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Principles of Electronic
Communication Systems
Fifth Edition
Louis E. Frenzel, Jr.
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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Chapter 18
Microwave Communication
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Topics
18-1: Microwave Concepts
A. Microwave Frequencies and Bands
B. Benefits of Microwaves
C. Disadvantages of Microwaves and Millimeter
Waves
D. Microwave Communication Systems
18-2: Microwave Transmission Lines and Devices
E. Microstrip Tuned Circuits
F. Microwave Transistor
G. Small-Signal Amplifiers
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Microwave Transmission Lines and
Devices
TRANSISTOR AMPLIFIERS
for higher frequencies, instead of vacuum tubes and
microwave tubes (klystron and magnetron)
provide both voltage and power gain at frequencies up
to 100 GHz
MESFET (Microwave FET transistors), GaAs and
SiGe (MOSFETs and Bipolars), GaN power FETs (50
GHz)
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
preferred for reactive circuits at the higher frequencies
because it is simpler and less expensive than stripline
(stripline is used where shielding is necessary to
minimize noise and cross talk.)
created by using a copper pattern printed-circuit board
(G-10 or FR-4 fiberglass or a combination of fiberglass
and Teflon)
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Shorted Segments –
preferred, they do not radiate
as much as open segments
Figure 18-7 Microstrip
transmission line used for
reactive circuits. (a) Perspective
view. (b) Edge or end view. (c)
Side view (open line). (d) Side
view (shorted line).
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Figure 18-8 Equivalent circuits of open and shorted microstrip lines.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Impedance
important characteristic of microstrip.
depends on its physical characteristics.
width of the strip and the spacing between the strip
and the copper ground plane (thickness of PCB).
most common value is 50 Ω, followed by 75 Ω, and
100 Ω.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
2
𝑍𝑂
𝑅 2=
𝑅1
(c)
Figure 16-8: How a one quarter wavelength microstrip can transform impedances and
reactances.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Sample:
1. Determine the resistance (R2) seen by end of the
line if the characteristic impedance of the microstrip
is 50 Ω and the connected resistance is 150 Ω.
2. A 75 Ω microstrip λ/4 long will make an inductive
reactance of 30 Ω look like a capacitive reactance of
___.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Figure 18-10 Common microstrip patterns and their equivalents.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Microstrip
can also be used to realize coupling from one circuit.
one microstrip line is simply placed parallel to another
segment of microstrip.
the closer the spacing and the longer the parallel run,
the greater the coupling.
with signal loss, but can
be accurately controlled.
Figure 18-11 Coupling between microstrips.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Low-pass filter R >> width of the line
Figure 18-12 Microstrip 90° turns. (a) Right angles such as this should be avoided.
(b) Gradual curves or turns are preferred. (c) This arrangement is also acceptable.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Hybrid Ring
it has unique operation that makes it very useful for
splitting signals or combining them.
Input: P1, Output: P2 & P4 (1/2 each) power divider
Input: P4, Output: P1 & P3 (1/2 each) power divider
Input: P1 and P3, Output: P2 (sum) & P4 (difference)
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
1.5λ
Figure 16-12: A rnicrostrip hybrid ring.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Wilkinson Circuit
can be a divider or combiner. Bidirectional.
a passive circuit made with two λ/4 microstrip
transmission lines on a PCB.
characteristic impedances are 1.414Zo.
splits the power input to P1 into 2 equal power outputs
on P2 and P3 (maintaining the Z on each port).
can also be used to combine two inputs (P2 and P3)
into one composite output P1
100 percent efficient (no losses).
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Figure 18-14 Wilkinson circuit. (a) Power splitter or divider. (b) Power combiner.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Microstrips
can be used to create almost any tuned circuit
necessary in an amplifier, including resonant circuits,
filters, and impedance-matching networks.
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
1 – 3-GHz range
Figure 18-15 A microstrip filter. (a) Microstrip low-pass filter. (b) Lumped constant
equivalent circuit. © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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Microstrip Tuned Circuits
Sample: A one-quarter wave Q-matching section made
of microstrip is designed to match a source of 50 Ω to a
load 136 Ω of at 5.8 GHz. The PCB dielectric constant
is 2.4. Calculate (a) the required impedance of the
microstrip and (b) its length (in inch).
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Microwave Transistors
can be bipolar or FET types.
primary differences between standard and microwave:
internal geometry and packaging
Geometries
special chip configurations
to reduce internal inductances and capacitances of
transistor elements.
permit the transistors to operate at higher power levels
and at the same time minimize distributed and stray
inductances and capacitances.
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Microwave Transistors
Figure 18-16 Microwave transistors. (a) and (b) Low-power small signal. (c) FET
power. (d) NPN bipolar power.
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Microwave Transistors
small-signal amplification and oscillators are available
for frequency up to about 100 GHz.
power amplification, transistors are available for
frequencies up to 50 GHz.
made of silicon.
geometry: 40 nm, help to increased switching speeds
and amplification frequencies.
complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)
digital integrated circuits (made with MOSFETs), can
operate up to 10 GHz.
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Microwave Transistors
High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT)
variant of MESFET
extends the frequency range beyond 20 GHz by
adding an extra layer of semiconductor material such
as AlGaAs.
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Microwave Transistors
Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT)
highly popular device, making even higher-frequency
amplification possible in both discrete form and
integrated circuits
formed with two different types of semiconductor
materials.
Combinations: InP, SiGe, AlGaAs/GaAs, InGaAsP
InP: up to 50 GHz
SiGe: up to 200 GHz
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Microwave Transistors
LDMOS Enhancement Mode FET
power amplifiers popular at frequencies below 6 GHz.
can handle power levels to several hundred watts.
Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor
(pHEMT) Transistors
frequencies up to 50 GHz.
new gallium nitride (GaN) transistors that can supply
power levels up to about 100 watts.
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
can be made up of a single transistor or multiple
transistors combined with a biasing circuit and any
microstrip circuits or components as required.
tuned variety, BW is set by the application and
implemented by microstrip series or parallel tuned
circuits, microstrip lines are used to perform the
various impedance-matching required to get the
amplifier to work.
MMIC (Multistage IC), type of small-signal
microwave amplifier (mixers, switches, and phase
shifters).
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
Transistor Amp.
Inductors
Tuned Circuits
Z matching Z matching Z matching
Tuning
Capacitors Gain: 10 to 25 dB
Figure 18-17 A single-stage class A RF microwave amplifier. Z In/Out: 50 Ω
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
Monolithic Microwave Integrated-circuit (MMIC)
Amplifiers
one that incorporates two or more stages of FET
or bipolar transistors made on a common chip to
form a multistage amplifier.
chip also incorporates resistors for biasing and
small bypass capacitors.
Figure 18-16 Microwave transistors. (a) and (b) Low-power small signal.
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
Hybrid MMIC Amplifier
combines an amplifier IC connected to microstrip
circuits and discrete components of various types.
formed on a tiny alumina substrate that serves as
both a base and a place to form microstrip lines.
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
Power Amplifier
Figure 18-18 A class A microwave power amplifier.
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Small-Signal Amplifiers
Power Amplifier
Figure 18-19 An FET power amplifier.
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
