ECE 457

• Electromagnetics, Optics and Remote Sensing

To provide a description of the microwave devices and circuits that are useful in modern microwave radar and communication systems.

• Microwave transmission systems
• Microwave components
• Microwave sources
• Microwave integrated circuits

To provide a description of the microwave devices and circuits that are useful in modern microwave radar and communication systems.

Topics:

• Microwave transmission systems
• Microwave components
• Microwave sources
• Microwave integrated circuits

• Electromagnetic theory
• Physics of semiconductor devices

D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, Addison-Wesley.

Engineering Science: 1 credit or 33%
Engineering Design: 2 credits or 67%

The goal of this course is to develop students’ design, analysis, and evaluation skills at microwave frequencies where lumped elements (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors) are no longer appropriate. Through problem-solving and design activities, the course will introduce students to passive and active microwave devices, including filters, switches, mixers, couplers, power dividers, and diplexers, that constitute wireless communication systems between the antenna and the digital signal processor.

A. By the time of the Midterm Exam (after 19 lectures), students should be able to do the following:

1. Analyze transmission line circuits in terms of their distributed impedances and admittances. (1)

2. Derive transmission line properties such as characteristic impedance, propagation constant, and loss in terms of these distributed impedances and admittances. (1)

3. Calculate the input impedance, VSWR, reflection coefficient, and transmission coefficients for microwave circuits. (1)

4. Design terminated transmission line circuits with specified VSWR and input impedance. (2)

5. Calculate incident, reflected, and transmitted power at a microwave circuit junction. (1)

6. Compute signal attenuation due to conductor surface roughness and dielectric loss tangent. (1)

7. Determine transmission line lengths, impedance, admittance, VSWR, and reflection coefficients for microwave circuits using the Smith Chart. (1)

8. Calculate circuit parameters to allow for maximum power to be delivered from the source to the load. (1)

9. Design single-stub tuning circuits to match complex load impedances using the Smith Chart. (2)

10. Design stripline and microstrip lines with specified characteristic impedances and effective line lengths. (2, 6)

11. Evaluate the suitability of transmission line structures and properties for specific application demands. (1, 2, 6)

12. Derive Z, Y, ABCD, and S parameter matrices for sub-networks and networks. (1)

13. Explain the differences between S-parameters under different loading conditions. (1)

14. Calculate network transducer gain and using network matrix representations. (1)

15. Interpret network properties from matrix representations, including network loss and reciprocity. (2, 6)

16. Derive equivalence between lumped element circuits and transmission line circuits using ABCD matrices. (1)

17. Design a single-section quarter wavelength matching transformer in stripline or microstrip. (2, 6)

18. Evaluate the frequency bandwidth of transmission line matching circuits. (1)

19. Derive the Q of a transmission line. (1)

20. Design transmission line circuits using lumped-element equivalents. (2, 6)

21. Convert between shunt and series elements using lumped-element equivalent transformations. (1)

22. Determine the resonant frequency and equivalent lumped-element circuit models for transmission line stub combinations and transmission line circuits that approximate lumped-element resonating circuits. (1)

B. By the time of the Final Exam (after 43 lectures), students should be able to do all of the items listed under A, plus the following:

23. Design, analyze, and troubleshoot circuits using Puff. (2, 6, 7)

24. Interpret simulated data from Puff to relate circuit dimensions to circuit performance. (2,6, 7)

25. Explain the mechanism for filter element selection based on desired frequency response. (1,6)

26. Design low-pass, high-pass, bandpass and bandstop filters with prescribed frequency responses using lumped elements. (2,6)

27. Design low-pass, high-pass, bandpass and bandstop filters with prescribed frequency responses, material parameters, and size specifications using transmission lines. (2,6)

28. Analyze a transmission line filter structure to determine its frequency response. (1, 6)

29. Design a tapped-stub resonator in a microstrip filter to attain desired resonator Q. (2, 6)

30. Design multi-section wide bandwidth impedance matching circuits in transmission line. (2, 6)

31. Analyze two-way and four-way power dividers for isolation and impedance matching. (1)

32. Design two-way and four-way power dividers in transmission line with prescribed power division. (2)

33. Analyze two-way and four-way power combiners for isolation and impedance matching. (1)

34. Design two-way and four-way power combiners in transmission line for specified source and load impedances. (2)

35. Design branchline and coupled line directional couplers for specified isolation and load impedances in microstrip. (2)

36. Identify the noise sources in a microwave network and methods to ameliorate them. (1, 2)

37. Explain the meanings of an amplifier’s bandwidth, gain, noise temperature, compression point, and dynamic range. (1)

38. Determine the noise figure of a microwave network that includes lossy filters and amplification stages. (1)

39. Analyze microwave switching networks that include PIN diodes. (1)

40. Calculate the insertion losses for the ON and OFF states of microwave PIN diode switching networks. (1)

41. Design microwave switching networks that use PIN diodes. (2)

42. Write clear, organized documentation for a circuit design that delineates design tradeoffs and justifies design choices. (1, 2, 3, 7)

43. Interpret measurement results, theorize on what causes differences between expected and actual behavior, test these theories using simulation tools, and prescribe changes to improve the design. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7)