ELEctromagnetic DIAgnostics Lab.

DIT Universit di Trento DIT - Universit di Trento

Via Sommarive 14, I-38050 Trento Italia
E-mail: massmo.donelli@disi.unitn.it E mail: massmo.donelli@disi.unitn.it
Stripline Stripline Stripline and and and Microstripline Microstripline Microstripline ppp ppp
Master Master Degree Degree Electronic and Telecommunication Electronic and Telecommunication
A.A. A.A. 2012 2012--2013 2013
Stripline propagation structures
A planar-type of transmission line that lends A planar-type of transmission line that lends
itself well to microwave integrated circuitry
and photolithographic fabrication and photolithographic fabrication.
Si i li h 2 d d Since stripline has 2 conductors and a
homogeneous dielectric, it can support a
TEM TEM wave.
The stripline can also support higher order
TM and TE modes, but these are usually
2
, y
avoided in practice.
3
Stripline transmission line. (a) Geometry. (b) Electric and magnetic field
lines.
quadrature hybrids
Photograph of a stripline circuit assembly, showing four
4
quadrature hybrids, open-circuit tuning stubs, and coaxial
transitions.
Formulas for Propagation Constant, Characteristic
Impedance and Attenuation
0 0
1/ /
p r r
v c = =
The phase velocity of a TEM mode:
0 0 0 r r
p
k
v

= = =
The propagation constant of the stripline is
1 L LC
0
1
p
L LC
Z
C C v C
= = =
The characteristic impedance of a transmission line is
Laplaces equation can be solved by conformal mapping to find
5
the capacitance per unit length of the stripline. complicated
special function
For practical computations simple empirical formulas have
been developed by curve fitting to the measured solution been developed by curve fitting to the measured solution.
0
30
0441
b
Z
W b

=
where W is the effective width of the center conductor
0
0.441
e
r
W b

+
where W
e
is the effective width of the center conductor
0 for / 0.35
e
W b
W W
>

Given the characteristic impedance, the strip width is

2
(0.35 / ) for / 0.35 W b W b b b
=

<

r 0
r 0
for 120
0.85 0.6 for 120
x Z
W
b
x Z

>

=

<

where

30
0.441 x

=
6
0 r
Z
The loss are due to the dielectric loss and the conductor loss
-3
0
r 0
2.7 10
for 120
s r
R Z
A Z

>

r 0
r 0
o 0
30 ( )
0.16
for 120
c
s
b t
R
B Z
Z b

<

with
0
Z b

with
2 1 2
1 l
W b t b t
A
+


2 1 2
1 ln
0.414 1 4
1 05 ln
W b t b t
A
b t b t t
b t W
B

+

= + +




= + + +

1 0.5 ln
(0.5 0.7 ) 2
B
W t W t
= + + +

+

7
Microstrip
Microstrip line is one of the most popular types of transmission
lines, primarily because it can be fabricated by photolithographic
d i il i t t d ith th i d ti process and is easily integrated with other passive and active
microwave devices.
Microstrip line cannot support a pure TEM wave.
In most practical applications, the dielectric substrate is
electrically very thin (d<<), and so the fields are quasi-TEM.
c
k
0
, , 1
p e e r
e
c
v k

= = < <
8
Microstrip
Microstrip transmission line (a) Geometry (b) Electric and magnetic
9
Microstrip transmission line. (a) Geometry. (b) Electric and magnetic
field lines.
Microstrip
Equivalent geometry of quasi-TEM microstrip line, where the dielectric
slab of thickness I and relative permittivity
r
has been replaced with a
h di f ff ti l ti itti it
10
homogeneous medium of effective relative permittivity,
e
.
Formulas for Propagation Constant, Characteristic
Impedance and Attenuation Impedance and Attenuation
The effective dielectric constant of a microstrip line:
1 1 1
r r

+
= +
2 2
1 12 /
e
d W
= +
+
The characteristic impedance of a microstrip line is
60 8
ln for / 1
4
d W
W d
W d

[ ]
0
4
120
for / 1
/ 1393 0667ln( / 1444)
e
W d
Z
W d
W d W d

+ + +

11
[ ]
/ 1.393 0.667ln( / 1.444)
e
W d W d

+ + +

Given Z
0
, and
r
, the strip width is
2
8
for / 2
2
A
A
e
W d
e
W

<

=



2 1 0.61
1 ln(2 1) ln( 1) 0.39 for / 2
2
r
r r
d
B B B W d

+ + <

where

0
1 1 0.11
0.23
60 2 1
377
r r
r r
Z
A



+
= + +

+

0
377
2
r
B
Z

=
The attenuation due to dielectric loss
( 1)tan k
12
0
( 1)tan
2 ( 1)
r e
d
e r
k

The attenuation due to the conductor loss

h
0
s
c
R
Z W
=
where
0
/ 2
s
R =
is the surface resistivity of the conductor.
13
Approximate Electrostatic Solution
14
Geometry of a microstrip line with conducting sidewalls.
The potential (x,y) satisfying Laplaces equation:
( , ) 0 for / 2, 0
t
x y x a y =
with BC
( , ) 0 at / 2, 0, x y x a y = = =
Since there are 2 regions defined by air/dielectric interface, with a
h di ti it th t i ill h t ( ) charge discontinuity on the strip, we will have separate (x,y).
2 2
( , ) ( ) ( ) 0 x y X x Y y


= + =

2 2
2 2
( , ) ( ) ( ) 0
0 ,
x y X x Y y
x y
X Y X Y
k k
+




+ = = =
15
0 ,
( , ) ( cos sin )( cosh sinh )
x x
x x x x
k k
X Y X Y
x y A k x B k x C k y B k y
+
= + +
Applying BC & even function on x & y,
0, 0, cos 0
2
x
x
k a n
B C A k
a

= = = =
cos sinh for 0
n
n x n y
A y d

1, ;
/
( , )
cos for
n n odd
n y a
n
a a
x y
n x
B e d y
a

must be continuous at y = d
1, ; n n odd
a
=

must be continuous at y = d
/
sinh
n d a
n n
n d
A B e
a

=
16
1, ;
cos sinh for 0
( )
n
n n odd
n x n y
A y d
a a

( )/
1, ;
( , )
cos sinh for
n y d a
n
n n odd
x y
n x n d
A e d y
a a

=
=

cos cosh for 0

n n x n y
A y d

1, ;
( )/
cos cosh for 0
cos sinh for d
n
n n odd
y
n y d a
n
A y d
a a a
E
y
n n x n d
A e y

= =

1, ;
n
n n odd
y
a a a
=

17
The surface current density at y = d,
+
0 0
( , ) ( , )
( , ) ( , )
s y y
y r y
D x y d D x y d
E x y d E x y d

+
+
= = =
= = =
0
1, ;
cos sinh cosh
n r
n n odd
n n x n d n d
A
a a a a

=

= +

By a good guess,
1 for / 2
( )
0 for / 2
s
x W
x
x W

<

=

<

Taking the orthogonalization for both sides of

s
,

d d

/ 2 / 2
2
0
/ 2 / 2
/ 2
cos cos sinh cosh
a a
n r
a a
W
n x n n x n d n d
dx A dx
a a a a a




= +





18
/ 2
0
/ 2
sin sinh cosh
4
W
n r
W
a n x n a n d n d
A
n a a a a

= +



4 sin / 2 a n W a
A

=
( )
2
0
sinh cosh
n
r
A
n d n d
n
a a


=

+


( 0 ) i h
d
n b
V E d A

0
1
/ 2
( 0, ) sinh
2
( )
y n
n
W
V E x y dy A
a
Q W
Q x dx W C
=
= = =
= = = =

/ 2
1
( ) ,
sinh
2
s
W
n
n
Q x dx W C
n b
V
A
a

=
= = = =

0 0
1
, /
e
e
p
L
Z C C
C v C cC

= = = =
C = capacitance per unit length of the microstrip line with
r
1
C
0
= capacitance per unit length of the microstrip line with = 1
19
C
0
= capacitance per unit length of the microstrip line with
r
= 1
Similar Propagating Structures
Dielectric waveguide geometry
20
Dielectric waveguide geometry.
Similar Propagating Structures
21
Geometry of a printed slotline.
Similar Propagating Structures
Coplanar waveguide geometry
22
Coplanar waveguide geometry.
Similar Propagating Structures
23
Covered microstrip line.
Substrate Materials
The following table shows the most commonly used substrate materials:
Substrate Materials
Silica Silica
Loosely called quartz, its single-crystal form, fused silica has a number
of very good and very bad properties It is one of the few high quality of very good and very bad properties. It is one of the few high-quality
materials that have a low dielectric constant. Its dielectric constant is
3.78, much lower than other hard substrates but not as low as the
it t i l Thi l di l t i t t bi d ith l composite materials. This low dielectric constant, combined with low
loss and good smoothness, makes fused silica seemingly ideal for
millimeter-wave circuits. Unfortunately, fused silica is also very brittle,
making it difficult to handle and to fabricate, and its smoothness makes
good metal adhesion difficult to obtain. Fused silica has a low thermal
expansion coefficient; it is matched only to Invar or Kovar, metal alloys p y y
that are expensive and difficult to machine. Metallizations
consist of a very thin sputtered adhesion layer with a top layer of plated
gold. gold.
Substrate Materials
Alumina is the ceramic form of sapphire (see below) It is a moderately Alumina is the ceramic form of sapphire (see below). It is a moderately
expensive substrate but still the least expensive of the "hard" substrates. It
is very hard, temperature-stable, and has good thermal conductivity.
Although its thermal expansion coefficient is not well matched to brass or Although its thermal expansion coefficient is not well matched to brass or
aluminum, alumina is so strong that it does not crack easily when bonded
to a thermally mismatched surface, even at extreme temperatures.
Al i b li h d t hi h th if d t l Alumina can be polished to high smoothness, if necessary, and metal
adhesion is good. Although hard, alumina can be cut easily with a diamond
substrate saw or a laser; holes can be made with a laser or a carbide tool.
Alumina has a high dielectric constant, usually 9.5 to 10.0The most
common metallization is gold. A very thin adhesion layer is used between
the gold and the substrate. g
Substrate Materials
Sapphire Sapphire
Sapphire is the crystalline form of aluminum oxide (Al2O4). It is relatively
expensive. Its only advantage over alumina is its extreme smoothness, p y g ,
which minimizes conductor loss, and slightly lower dielectric loss. Sapphire
is electrically anisotropic: its dielectric constant depends on the direction of
the electric field in the material It is 8 6 in a plane and 10 55 in the the electric field in the material. It is 8.6 in a plane and 10.55 in the
direction parallel to that plane. Sapphire usually is cut so that the k = 8.6
plane is parallel to the ground plane. This makes the characteristics of
microstrip lines independent of their orientation but it causes the microstrip lines independent of their orientation, but it causes the
difference between even- and odd-mode phase velocities in coupled lines
to be Worse than in an isotropic material. The metallization is invariably
ld ith dh i l gold with an adhesion layer.
Substrate Materials
Composite Materials: Composite Materials:
Composite materials often are called "soft substrates " because they are Composite materials often are called soft substrates, because they are
usually made from flexible plastics. The most common form is poly-tetra-
fluoro-ethylene (better known by its trade name, Teflon), loaded with glass
fib i d Thi i b th d t d di d t th fibers or ceramic powder. This is both an advantage and disadvantage; the
soft material is easy to handle and inexpensive to fabricate, but the
mechanical and thermal properties are not as' good as those of "hard"
substrates. The thermal conductivity may be very low.
Substrate Materials
The following are some concerns: The following are some concerns:
Tolerance of the dielectric constant
Variation of the dielectric constant and loss tangent with frequency and Variation of the dielectric constant and loss tangent with frequency and
temperature
Electrical anisotropy py
Thermal expansion coefficient and Moisture absorption
Volume and surface resistivity Volume and surface resistivity.
Distributed Circuit Elements Passive
Microwave Devices Microwave Devices
Microwave passive devices can be fabricated considering the previous Microwave passive devices can be fabricated considering the previous
propagating structures.
In particular with coaxial cable, waveguides, stripline, and microstrip lines it
is possible to fabricate capacitors/inductors and other useful passive
microwave devices such as phase shifters, and matching transformers.
The theory of classical transmission line it is enough to completely
describe such kind of devices describe such kind of devices.
Distributed Circuit Elements Passive
Microwave Devices Microwave Devices
Distributed Circuit Elements Passive
Microwave Devices
A stub is a length of straight transmission line that is short- or open-
Microwave Devices
g g p
circuited at one end and connected to a circuit at the opposite end.
Stubs can approximate inductors, capacitors, or resonators. High- or
low-impedance series lines also approximate series inductors or shunt low impedance series lines also approximate series inductors or shunt
capacitors, respectively.
Stubs are used almost exclusively as shunt elements. Although they
could in theory be used to realize series elements there are a couple could, in theory, be used to realize series elements, there are a couple
of problems in doing so. First, the stub would have to be realized by a
parallel-coupled line. The even mode on such a line would introduce
shunt capacitance so the stub would not be a series element Second shunt capacitance, so the stub would not be a series element. Second,
such structures often are difficult to realize both mechanically and
electrically. Usually they just don't work.
o Short-circuit stub: Zin = jZo tan(l)
o Open-circuit stub: Zin = jZo cot(l)
Distributed Circuit Elements Passive Microwave
D i
A radial stub is an open-circuit stub realized in radial transmission line
Devices
p
instead of straight transmission line. It is a very useful element, primarily
for providing a clean (no spurious resonances) broadband short circuit,
much broader than a simple open-circuit stub. It is especially useful on much broader than a simple open circuit stub. It is especially useful on
bias lines in high-frequency amplifiers and similar components.
Radial stubs are used almost exclusively in microstrip circuits; they could Radial stubs are used almost exclusively in microstrip circuits; they could
be used in stripline as well. Although radial stubs are shorter than uniform
stubs, they cannot be folded or bent; therefore they take up a lot of
substrate area For this reason radial stubs are used primarily at high substrate area. For this reason radial stubs are used primarily at high
frequencies, where they are relatively small.
Example of radial stub
A radial stub commonly used in microstrip technology A radial stub commonly used in microstrip technology.
Distributed Circuit Elements Passive Microwave
D i
S i Li Th i lid h d() /4 d d
Devices
Series Lines. The expressions are valid when mod() n/4, and under
these conditions tan(mod()) = mod(). We should also quantify what we
mean by high and low impedances: we mean that they are high or low
compared to the impedances locally in the circuit. For example, a filter
designed for SOQ terminations requires Zo SOQ or Zo SOQ. Series
lines do not provide very good approximations of shunt capacitors or series
inductors unless the capacitance or inductance is fairly low. Even then, the
discontinuities introduced by cascading low- and high-impedance sections,
as would exist in a low-pass filter, for example, can be difficult to as would exist in a low pass filter, for example, can be difficult to
characterize accurately.