RF & Microwave Engineering

Question Bank

Chapter 1

1. Write equations and define the terms (One mark each):

a) DC Resistance of a cylindrical conductor.
b) Normalized R with respect to RDC in terms of frequency.
c) Resistance in terms of length and skin depth.

2. Write short notes on (Five marks each)::

a) RF behavior of passive components.
b) Chip resistors, capacitors and inductors.
c) High frequency resistors, capacitors and inductors.

3. Underline the word which makes the statement wrong (One mark each)::
a) Skin depth rapidly decreases for decreasing frequency.
b) A chip resistor is realized by depositing a ceramic film layer on a ceramic
body.

4. Draw the figure with captions (One mark each):

a) Equivalent circuit representation of a h-f resistor
b) Equivalent circuit representation of a h-f capacitor
c) Equivalent circuit representation of a h-f inductor
d) Draw general configuration of a flat inductor

5. Worked out Ex:1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4

6. Unsolved: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.10, 1.25

Chapter 2

1. Write equations and define the terms (One mark each):

a) Line parameters R, L, C and G for parallel-plate transmission line.(1)
b) Coupled first-order differential equations for general transmission line.(1)
c) Characteristic impedance for narrow strips [w/h <1], giving equations for
terms involved, like eff.(2)
d) Characteristic impedance for wide strips [w/h >1], giving equations for terms
involved, like eff.(2)
e) Given Z0 and r, write the equations for w/h when w/h 2.(2)
f) Given Z0 and r, write the equations for w/h when w/h 2.(2)

2. Draw the figure with captions (One mark each):

a) General form of circuit representation of two-wire transmission line.
b) Voltage, current and impedance as a function of line length for a short circuit
termination.
c) Voltage, current and impedance as a function of line length for a open circuit
termination.
d) Generic transmission line circuit involving source and load terminations.
3. Underline the word which makes the statement wrong (One mark each):
a) Outer conductor of coaxial cable is grounded to minimize conductor loss and
field interference.
b) The ground plane in Microstrip line helps to prevent excessive field leakage
and thus reduce dielectric loss.
c) To achieve high board density of Microstrip components, we should use
substrate with low dielectric constant.
d) A Microstrip configuration that is primarily used for high impedance and high
power application is parallel-plate line.
e) Normally mutual inductance is neglected with respect to self inductance.
f) Definition of characteristic impedance is based on +ve and –ve standing
waves.
g) For a parallel-plate stripline, the fringing fields become more prominent, if
substrate thickness increases or conductor width increases.

4. Short questions (One mark each):

a) Explain why Kirchhof’s Law cannot be directly applied for RF/MW
frequencies. What is the solution?
b) Write the statement of i) Ampere’s Law and ii) Faraday’s Law, giving their
equations in differential forms.
c) Define Effective Dielectric Constant used in design equations for Microstrip
lines, giving its equation.
d) Describe reflection coefficient when the transmission line is i) open and ii)
short.
e) Show that for all transmission line types, phase velocity is independent of
frequency.
f) What do you know by ‘dispersion-free transmission’?
g) Show that if the transmission line is matched, then input impedance is equal to
characteristic impedance regardless of line length.
h) Is it possible to make input impedance equal to load impedance? If yes, then
under what condition? Prove mathematically.
i) Explain the concept of lamda-by-four transformer, using equations.

5. Short questions (Two marks each):

a) Derive the coupled first-order differential equations for general transmission
line and find their solution by decoupling them. Mention the conventions used.
b) For parallel-plate lossless transmission line, derive equations for characteristic
impedance, Z0. How is it related with wave impedance for free space?
c) Derive the equation for voltage reflection coefficient in terms of impedances.
d) Derive the general equation for input impedance of terminated lossless line, in
terms of load impedance.
e) For a sourced and loaded transmission line, introduce transmission coefficient
at the i) beginning of the line and ii) load end. Give all necessary equations,
labeled diagram, defining the terms used.
f) Define the following in terms of different impedances: i) Source reflection
coefficient, ii) Input reflection coefficient and iii) Output reflection
coefficient. Draw necessary figure.
g) Write the input power equations for a sourced and loaded transmission line,
for the following conditions: i) Z G Z0 and ZL Z0, ii) ZG = Z0 and ZL = Z0
and iii) ZG Z0 and ZL = Z0.
 h) Derive the power delivered to the load for a lossy transmission line in terms of
different reflection coefficients.
i) Define the terms i) Return Loss and ii) Insertion Loss and give their equations.
j) Derive the equation for impedance at any distance d from the load in terms of
reflection coefficient at the same point.

6. Long questions (Four marks each):

a) For a short-circuited transmission line, derive the equations for V(d), I(d) and
Zin(d) and show their plot as a function of line length (d/ ). Explain the
capacitive and inductive behavior of the transmission line.
b) For a short-circuited transmission line, derive the equations for V(d), I(d) and
Zin(d) and show their plot as a function of line length (d/ ). Explain the
capacitive and inductive behavior of the transmission line.
c) For a sourced and loaded transmission line, if both the source and load
impedances are not matched to transmission line impedance, find the input
power, Pin. Define all terms involved.
d) Show that the optimal power transfer requires conjugate complex matching of
transmission line to generator impedance. Derive the equations used.

7. Starting from basic equations of voltage and current, derive the input impedance
Zin(d) for the terminated lossless transmission line in terms of Z0, ZL and distance d.
[5]
8. Derive the input power equation for a sourced and loaded transmission line when both
ZG and ZL are not matching with Zo. Make the necessary changes in the equation,
when i) ZG = Z0, ii) ZL = Z0 and iii) both ZG = 0 and Z0 = 0 [5]

9. Worked out Ex:2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11

10. Unsolved: 2.8, 1.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.22, 2.23, 2.24, 2.28, 2.33 [5]

Chapter: 3

1. Write Equations And Define Terms

a. Reflection coefficient on phasor form 1
b. Normalized input impedance equation in terms of real and imaginary each
parts of
c. Equations for normalized resistance and reactance in terms of real and
imaginary parts of .
d. Parametric reflection coefficient equations for circles of normalized
resistance and reactance used for Smith Chart.
e. Standing Wave Ratio equation in terms of reflection coefficient at any
distance d.
f. Line length to obtain pure inductive / capacitive impedance behavior
using open – circuit transmission line.
g. Line length to obtain pure inductive / capacitive impedance behavior
using short – circuit transmission line.
2. Find the real and imaginary parts of zin in terms of real and imaginary parts of 2
reflection coefficient.

3. Starting from normalized ‘r’ and ‘x’ equations, derive the parametric equations 4
for
a) normalized resistance
b) normalized reactance

4. Explain the mapping of constant resistance lines in z-plane into constant 3

resistance circles in Γ- plane, using the necessary equation and diagram.

5. Explain the mapping of constant reactance lines in z-plane into constant 3

reactance circles in Γ- plane using the necessary equation and diagram.

6. Explain the mapping of normalized impedance in z-plane into normalized 3

impedance in Smith Chart using the necessary diagram.

7. Give 6 steps of finding input impedance of a transmission line with 2

characteristics impedance Zo, load impedance ZL and length d, using Smith
Chart.

8. Find the equation for length d1 of open-circuit transmission line which has pure 3
inductive impedance behavior. Also explain it with respect to Smith Chart (Self-
drawn).

9. Find the equation for length d2 of open circuit transmission line which has pure 3
capacitive impedance behavior. Also explain it with respect to Smith Chart
(Self-drawn).

10. Repeat Q9 for short circuit behavior. 3

11. Repeat Q10 for short circuit behavior. 3

12. Show the impedance response on roughly drawn Smith Chart for a 3
1) Series connection of R & C, considering r = 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 4
2) Series connection of R & L, considering r = 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 each
Consider C = 1.5 pF, L = 15 nH, flower = 500 MHz, fupper = 500 MHz

13. Worked out Ex: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 7
14. Unsolved: 3.2, 3.4 3.6, 3.7, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 3.15, 3.16, 3.18 5/6/7