Switched Load

Assume the circuit below is at steady state. Then at time t = 0, the switch moves from the 100 Ω resistor to the 25 Ω
resistor. Subscripts with “old” refer to the values before the switch moves (t < 0), and those with “new” refer to the
values after the switch moves (t > 0). Also, subscripts with “S” refer to the values at the source side, and those with “L”
refer to the values at the load side.

100#Ω# 50#Ω# V +#

V %# +
+ V L#
5V# %#
25#Ω# 100#Ω#
%#

Since the switch is on the load side, V + will not change at t = 0. This is because V + is being created from the source
+
side and will take one full period (T ) to change (i.e., V + doesn’t know
V+#the50#Ω#
switch has moved until t = T so Vold +
= Vnew ).
− 100#Ω# − −
However, V will change right when the switch moves, because V is being created on the load side (i.e., V changes
−
right at t = 0 so Vold −
6= Vnew ). Therefore, +# V%#
+ VS# 100#Ω#
− + 5V# %# − + 25#Ω#, + − + −
Vold = Vold ΓL-old , Vnew = Vnew ΓL-new Vold + Vold = VL-old , Vnew + Vnew = VL-new .
%#
Using our definitions defined above, we get

+ − RL-old 100
Vold + Vold = VL-old = Vsource · =5· = 2.5 V,
RS + RL-old 100 + 100
− + + −
and (instead of Vold = Vold ΓL-old , we could also use Vold − Vold = IL-SS Z0 )

− + + RL-old − Z0 + 100 − 50 + 1
Vold = Vold ΓL-old = Vold · = Vold · = Vold · .
RL-old + Z0 100 + 50 3
+ − + +
With the previous two equations, we can now solve forVold and Vold (remember that Vold is the same as Vnew , just before
and after the switch moves),
− + +
Vold = 0.625 V and Vnew = Vold = 1.875 V.

We have now solved for all of the “old” variables, and can now find the “new” variables. To start, solve for the negative
traveling voltage,
− + + RL-new − Z0 25 − 50
Vnew = Vnew ΓL-new = Vnew · = 1.875 · = −0.625 V.
RL-new + Z0 25 + 50
Finally we can solve for the new voltage at the load side of the transmission line,

+ −
VL-new = Vnew + Vnew = 1.875 + (−0.625) = 1.25 V.

We have now found all of the “old” and “new” values. Remember that “old” and “new” refer to time t = 0− and t = 0+ ,
respectively. As t moves forward in time (t = T, t = 2T, t = 3T, . . . ), the values for the forward and reverse traveling
voltages will change due to reflections. As a check, we can use the relationship that the change in voltage across the load
side of the transmission line should be the same as the change in the negative traveling voltage,

− −
VL-new − VL-old = Vnew − Vold
1.25 − 2.5 = −0.625 − 0.625
−1.25 = −1.25.

1
 100#Ω# 50#Ω# V +#

V %# +
+ V L#
5V# %# Switched Source 25#Ω# 100#Ω#
%#
Now consider the circuit below. Assume that the naming convention is the same as in the Switched Load case. Again the
circuit is at steady state. Then at time t = 0, the switch moves from the 100 Ω resistor to the 25 Ω resistor (but now on
the source side).

V +# 50#Ω#
100#Ω#
+# V%#
+ VS# 100#Ω#
5V# %# 25#Ω#
%#

Since the switch is on the source side, V − will not change at t = 0. This is because V − is being created from the load
−
side and will take one full period (T ) to change (i.e., V − doesn’t know the switch has moved until t = T so Vold −
= Vnew ).
However, V + will change right when the switch moves, because V + is being created on the source side (i.e., V + changes
+ +
right at t = 0 so Vold 6= Vnew ). Therefore,

− + − + + − + −
Vold = Vold ΓS-old , Vnew = Vnew ΓS-new , Vold + Vold = VS-old , Vnew + Vnew = VS-new .

Before the switch moves (t < 0), this circuit is the exact same as that in the Switched Load case. Therefore, we can use
all of the “old” values that we have already calculated (realizing that in steady state VS-old = VL-old ), so

− +
VS-old = 2.5 V, Vold = 0.625 V, and Vold = 1.875 V.

Also, we know that the negative traveling voltage remains the same just before and just after the switch moves, implying

− −
Vnew = Vold = 0.625 V.

To solve for the “new” values, we again recognize that the positive traveling voltage is proportional to the negative
traveling wave,
+ − + RS-new − Z0 25 − 50
Vnew = Vnew ΓS-new = Vnew · = 0.625 · ≈ −0.208 V,
RS-new + Z0 25 + 50
and that the sum of the positive and negative traveling voltages is the voltage across the source side of the transmission
line,
− +
VS-new = Vnew + Vnew = 0.625 + −0.208 = 0.417 V.

We have now found all of the “old” and “new” values. Remember that “old” and “new” refer to time t = 0− and t = 0+ ,
respectively. As t moves forward in time (t = T, t = 2T, t = 3T, . . . ), the values for the forward and reverse traveling
voltages will change due to reflections. Once again, we can use the relationship that the change in voltage across the
source side of the transmission line should be the same as the change in the positive traveling voltage,

+ +
VS-new − VS-old = Vnew − Vold
0.417 − 2.5 = −0.208 − 1.875
−2.083 = −2.083.