1/9/2015

IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides...
Rectangularwaveguidesarethoneoftheearliesttypeofthetransmissionlines.Theyare
usedinmanyapplications.Alotofcomponentssuchasisolators,detectors,attenuators,
couplersandslottedlinesareavailableforvariousstandardwaveguidebandsbetween1
GHztoabove220GHz.
A rectangular waveguide supports TM and TE modes but not TEM waves because we
cannot define a unique voltage since there is only one conductor in a rectangular
waveguide. The shape of a rectangular waveguide is as shown below. A material with
permittivityeandpermeabilitymfillstheinsideoftheconductor.

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A rectangular waveguide cannot

propagate
below
some
certain
frequency. This frequency is called the
cutofffrequency.

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Here, we will discuss TM mode

rectangular waveguides and TE mode
rectangularwaveguidesseparately.Lets
startwiththeTMmode.

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TMModes
Considertheshapeoftherectangularwaveguideabovewithdimensionsaandb(assume
a>b)andtheparameterseand m. For TM waves Hz= 0 and Ez should be solved from
equationforTMmode
2xyEz0+h2Ez0=0
SinceEz(x,y,z)=Ez0(x,y)egz,wegetthefollowingequation,

Ifweusethemethodofseparationofvariables,thatisEz0(x,y)=X(x).Y(y)weget,

Sincetherightsidecontainsxtermsonlyandtheleftsidecontainsytermsonly,theyare
bothequaltoaconstant.Callingthatconstantaskx2,weget

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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

whereky2=h2kx2
Now,weshouldsolveforXandYfromtheprecedingequations.Alsowehavetheboundary
conditionsof
Ez0(0,y)=0
Ez0(a,y)=0
Ez0(x,0)=0
Ez0(x,b)=0
Fromallthese,weconcludethat
X(x)isintheformofsinkx x,wherekx=mp/a,m=1,2,3,
Y(y)isintheformofsinkyy,whereky=np/b,n=1,2,3,
SothesolutionforEz0(x,y)is

(V/m)
Fromky2=h2kx2,wehave

ForTMwaves,wehave

Fromtheseequations,weget

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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

where

Here, m and n represent possible modes and it is designated as the TMmn mode. m
denotesthenumberofhalfcyclevariationsofthefieldsinthexdirectionandndenotesthe
numberofhalfcyclevariationsofthefieldsintheydirection.
When we observe the above equations we see that for TM modes in rectangular
waveguides, neither m nor n can be zero. This is because of the fact that the field
expressions are identically zero if either m or n is zero. Therefore, the lowest mode for
rectangularwaveguideTMmodeisTM11.
Here,thecutoffwavenumberis

andtherefore,

Thecutofffrequencyisatthepointwheregvanishes.Therefore,

Sincel=u/f,wehavethecutoffwavelength,

At a given operating frequency f, only those frequencies, which have fc<f will propagate.
Themodeswithf<fcwillleadtoanimaginarybwhichmeansthatthefieldcomponentswill
decay exponentially and will not propagate. Such modes are called cutoff or evanescent
modes.
Themodewiththelowestcutofffrequencyiscalledthedominantmode.SinceTMmodes
forrectangularwaveguidesstartfromTM11mode,thedominantfrequencyis

Thewaveimpedanceisdefinedastheratioofthetransverseelectricandmagneticfields.
Therefore,wegetfromtheexpressionsforExandHy(seetheequationsabove)
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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

Theguidewavelengthisdefinedasthedistancebetweentwoequalphaseplanesalongthe
waveguideanditisequalto

whichisthusgreaterthanl,thewavelengthofaplanewaveinthefillingmedium.
Thephasevelocityis

whichisgreaterthanthespeedoflight(planewave)inthefillingmaterial.
Attenuationforpropagatingmodesresultswhentherearelossesinthedielectricandinthe
imperfectly conducting guide walls. The attenuation constant due to the losses in the
dielectriccanbefoundasfollows:

TEModes
Consider again the rectangular waveguide below with dimensions a and b (assume a>b)
andtheparameterseandm.
ForTEwavesEz=0andHzshouldbe
solvedfromequationforTEmode
2xyHz+h2Hz=0

Since Hz(x,y,z) = Hz0(x,y)egz, we get

thefollowingequation,

get,

If we use the method of separation of

variables,thatisHz0(x,y)=X(x).Y(y) we

Sincetherightsidecontainsxtermsonlyandtheleftsidecontainsytermsonly,theyare
bothequaltoaconstant.Callingthatconstantaskx2,weget

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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

whereky2=h2kx2
Here,wemustsolveforXandYfromtheprecedingequations.Alsowehavethefollowing
boundaryconditions:

atx=0

atx=a

aty=0

aty=b
Fromallthese,weget

(A/m)
Fromky2=h2kx2,wehave

ForTEwaves,wehave

Fromtheseequations,weobtain

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IntroductiontoRectangularWaveguides

where

Asexplainedbefore,mandnrepresentpossiblemodesanditisshownastheTEmnmode.
mdenotesthenumberofhalfcyclevariationsofthefieldsinthexdirectionandndenotes
thenumberofhalfcyclevariationsofthefieldsintheydirection.
Here,thecutoffwavenumberis

andtherefore,

Thecutofffrequencyisatthepointwheregvanishes.Therefore,

Sincel=u/f,wehavethecutoffwavelength,

At a given operating frequency f, only those frequencies, which have f>fc will propagate.
Themodeswithf<fcwillnotpropagate.
Themodewiththelowestcutofffrequencyiscalledthedominantmode.SinceTE10mode
is the minimum possible mode that gives nonzero field expressions for rectangular
waveguides, it is the dominant mode of a rectangular waveguide with a>b and so the
dominantfrequencyis

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Thewaveimpedanceisdefinedastheratioofthetransverseelectricandmagneticfields.
Therefore,wegetfromtheexpressionsforExandHy(seetheequationsabove)

Theguidewavelengthisdefinedasthedistancebetweentwoequalphaseplanesalongthe
waveguideanditisequalto

whichisthusgreaterthanl,thewavelengthofaplanewaveinthefillingmedium.
Thephasevelocityis

whichisgreaterthanthespeedoftheplanewaveinthefillingmaterial.
Theattenuationconstantduetothelossesinthedielectricisobtainedasfollows:

Aftersomemanipulation,weget

Example:
Consier a length of airfilled copper Xband waveguide, with dimensions a=2.286cm,
b=1.016cm.Findthecutofffrequenciesofthefirstfourpropagatingmodes.
Solution:
Fromtheformulaforthecutofffrequency

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