UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

LABORATORY OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS - ECE357S

RODOLFO SIQUEIRA
THOMAS SATTOLO

WAVES ON TRANSMISSION LINES

REPORT OF LABORATORY

TORONTO
2014

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

LABORATORY OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS - ECE357S

This report will demonstrate
everything that has been worked on
laboratory with base on the lectures.

RODOLFO SIQUEIRA
THOMAS SATTOLO

WAVES ON TRANSMISSION LINES

REPORT OF LABORATORY

TORONTO
2014
2

Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Section A ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Section B ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Section C ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Section D ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Section E ..................................................................................................................................................11
Section F ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Section G ................................................................................................................................................. 24

Table of Figures
Figure 1 Expected Voltage Waveform at C ............................................................................................ 5
Figure 2 Waveform at point C (top) and D (bottom) .............................................................................. 7
Figure 3 Waveform at point E (top) and F (bottom) .............................................................................. 7
Figure 4 Waveform at t = T/2 = 100ns ................................................................................................... 8
Figure 5 Waveform at t = 2T = 400ns .................................................................................................... 8
Figure 6 (C,F) RL = 0 ....................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 7 (C,F) RL = 20 ................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 8 (C,F) RL = 100 ................................................................................................................. 13
Figure 9 (C,F) RL = ....................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 10 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom ................................................................................ 14
Figure 11 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom .................................................................................. 15
Figure 12 Waveform at t = T/2 = 178 ns .............................................................................................. 15
Figure 13 Waveform at t = 3T/2= 534 ns ............................................................................................. 16
Figure 14 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom pulse width = T ................................................... 18
Figure 15 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom pulse width = T ..................................................... 19
Figure 16 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom pulse width = 10T ............................................... 19
Figure 17 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom pulse width = 10T ................................................. 19
Figure 18 Theoretical V vs. t at point F pulse width = 10T ............................................................... 21
Figure 19 Theoretical V vs. t at point D pulse width = 10T .............................................................. 22
Figure 20 Theoretical V vs. t at point F pulse width = T ................................................................... 22
Figure 21 Theoretical V vs. t at point D pulse width = T .................................................................. 23
Figure 22 format of wave for V(z) and I(z) ....................................................................................... 26

Section A
The value of characteristic impedance Zo is 50. This was determined by trial and error
by checking for the load impedance that produced no reflection. Below is the expected expected
waveform at point C.
120

Volatge (mV)

100
80
60
40

20
0
0

50

100

150

200

250

Time (ns)

Figure 1 Expected Voltage Waveform at C

Section B
This section shows a calculation of 1 (, 0) from the source parameters and the
characteristic impedance.
= 100
100 0 100
1 (, 0) = {
0
0 = 50
= 50 + 0 = 50 + 50 = 100
1 0 100
1 (, 0)
1 (, 0) =
={

Section C
This section shows the different waveforms at points C, D, F and E for R L = 50. It will be
showed with two different types of plot: V vs. t, where we expect delayed waveform at positions
further from the source; and V vs. d, where we expect to observe the pulse move along the line.

Figure 2 Waveform at point C (top) and D (bottom)

Figure 3 Waveform at point E (top) and F (bottom)

Note that the voltage scale is not the same across these first four plots: the first pair is scaled
7

to half the size of the second pair. Also there is a time delay of 236ns for the second pair
compared to the first.
For the following two plots the blue dots represent measured values a point A, B, C and D
whereas the dashed line represents the expected values assuming a phase velocity of 2.47
108 m/s, T is the pulse width.
120

Voltage (mV)

100
80
60
40
20
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Distance from source (m)

Figure 4 Waveform at t = T/2 = 100ns

120

Voltage (mV)

100
80
60
40

20
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Distance from source (m)

Figure 5 Waveform at t = 2T = 400ns

Calculations to find expected V vs. d:
8

Figure 4:

Plotting at = 2 < therefore the end of the pulse will not yet have reached the source;
therefore the source is at Vg = 100 mV.

By = 2 the front of the pulse will have reached

= = 2.47 108
100 = 24.7
2

therefore the line will be at 100 mV from the source to = 24.7 , and at 0 V, beyond
there.

Figure 5:
Plotting at = 2 > therefore the end of the pulse passed the source; therefore the
source is at 0 V.
By = 2 the back of the pulse will have reached

= (2 ) = 2.47 108
200 = 49.4

and the front of the pulse will have reached

= 2 = 2.47 108
400 = 98.8

which is passed the end of the line, therefore the line will be at 100 mV from =
49.4 to the end of the line and at 0 V before that.

Section D
In section D is proposed to complete a table with the values of the delay time and the phase
velocity in which point C, D, E and F. To evaluate the delay time we just need to compare the
delay between the point and the point of reference z=0, the point C. The table follows above
with the calculations.
LCC = 0
LCD = 30m
LCE = 60m
LCF = 90m

0
=
= 0 /

128

30
=
=
= 2.35108 /

128

60
=
=
= 2.54108 /

236

90
=
=
= 2.53108 /

356

z (m)

t (ns)

v x 10^8 (m/s)

128

2.35

236

2.54

356

2.53

( + + )
= 2.47108 /
3
1
= 1/ , considering = o and = o., =
= 2
=

= 1.47

10

Section E
This section ask to us compare in a table the values of L measured and L calculated from a
pulse with width approximately equal to the total delay of the transmission line. The L is
measured in accord with the values of the voltage reflected and the voltage incident. Those
values can be extracted from the plot V vs t. Those plots will follow above the table, C will be
the top (yellow) wave and F the bottom (green) wave. The L can be calculated with the values
of RL and Ro.
RL()

L(meas)=Vreflect/Vincident

L(calculated)

Error (%)

-86.875/104.375 = -0.8323

-1

16.77

20

-40/100.625 = -0.3975

-0.4286

7.26

100

29.375/101.25 = 0.2901

0.3333

12.96

92.5/98.75 = 0.9367

6.33

For RL = 0
=

0 50
=
= 1
+ 0 + 50

For RL = 20
=

20 50
=
= 0.4286
+ 20 + 50

100 50
=
= 0.3333
+ 100 + 50

For RL = 100

For RL =
=

50
=
=
+ + 50

RL = means that the load is an open-circuit. In that way, we can interpret it as the wave that
goes through the transmission line is the same that come back. In other words:

= + = +1

11

Figure 6 (C,F) RL = 0

Figure 7 (C,F) RL = 20

12

Figure 8 (C,F) RL = 100

Figure 9 (C,F) RL =
On the plots we can clearly observe the results of the table. The errors can occur because of
imprecision, connexions and the waste of the equipment, like the internal resistors.
13

When RL = 0 we can see that there is no pulse at point F. This occurs because the pulses cancel
themselves out at that point, since L = -1.
When RL = 20, we can observe a small signal at point F. As this transmission line is lossless,
this is the sum of the first and second wave at the point C. Since L is negative and has a
magnitude less than 1, the second pulse at point C is negative and smaller that the original.
When RL = 100, the wave at point F becomes bigger than the original one, because the L is
positive, and the sum of the incident and reflected pulses will be bigger than the incident pulse.
Finally, when RL = , we see no significant loss between the pulses at point C. The sum of
those two waves is the wave F, the biggest value possible for this point.
Below are the graphs V vs t for (C,D) and (E,F) pair, for RL = 20.

Figure 10 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom

14

Figure 11 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom

Below are the graphs V vs. d at time T/2 and 3T/2, where T is the pulse width as well as the
total delay of the line (i.e. they are the same). As before the blue dots are measured values
(read of the V vs. t graphs) and the dashed lines are expected values.
120

Voltage (mV)

100

80
60
40
20
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Distance from source (m)

Figure 12 Waveform at t = T/2 = 178 ns

15

70
60

Voltage (mV)

50
40
30
20
10
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Distance from source (m)

Figure 13 Waveform at t = 3T/2= 534 ns

Calculations to find expected V vs. d:

Figure 12:

Plotting at = 2 < therefore the end of the pulse will not yet have reached the source;
therefore the source is at Vg = 100 mV.

By = 2 the front of the pulse will have reached half way across the line (as T is the
total delay of the line); therefore the line will be at 100 mV from the source to = 45 ,
and at 0 V, beyond there.

Figure 13:
3

Plotting at = 2 > therefore the end of the pulse passed the source. Also 2 < 2
therefore the reflected pulse has yet to reach the source; therefore the source is at 0 V.
3

By = 2 the back of the pulse will have reached half way across the line. The
reflected pulse will have reached half way across the line as well. Therefore, one half
of the line (the one closer to that source) will be at 0 V and the voltage on the other half
will be the sum of the pulse and the reflected pulse:
= + = 100 0.4286 100 = 57.14
The preceding plots demonstrate wave propagation with a mismatched load. This
16

mismatching causes part of the incident pulse to be reflected. Without the reflection the
boundary conditions at the load (i.e. = ) cannot be satisfied. Since the source is
matched the wave is only reflected once.

17

Section F
This section examines reflection at the load and the source (multiple reflections), with the
RSOURCE = (50+100) = 150 and RL = 20. T represents the total delay of the line (356 ns).

Figure 14 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom pulse width = T

18

Figure 15 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom pulse width = T

Figure 16 (C,D) C on top and D on the bottom pulse width = 10T

Figure 17 (E,F) E on top and F on the bottom pulse width = 10T

19

We can calculate the reflection at the load and source considering RL = 20, RS = 150 and
RO = 50.
20 50
=
= 0.4286
+ 20 + 50
150 50
=
=
= 0.5
+ 150 + 50

This allows to find the theoretical V vs t plot at points D and F from 0 to 6T using a bounce
diagram.
For the plots with pulse width equal to 10T we can treat the pulse as a constant signal because
the end of the pulse happens after the end of the plot
At point F we have:
2
4

1 = 0 <
0
= 1+ + 1 = 1+ (1 + ) = + (1 + ) = 28.56 < < 3

3 = 2 + 2+ + 2 = 1+ (1 + + + 2 ) = 22.44 3 < < 5

= 3 + 3+ + 3 = 1+ (1 + + + 2 + 2 2 + 2 3 ) = 23.76 5 < < 7
At point D we have:
1 = 0 <

20

2 = 1+ =

+0

= 25

<<

5
3

5
7
3 = 1+ + 1 = 1+ (1 + ) = 1+ (1 + ) = 28.56
<<
3
3
7
11
4 = 3 + 2+ = 1+ (1 + + ) = 17.86
<<
3
3
11
13
5 = 4 + 2 = 1+ (1 + + + 2 ) = 22.44
<<
3
3
13
17
+
+ (1
2
2 2)
6 = 5 + 3 = 1
+ + + + = 24.74
<<
3
3
17
19
7 = 3 + 3 = 1+ (1 + + + 2 + 2 2 + 2 3 ) = 23.76
<<
3
3
For the plots with pulse with equal to T we represent the pulse as two constant signals: one
with amplitude Vg starting at t = 0 and another with amplitude -Vg starting at t = T. The first
signal gives a V vs. t plot the same as the one calculated for pulse widths equal to 10T; the
second gives the same plot once again but negative and shifted right by T. The sum of these
two plots is the desired V vs. t plot for the pulse.
30

Voltage (mV)

25
20

15
10
5
0
0

Time/T

Figure 18 Theoretical V vs. t at point F pulse width = 10T

21

60

Voltage (mV)

50
40
30
20
10
0
0

Time/T

Figure 19 Theoretical V vs. t at point D pulse width = 10T

35
30

Voltage (mV)

25
20
15
10

5
0
-5
-10

Time/T

Figure 20 Theoretical V vs. t at point F pulse width = T

22

60
50
40

Voltage (mV)

30
20
10
0
0
-10

-20
-30
-40

Time/T

Figure 21 Theoretical V vs. t at point D pulse width = T

The theoretical results are very similar to the experimentally measured ones. Of course the
measured values are not perfectly precise, the lines on the oscilloscope are quite thick; but
the shapes of the graphs as well as their amplitudes match the expected result

23

Section G
In this section we vary the frequency, find the minimum of the voltage at the input of the line.
First with the line terminated in a short circuit and then in a 0.01F capacitor. This can be done
analysing the wave as a sinusoidal wave.
We know that the length of the line (L) is 90 m and we know the wave speed as well as the
frequency () therefore we can find the line length is term of the wavelength for each case.
=

90
=
=
= 3.64 107
2.47 108

= 3.64 107 4.16 106 = 1.52

1

= 3.64 107 6.949 106 = 2.53

2

= 3.64 107 11.45 106 = 4.17

3

= 3.64 107 4.18 106 = 1.52

4

= 3.64 107 6.94 106 = 2.53

5

= 3.64 107 11.09 106 = 4.04

6
Line terminated in short circuit.
Frequency (MHz)

Length (in terms of )

4.16

1.52

4.43 mV

100 mV

6.949

2.53

4.675 mV

100 mV

11.45

4.17

5.75 mV

100 mV

Frequency (MHz)

Length (in terms of )

4.18

1.52

4.75 mV

100 mV

6.94

2.53

5.125 mV

100 mV

11.09

4.04

6.125 mV

100 mV

Line terminated in 0.01F.

1

24

To analyse the results we use the following equation from the course notes:

1 +
=

(
)
+
1 2
From which we derive

1 +
1 +
(
)(
)
+ 1 2 1 2

| | =
| | =
| | =

1 + 2{ } + | |2
(
)
+
1 2{ 2 } + | |2

1 + 2{ } + | |2
(
)
+
1 2 ({ }cos(2) + { }sin(2)) + 2 | |2

From this equation we can see that | | is greatest (as a function of ) when
2 ( cos(2) + sin(2)) greatest. Since { } = 0 for a short circuit termination, this

maximum occur where cos(2) = 1, where is an integer multiple of 2. A result that fits well
with what we observe for the short terminated line. For a capacitor terminated line { } 0
nor is negligible compared to { } since the impedance of the capacitor and the characteristic
1
impedance are of the same order of magnitude (2 4.18106 0.01106 = 3.81 ~ 50). Therefore the
maximum voltages for the capacitor vs. short terminated lines should be different. The results
are not different; this may indicate that the capacitor used to terminate the line was defective.
The maximum current occurs when the voltage has a minimum value. We can see it simply
analysing two formulas:
| |
|( )| = 2 | + |[1 + |2 | + 2| | cos( 2 )] (1)
| |

|( )| = 2 | + |[1 + |2 | 2| | cos( 2 )] (2)

Since those two formulas are in function of z, the (1) will reach the maximum when
cos( 2 ) is maximum. But the (2) will be a minimum when cos( 2 ) is maximum.
Furthermore, when cos( 2 ) is minimum, the formula (2) will reach the maximum, and the
formula
(1)
will
reach
his
minimum,
as
we
expected.

25

Figure 22 format of wave for V(z) and I(z)

26