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APPENDIX C

TWO-PORT NETWORK PARAMETERS

Introduction
At various points throughout the text, we make use of some of the different possible ways to
characterize linear two-port networks. A summary of this topic is presented in this appendix.

C.1 Characterization of Linear Two-Port Networks

A two-port network (Fig. C.1) has four port variables: V1, I1, V2, and I2. If the two-port net-
work is linear, we can use two of the variables as excitation variables and the other two as
response variables. For instance, the network can be excited by a voltage V1 at port 1 and a
voltage V2 at port 2, and the two currents, I1 and I2, can be measured to represent the net-
work response. In this case, V1 and V2 are independent variables and I1 and I2 are dependent
variables, and the network operation can be described by the two equations

I 1 = y 11 V 1 + y 12 V 2 (C.1)

I 2 = y 21 V 1 + y 22 V 2 (C.2)

Here, the four parameters y11, y12, y21, and y22 are admittances, and their values completely
characterize the linear two-port network.
Depending on which two of the four port variables are used to represent the network
excitation, a different set of equations (and a correspondingly different set of parameters) is
obtained for characterizing the network. We shall present the four parameter sets commonly
used in electronics.

I1 I2

⫹ Linear ⫹
V1 two-port V2
⫺ network ⫺ Figure C.1 The reference directions of the four port variables in a
linear two-port network.

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C-1
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C-2 Appendix C Two-Port Network Parameters

C.1.1 y Parameters
The short-circuit admittance (or y-parameter) characterization is based on exciting the net-
work by V1 and V2, as shown in Fig. C.2(a). The describing equations are Eqs. (C.1) and
(C.2). The four admittance parameters can be defined according to their roles in Eqs. (C.1)
and (C.2).
Specifically, from Eq. (C.1) we see that y11 is defined as
I
y 11 = -----1 . (C.3)
V1 V 2 =0

Thus y11 is the input admittance at port 1 with port 2 short-circuited. This definition is
illustrated in Fig. C.2(b), which also provides a conceptual method for measuring the input
short-circuit admittance y11.
The definition of y12 can be obtained from Eq. (C.1) as
I
y 12 = -----1 (C.4)
V2 V 1 =0

Thus y12 represents transmission from port 2 to port 1. Since in amplifiers, port 1 represents
the input port and port 2 the output port, y12 represents internal feedback in the network.
Figure C.2(c) illustrates the definition of and the method for measuring y12.

Figure C.2 Definition of and conceptual measurement circuits for the y parameters.

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C.1 Characterization of Linear Two-Port Networks C-3

The definition of y21 can be obtained from Eq. (C.2) as

I
y 21 = -----2 (C.5)
V1 V 2 =0

Thus y21 represents transmission from port 1 to port 2. If port 1 is the input port and port 2
the output port of an amplifier, then y21 provides a measure of the forward gain or transmis-
sion. Figure C.2(d) illustrates the definition of and the method for measuring y21.
The parameter y22 can be defined, based on Eq. (C.2), as
I
y 22 = -----2 (C.6)
V2 V 1 =0

Thus y22 is the admittance looking into port 2 while port 1 is short-circuited. For amplifiers,
y22 is the output short-circuit admittance. Figure C.2(e) illustrates the definition of and the
method for measuring y22.

C.1.2 z Parameters
The open-circuit impedance (or z-parameter) characterization of two-port networks is based
on exciting the network by I1 and I2, as shown in Fig. C.3(a). The describing equations are

V 1 = z 11 I 1 + z 12 I 2 (C.7)

V 2 = z 21 I 1 + z 22 I 2 (C.8)

Figure C.3 Definition of and conceptual measurement circuits for the z parameters.

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C-4 Appendix C Two-Port Network Parameters

Owing to the duality between the z- and y-parameter characterizations, we shall not give a
detailed discussion of z parameters. The definition and the method of measuring each of the
four z parameters are given in Fig. C.3.

C.1.3 h Parameters
The hybrid (or h-parameter) characterization of two-port networks is based on exciting the
network by I1 and V2, as shown in Fig. C.4(a) (note the reason behind the name hybrid). The
describing equations are

V 1 = h 11 I 1 + h 12 V 2 (C.9)

I 2 = h 21 I 1 + h 22 V 2 (C.10)
from which the definition of the four h parameters can be obtained as
V I
h 11 = -----1 h 21 = ---2-
I 1 V 2 =0 I 1 V 2 =0
V I
h 12 = -----1 h 22 = -----2
V2 I 1 =0 V2 I 1 =0

(e)

Figure C.4 Definition of and conceptual measurement circuits for the h parameters.

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C.1 Characterization of Linear Two-Port Networks C-5

Thus, h11 is the input impedance at port 1 with port 2 short-circuited. The parameter h12
represents the reverse or feedback voltage ratio of the network, measured with the input port
open-circuited. The forward-transmission parameter h21 represents the current gain of the
network with the output port short-circuited; for this reason, h21 is called the short-circuit
current gain. Finally, h22 is the output admittance with the input port open-circuited.
The definitions and conceptual measuring setups of the h parameters are given in
Fig. C.4.

C.1.4 g Parameters
The inverse-hybrid (or g-parameter) characterization of two-port networks is based on
excitation of the network by V1 and I2, as shown in Fig. C.5(a). The describing equations are

I 1 = g 11 V 1 + g 12 I 2 (C.11)

V 2 = g 21 V 1 + g 22 I 2 (C.12)
The definitions and conceptual measuring setups are given in Fig. C.5.

C.1.5 Equivalent-Circuit Representation

A two-port network can be represented by an equivalent circuit based on the set of parameters
used for its characterization. Figure C.6 shows four possible equivalent circuits corresponding

Figure C.5 Definition of and conceptual measurement circuits for the g parameters.

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C-6 Appendix C Two-Port Network Parameters

Figure C.6 Equivalent circuits for two-port networks in terms of (a) y, (b) z, (c) h, and (d) g parameters.

to the four parameter types just discussed. Each of these equivalent circuits is a direct pictorial
representation of the corresponding two equations describing the network in terms of the
particular parameter set.
Finally, it should be mentioned that other parameter sets exist for characterizing two-port
networks, but these are not discussed or used in this book.

EXERCISE

C.1 Figure EC.1 shows the small-signal, equivalent-circuit model of a transistor. Calculate the values of
the h parameters.
Ans. h11 ⯝ 2.6 kΩ; h12 ⯝ 2.5 × 10−4; h21 ⯝ 100; h22 ⯝ 2 × 10−5 Ω

Figure EC.1

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C.1 Characterization of Linear Two-Port Networks C-7

PROBLEMS

C.1 (a) An amplifier characterized by the h-parameter equi- the current in the output is 0.2 mA and the voltage measured
valent circuit of Fig. C.6(c) is fed with a source having a volt- at the input is 2.5 mV. Find values for the h parameters of
age Vs and a resistance Rs, and is loaded in a resistance RL. this network.
Show that its voltage gain is given by
C.3 Figure PC.3 shows the high-frequency equivalent cir-
V2 – h 21 cuit of a BJT. (For simplicity, rx has been omitted.) Find the
------ = ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
Vs ( h 11 + R s ) ( h 22 + 1 ⁄ R L ) – h 12 h 21 y parameters.

(b) Use the expression derived in (a) to find the voltage

gain of the transistor in Exercise C.1 for Rs = 1 kΩ and RL =
10 kΩ.

C.2 The terminal properties of a two-port network are mea-

sured with the following results: With the output short-
circuited and an input current of 0.01 mA, the output current
is 1.0 mA and the input voltage is 26 mV. With the input
open-circuited and a voltage of 10 V applied to the output, Figure PC.3

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Reprinting or distribution, electronically or otherwise, without the express written consent of Oxford University Press, Inc. is prohibited.