MICROWAVE NETWORK

ANALYSIS
Scattering Parameters(S-parameters)
S-parameters
S-parameters are a way of externally characterizing a system by
analyzing the transmissions and reflections of voltage signals at
its ports.
Consider the following 2-port network:

1 𝑍 𝑜 1 2-port Network 𝑍 𝑜 2 2

Notes:
• A “port” is a location where energy (V, I) may enter and exit the
system.
• An N-port network has N ports (in this case, two).
• Each port has its own characteristic impedance.
• The network may be driven at either of the two ports.
• Each driven signal may experience reflection (back out its entry
port) and/or transmission to the other port.
In order to analyze the system, we must be able to parse out how much of the output voltage is
due to reflection, and how much is due to transmission. To do this, we conduct N
measurements. For each measurement, we will drive at a single port, and match-terminate
(load with its own characteristic+¿
impedance)
¿ all other ports.
Measurement 𝑉1
1:
1 𝑍 𝑜 1 2-port Network 𝑍 𝑜 2 𝑍 𝑜2 2
−
𝑉 11 −
𝑉 21
Measurement +¿ ¿
2:
𝑉 2

1
𝑍 𝑜1 𝑍 𝑜 1 2-port Network 𝑍 𝑜 2 2
−
− 𝑉 22
𝑉 12
• In dealing with non-distributed circuits it is preferable to use the total port voltages and currents , , and ,
shown in Figure 1 (a).
• However, with distributed elements it is preferable to deal with traveling voltages and currents, , , and
shown in Figure 1 (b), with = + and = + .

Figure 1 :A two-port network: (a) port voltages; and (b) with transmission lines at the ports
 At Microwave frequencies the measurement of voltage or current is difficult, unless a clearly defined terminal pair is
available, such a terminal pair may be present in the case of TEM lines(Such as coaxial cable, micro-stripline or Stripline)
but does not strictly exist for Non TEM lines (Such as rectangular, circular).
 At Microwave frequencies voltage reflection and transmission coefficients can be quite readily measured and are related to
power flow.

Reciprocity, Symmetry, and Linearity properties of Network

 A network is linear if the response (voltages and currents) is linearly dependent on the drive level and
superposition also applies.

 A symmetrical two-port has the same characteristics at each of the ports. An example of a symmetrical
network is a transmission line with a uniform cross-section.

 A reciprocal two-port has a response at Port 2 from an excitation at Port 1 that is the same as the response at
Port 1 to the same excitation at Port 2.
Normalized Scattering Parameters

Port
Port
2
1

incident voltage waves traveling along the transmission line towards port 1

Reflected voltage waves traveling along the transmission line away from port 1

incident voltage waves traveling along the transmission line towards port 2

Reflected voltage waves traveling along the transmission line away from port 2
Now the incident power wave traveling along the transmission line towards port 1 has a value given by

1
𝑃 𝑖 1= ¿¿¿
2

The square root of this power, conventionally given the symbol 𝑎 1, is simply related to the
incident voltage by

|𝑎1|=√ 2 𝑃 𝑖 1

As,
+¿
𝑉1
𝑎 1=¿ ¿
√ 𝑍0
 Port Port
1 2

Let us represent normalized waves at port 1 and

Port 2
𝑉 +1 ¿ 𝑉 −1
𝑎 1=¿ ¿ 𝑏1 =¿
√ 𝑍0 √ 𝑍0

+¿
𝑉2 𝑉 −2
𝑎 2=¿ ¿ 𝑏 2=¿
√ 𝑍0 √ 𝑍0
 Now, let us define parameter

𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡h 𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝑆 𝑖𝑗 =
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑊𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑗 𝑡h 𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑡

Let us ,define Scattering parameters for Two-port

−
Network −
𝑉2 − 𝑉
− 𝑉1 2
𝑉1 √ 𝑍0
𝑏1 √ 𝑍0 𝑏2 √ 𝑍 0 𝑆 22 = 𝑏2 =
𝑏
𝑆 11= 1 =
√ 𝑍 0 𝑆 12= 𝑎 = +¿ −
𝑆 21 =
𝑎
= +¿ − 𝑎2 𝑉
+¿
𝑉
−
𝑉2 𝑉1 1 𝑉1 𝑉2 2
= 2
¿
𝑎1 𝑉1
+¿
𝑉1
− 2
= +¿ ¿ = +¿ ¿ + ¿
= +¿ ¿ √ 𝑍0 𝑉2 ¿ √ 𝑍0 𝑉1 ¿ √ 𝑍0 𝑉 2 ¿
√ 𝑍0 𝑉 1 ¿

Total reflected wave at Port 1 and Port 2, We can write In matrix form:

+
+
 Note:
1. and
2. a and b also have Phase

Definitions of Two-port S parameters

If the output line is matched, , the load cannot reflect power, =

0, and

+
is the input reflection coefficient (i.e. , ) when the output is matched +
 : is the output reflection coefficient (i.e. , ) when the input is matched

𝑆21 is the forward transfer (or ‘transmis ion’) coef icient with the output matched. (𝑆21directly describes the characteristics of a filter , indicates the los of an interconnect, and indicates the gain of an amplifier .)

is the reverse transfer (or transmission) coefficient with the input matched. ( becomes
particularly important in amplifier stability considerations.)

Note: To measure the parameters it is necessary to use terminations that absorb all of the power delivered to
them so that =0 and =0 . At RF and microwave frequencies this is much easier to achieve than either short or
open-circuits.
The reflection coefficient parameters and are readily expressed in terms of driving-point impedances.

It is already known that the reflection coefficient for an impedance Z loading a transmission

Therefore

Where and are, respectively, the input and output driving-point impedances for the two port
network when the appropriate opposite port is matched.
 Multiport S Parameters

The scattering matrix for N-port network is given as

An N -port network
Properties of S-Matrix

 [S] is always a square matrix of order (N).

 Under perfect matched conditions, diagonal elements of [S] are equal to “0”.
i.e,
 An N-port is reciprocal when for all i and j ports.
 [S] is symmetric for all reciprocal networks, that is, [S] = here is the transpose of
[S].
Note: Most passive components are reciprocal (Resistors , capacitors, transformers etc..
except for structures involving magnetized ferrites , plasmas etc..) active components
such as amplifiers are generally Non-reciprocal
 If a device (or network) is passive and lossless, then the S matrix is unitary [S]* = [I ] where [S]* is the
complex conjugate of S and [I ] is the unit matrix

If unit power flows into a lossless two-port network, a fraction is reflected and a further
Fraction is transmitted through the network.

In terms of complex conjugate products

 For lossless passive two-port networks

Unitary Property :The sum of dot product of any column of [S] with the conjugate of that
same column gives unity

Zero Property : The sum of dot product of any column of [S] with the conjugate of that
different column gives Zero
 Phase shift property

Complex S-parameters of a network are defined with respect to the position of port or
reference planes
 Return Loss

• Return loss, also known as reflection loss, is a measure of the fraction of power that is not delivered by
a source to a load.
• If the power incident on a load is and the power reflected by the load is , then the return loss in
decibels is

If the load has a complex reflection coefficient , then

• When generalized to terminated two-ports, the return loss is defined with respect to the input
reflection coefficient of a terminated two-port , If the load is matched.

This return loss is also called the input return loss since the reflection coefficient is calculated
at port 1.
 Insertion Loss

(a) source and load before insertion; and (b) insertion of two-port network with source level unchanged.

where is the voltage across the load before insertion of the two-port and is the voltage across the load after
insertion of the two-port
• In the special case where the load and source impedances are equal to the real system reference
impedance, that is

Then