith chart by a spiral path. In most Smith
chart problems however, losses can be assumed negligible ( ) and the task of solving them is greatly simplified. For the
loss free case therefore, the expression for complex reflection coefficient becomes
where is the reflection coefficient at the load, and is the line length from the load to the location where the reflection
coefficient is measured. The phase constant may also be written as
where is the wavelength within the transmission line at the test frequency.
Therefore,
This equation shows that, for a standing wave, the complex reflection coefficient and impedance repeats every half wavelength
along the transmission line. The complex reflection coefficient is generally simply referred to as reflection coefficient. The outer
circumferential scale of the Smith chart represents the distance from the generator to the load scaled in wavelengths and is
therefore scaled from zero to 0.50 .
If and are the voltage across and the current entering the termination at the end of the transmission line respectively, then
and
.
By dividing these equations and substituting for both the voltage reflection coefficient
and the normalised impedance of the termination represented by the lower case z, subscript T
These are the equations which are used to construct the Z Smith chart. Mathematically speaking and are related via a
Möbius transformation.
Both and are expressed in complex numbers without any units. They both change with frequency so for any particular
measurement, the frequency at which it was performed must be stated together with the characteristic impedance.
may be expressed in magnitude and angle on a polar diagram. Any actual reflection coefficient must have a magnitude of less
than or equal to unity so, at the test frequency, this may be expressed by a point inside a circle of unity radius. The Smith chart is
actually constructed on such a polar diagram. The Smith chart scaling is designed in such a way that reflection coefficient can be
converted to normalised impedance or vice versa. Using the Smith chart, the normalised impedance may be obtained with
appreciable accuracy by plotting the point representing the reflection coefficient treating the Smith chart as a polar diagram and
then reading its value directly using the characteristic Smith chart scaling. This technique is a graphical alternative to substituting
the values in the equations.
By substituting the expression for how reflection coefficient changes along an unmatched loss-free transmission line
for the loss free case, into the equation for normalised impedance in terms of reflection coefficient
yields the impedance-version transmission-line equation for the loss free case:[11]
where
is the impedance 'seen' at the input of a loss free transmission line of length , terminated with an impedance
Versions of the transmission-line equation may be similarly derived for the admittance loss free case and for the impedance and
admittance lossy cases.
The Smith chart graphical equivalent of using the transmission-line equation is to normalise , to plot the resulting point on a Z
Smith chart and to draw a circle through that point centred at the Smith chart centre. The path along the arc of the circle
represents how the impedance changes whilst moving along the transmission line. In this case the circumferential (wavelength)
scaling must be used, remembering that this is the wavelength within the transmission line and may differ from the free space
wavelength.
If the termination is perfectly matched, the reflection coefficient will be zero, represented effectively by a circle of zero radius or
in fact a point at the centre of the Smith chart. If the termination was a perfect open circuit or short circuit the magnitude of the
reflection coefficient would be unity, all power would be reflected and the point would lie at some point on the unity
circumference circle.
The normalised impedance Smith chart is composed of two families of circles: circles of constant normalised resistance and
circles of constant normalised reactance. In the complex reflection coefficient plane the Smith chart occupies a circle of unity
radius centred at the origin. In cartesian coordinates therefore the circle would pass through the points (+1,0) and (−1,0) on the x-
axis and the points (0,+1) and (0,−1) on the y-axis.
Since both and are complex numbers, in general they may be written as:
Substituting these into the equation relating normalised impedance and complex reflection coefficient:
This is the equation which describes how the complex reflection coefficient changes with the normalised impedance and may be
used to construct both families of circles.[12]
The Y Smith chart is constructed in a similar way to the Z Smith chart case but by expressing values of voltage reflection
coefficient in terms of normalised admittance instead of normalised impedance. The normalised admittance yT is the reciprocal of
the normalised impedance zT, so
Therefore:
and
The Y Smith chart appears like the normalised impedance type but with the graphic scaling rotated through 180°, the numeric
scaling remaining unchanged.
The region above the x-axis represents capacitive admittances and the region below the x-axis represents inductive admittances.
Capacitive admittances have positive imaginary parts and inductive admittances have negative imaginary parts.
Again, if the termination is perfectly matched the reflection coefficient will be zero, represented by a 'circle' of zero radius or in
fact a point at the centre of the Smith chart. If the termination was a perfect open or short circuit the magnitude of the voltage
reflection coefficient would be unity, all power would be reflected and the point would lie at some point on the unity
circumference circle of the Smith chart.
Practical examples
A point with a reflection coefficient magnitude 0.63 and angle 60° represented in polar
form as , is shown as point P1 on the Smith chart. To plot this, one may use
the circumferential (reflection coefficient) angle scale to find the graduation and a
ruler to draw a line passing through this and the centre of the Smith chart. The length of
the line would then be scaled to P1 assuming the Smith chart radius to be unity. For
example, if the actual radius measured from the paper was 100 mm, the length OP1
would be 63 mm.
The following table gives some similar examples of points which are plotted on the Z
Smith chart. For each, the reflection coefficient is given in polar form together with the
corresponding normalised impedance in rectangular form. The conversion may be read
directly from the Smith chart or by substitution into the equation. Example points plotted on the
normalised impedance Smith chart
Some examples of points plotted on the normalised impedance Smith chart
Reflection coefficient (polar Normalised impedance
Point identity
form) (rectangular form)
P1 (Inductive)
P2 (Inductive)
P3 (Capacitive)
Working with both the Z Smith chart and the Y Smith charts
In RF circuit and matching problems sometimes it is more convenient to work with admittances (representing conductances and
susceptances) and sometimes it is more convenient to work with impedances (representing resistances and reactances). Solving a
typical matching problem will often require several changes between both types of Smith chart, using normalised impedance for
series elements and normalised admittances for parallel elements. For these a dual (normalised) impedance and admittance Smith
chart may be used. Alternatively, one type may be used and the scaling converted to the other when required. In order to change
from normalised impedance to normalised admittance or vice versa, the point representing the value of reflection coefficient
under consideration is moved through exactly 180 degrees at the same radius. For example, the point P1 in the example
representing a reflection coefficient of has a normalised impedance of . To graphically change
this to the equivalent normalised admittance point, say Q1, a line is drawn with a ruler from P1 through the Smith chart centre to
Q1, an equal radius in the opposite direction. This is equivalent to moving the point through a circular path of exactly 180
degrees. Reading the value from the Smith chart for Q1, remembering that the scaling is now in normalised admittance, gives
. Performing the calculation
Once a transformation from impedance to admittance has been performed, the scaling changes to normalised admittance until a
later transformation back to normalised impedance is performed.
The table below shows examples of normalised impedances and their equivalent normalised admittances obtained by rotation of
the point through 180°. Again, these may be obtained either by calculation or using a Smith chart as shown, converting between
the normalised impedance and normalised admittances planes.
The choice of whether to use the Z Smith chart or the Y Smith chart for any particular
calculation depends on which is more convenient. Impedances in series and admittances
in parallel add while impedances in parallel and admittances in series are related by a
reciprocal equation. If is the equivalent impedance of series impedances and is
the equivalent impedance of parallel impedances, then
Dealing with the reciprocals, especially in complex numbers, is more time consuming and error-prone than using linear addition.
In general therefore, most RF engineers work in the plane where the circuit topography supports linear addition. The following
table gives the complex expressions for impedance (real and normalised) and admittance (real and normalised) for each of the
three basic passive circuit elements: resistance, inductance and capacitance. Using just the characteristic impedance (or
characteristic admittance) and test frequency an equivalent circuit can be found and vice versa.
Inductance
(L)
Capacitance
(C)
Using the Smith chart to solve conjugate matching problems with distributed
components
Distributed matching becomes feasible and is sometimes required when the physical size of the matching components is more
than about 5% of a wavelength at the operating frequency. Here the electrical behaviour of many lumped components becomes
rather unpredictable. This occurs in microwave circuits and when high power requires large components in shortwave, FM and
TV Broadcasting,
For distributed components the effects on reflection coefficient and impedance of moving along the transmission line must be
allowed for using the outer circumferential scale of the Smith chart which is calibrated in wavelengths.
The following example shows how a transmission line, terminated with an arbitrary load, may be matched at one frequency
either with a series or parallel reactive component in each case connected at precise positions.
The extension of the line OP21 intersects the wavelength scale at , therefore the distance from the termination to
this point on the line is given by
Since the transmission line is air-spaced, the wavelength at 800 MHz in the line is the same as that in free space and is given by
where is the velocity of electromagnetic radiation in free space and is the frequency in hertz. The result gives
, making the position of the matching component 29.6 mm from the load.
As the Smith chart is still in the normalised impedance plane, from the table above a series capacitor is required where
Rearranging, we obtain
To match the termination at 800 MHz, a series capacitor of 2.6 pF must be placed in series with the transmission line at a distance
of 29.6 mm from the termination.
An alternative shunt match could be calculated after performing a Smith chart transformation from normalised impedance to
normalised admittance. Point Q20 is the equivalent of P20 but expressed as a normalised admittance. Reading from the Smith
chart scaling, remembering that this is now a normalised admittance gives
(In fact this value is not actually used). However, the extension of the line OQ20 through to the wavelength scale gives
. The earliest point at which a shunt conjugate match could be introduced, moving towards the generator, would
be at Q21 , the same position as the previous P21 , but this time representing a normalised admittance given by
From the table it can be seen that a negative admittance would require an inductor, connected in parallel with the transmission
line. If its value is , then
A suitable inductive shunt matching would therefore be a 6.5 nH inductor in parallel with the line positioned at 123 mm from the
load.
3D Smith chart
A generalized 3D Smith chart based on the extended complex plane (Riemann sphere) and inversive
geometry was proposed in 2011. The chart unifies the passive and active circuit design on little and big
circles on the surface of a unit sphere using the stereographic conformal map of the reflection coefficient's
generalized plane. Considering the point at infinity, the space of the new chart includes all possible loads.
The north pole is the perfect matching point, while the south pole is the perfect mismatch point.[13]
The 3D
Smith chart has been further extended outside of the spherical surface, for plotting various scalar parameters 3D Smith chart
such as group delay, quality factors or frequency orientation. The frequency orientation visualization representation
(clockwise/counter-clockwise) enables one to differentiate between a negative capacitance and positive
inductor whose reflection coefficients are the same when plotted on a 2D Smith chart, but whose
orientations diverge as frequency increases.[14]
References
1. Smith, Phillip H. (January 1939). "Transmission line calculator". Electronics. Vol. 12, no. 1. pp. 29–31.
2. Smith, Phillip H. (January 1944). "An improved transmission line calculator". Electronics. Vol. 17, no. 1. p. 130.
3. "Smith Chart" (https://ethw.org/Smith_Chart). ETHW.org. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
4. Mizuhashi, T. (December 1937). "Theory of four-terminal impedance transformation circuit and matching circuit".
The Journal of the Institute of Electrical Communication Engineers of Japan: 1053–1058.
5. Ramo; Whinnery; van Duzer (1965). Fields and Waves in Communications Electronics. John Wiley & Sons.
pp. 35–39.
6. Smith, Philip H. (1969). Electronic Applications of the Smith Chart. Kay Electric Company.
7. Pozar, David M. (2005). Microwave Engineering (Third (Intl.) ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 64–71. ISBN 0-
471-44878-8.
8. Gonzalez, Guillermo (1997). Microwave Transistor Amplifiers Analysis and Design (Second ed.). NJ: Prentice
Hall. ISBN 0-13-254335-4.
9. "Smith Charts" (http://www.antenna-theory.com/tutorial/smith/chart.php).
10. "Antenna Matching with a Vector Network Analyzer" (https://www.tek.com/blog/antenna-matching-vector-networ
k-analyzer).
11. Hayt, William H Jr.; "Engineering Electromagnetics" Fourth Ed; McGraw-Hill International Book Company; pp
428–433. ISBN 0-07-027395-2.
12. Davidson, C. W. (1989). Transmission Lines for Communications with CAD Programs. Macmillan. pp. 80–85.
ISBN 0-333-47398-1.
13. Muller, Andrei; Soto, Pablo; Dascalu, D.; Neculoiu, D.; Boria, V.E. (2011). "A 3D Smith chart based on the
Riemann sphere for Active and Passive Microwave Circuits". Microwave and Wireless Components Letters. 21
(6): 286–288. doi:10.1109/LMWC.2011.2132697 (https://doi.org/10.1109%2FLMWC.2011.2132697).
hdl:10251/55107 (https://hdl.handle.net/10251%2F55107). S2CID 38953650 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/C
orpusID:38953650).
14. Muller, Andrei A.; Asavei, Victor; Moldoveanu, Alin; Sanabria-Codesal, Esther; Khadar, Riyaz A.; Popescu,
Cornel; Dascalu, Dan; Ionescu, Adrian. M. (November 2020). "The 3D Smith Chart: From Theory to
Experimental Reality" (http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/280816). IEEE Microwave Magazine. 21 (11): 22–35.
doi:10.1109/MMM.2020.3014984 (https://doi.org/10.1109%2FMMM.2020.3014984). S2CID 222296721 (https://
api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:222296721).
Further reading
For an early representation of this graphical depiction before they were called 'Smith Charts', see Campbell, G.
A. (1911). "Cisoidal oscillations". Proceedings of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. 30 (1–6): 789–
824. doi:10.1109/PAIEE.1911.6659711 (https://doi.org/10.1109%2FPAIEE.1911.6659711). S2CID 51647814 (h
ttps://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:51647814)., In particular, Fig. 13 on p. 810.
External links
"Mathematical construction and properties of the Smith Chart" (http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-article
s/mathematical-construction-and-properties-of-the-smith-chart). allaboutcircuits.com. technical articles.
"Smith Chart and Impedance Matching Tutorial with Examples" (http://www.antenna-theory.com/tutorial/smith/ch
art.php). antenna-theory.com.
"The Mizuhashi-Smith chart" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130303005317/http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~morikuni/
mizuhashi-smithchart/). www.linkclub.or.jp/~morikuni. Archived from the original (http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~morik
uni/mizuhashi-smithchart/) on 2013-03-03.
"Excel Smith chart" (http://www.excelhero.com/blog/2010/08/excel-high-precision-engineering-chart-1.html).
excelhero.com. August 2010. Non-commercial, interactive Smith Chart that looks best in Excel 2007+.
"SimSmith" (http://www.ae6ty.com/Smith_Charts.html). ae6ty.com. Non-commercial, available for Windows,
Mac, and Linux. Many Smith chart tutorial videos. No circuit size restrictions. Not limited to ladder circuits.
"Smith v3" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150304202453/http://fritz.dellsperger.net/smith.html).
fritz.dellsperger.net. Archived from the original (http://fritz.dellsperger.net/smith.html) on 2015-03-04.
Commercial and free Smith chart for Windows
"QuickSmith" (https://github.com/niyeradori/QuickSmith-Web). github.com/niyeradori. 2 November 2021. Free
web based Smith Chart Educational tool available on GitHub.
"3D Smith chart tool" (http://www.3dsmithchart.com/). 3dsmithchart.com. 2D and 3D Smith chart generalized
tool for active and passive circuits (free for academia/education).