EE 533

Microwave Integrated Circuits

Lecture 1 & 2
Introduction to MIC and
EM wave
a e Propagation

Dr. Sheikh Sharif Iqbal

Laws of Electricity and Magnetism
11.E.
E flux & enclosed charge
2.M.flux & enclosed charge
3.EMF induced  time varying
magnetic flux
4.DC current flow generate H.flux
5. D=E ; B=H ; J=E
6.Behavior of EM fields/wave
7.Static E.field (char. capacitor)
8.Static M.field (magnet/DC ‘I’)
9.E.field->M.field->E.field->..
10.Potential function in
charged region & free-space
For time 11.Force bet. charged particles
varying
fields/waves 12.Force between Mag. Poles
13 Mag. potetial function due
For time
to current distribution.
harmonic 14.Time varying fields/waves
fields/waves
15.Linear resistor law
16.Voltage and current law
17 Li
17.Linear reluctance
l t law
l
18.Magnetic flux & MMF laws
19.Time harmonic fields/waves
 Maxwell’s equations
 For Static fields (/t=0) Maxwell
Maxwell’ss equations are:
  D = ;   B = 0;   E = 0;   H = J;
where,
h D =  E andd B =  H (,
( J are the
h charge,
h current Densities
ii )
 For Time varying fields Maxwell’s equations are:
  D = ;   B = 0;   E = - B/t;   H = J +D/t;
o Faradaysy Law ((  E = - B/t)) shows that time-varying
y g magnetic
g
field (B/t) is a source of electric field (E).
o Ampere’s ( H J D/t) shows that both electric
Ampere s Law (H=J+D/t) electric-current
current (J) or
time-varying E-field (D/t) are sources for the magnetic field (H).
 Thus,
Thus in source-free
source free region (=0 and J=0 ),
) time varying electric and
magnetic fields can generate each other.
 Consequently,
C l EM fields
fi ld are self
lf sustaining,
i i thus
h predicting
di i theh
phenomenon of EM wave propagation.
Electromagnetic (EM) signal spectrum:

wavelength 
Signal wavelength, =
0 /(rr); 0=c/f velocity v=cc /(rr) and 
c/f ; velocity, =/
/v

RF/Microwave versus DC/Low-AC signals:

 In LF, mostly l<< , thus I & V are constant in line. (l=device length)
HF mostly l>> ,
In HF,  thus I & V are not constant in the line.
line
 Unwanted HF affects of component insulating-shell & wire-lead
 Current
C rrent distrib
distribution
tion (of AC) within
ithin the conductor
cond ctor [Skin Depth,
Depth
s=(2/) and Surface resistance, Rs=1/(s)=(/2)]
Guided Transmission Media
- Coaxial TL: Low radiation, freq. range up to 3GHz, support TEM mode
- Two-wire TL: Low radiation, freq. up to 300 MHz, support TEM mode
- Waveguide:
g For high
g freq./power
q p signals,
g , Support
pp TE/TM modes.
- Microstrip: Losy, quasi-TEM modes, high bandwidth, easy integration
- Stripline: Less losy,
losy TEM,
TEM high bandwidth,
bandwidth low power capacity
capacity, Fair’’
Fair

TEM: E.& H.field comp. are  to each other and also to direc. of prop.
More on guided Transmission Media
- Suspended-substrate stripline: easy for device integration.
- Slot line: very useful for specific applications.
- Coplanar line: Conductor and GND is in the same plane

(freq)
Free space propagation (Plane
Plane Waves)
Waves)
 Plane wave fronts (circular,
(circular spherical or rectangular plane)
 Uniform Plane wave; E & H fields are uniform in plane-wave-front.
 P.Wave
PW conditions;
diti E/ = E/y
E/x E/ = H/x
H/ = H/y=
H/ 0 (as
( prop iin z-dir)
di )
 Solution of ME’s for a uniform plane wave (wave eq.’s) in a source-
f
free-region
i results lt in
i the
th expressions
i off E & H field
fi ld intensities
i t iti as;
Ex = Eo e(jt-z) = Eo cos(t-z) OR Hy = Ho e(jt-z) = Ho cos(t-z) ;
where
h Eo & Ho are E & H field it d = +j
fi ld magnitudes; j  {as
+j = j {  =0}
0}
 Plane waves in air/vacuum (r=r=1) ; the phase constant o=oo ;
the
h intrinsic
i i i wave impedance
i d o=E  o/
Eo/Ho = / o=377
377 {o=2 /o=c/f}

Basic characteristics of uniform plane wave in a source free region ;

(a) There is no E or H field component along the direction of prop. (z)
Hy) OR (Hx,E
(b) Two pairs of the E & H fields {(Ex,H Ey)} produces two
independent plane waves, which can exist and propagate by itself.
(c) E and H field components are always  to each other; (Ex,Hy) or (Hx,Ey)
(d) R
Ratio
i off E andd H field
fi ld components are constant (intrinsic
(i i i wave imp)
i )

If reflection of the wave occurs due to some obstacles in the propagating

path: Standing wave is generated from incident and reflected waves.

Polarization of waves : Polarization of wave depends on magnitude

and phase relationship between existing E-field components ( Ex and Ey)
Linear polarization occurs when Ex and/or Ey are in phase regardless of
their relative magnitudes(direction of L.P. wave is the same as E
E- field)
E-field of a L.P. EM wave: E(z,t) = [A ax + B ay] cos(t - z - )
Circular polarization occurs when Ex & Ey are out of phase by 90 but
both components have equal magnitude. E-fields of a L.P. EM wave are:
Ex = A cos(t + y +/2 + z) and Ey = A cos(t + y + z)
Elliptical polarization occurs when Ex and Ey are out of phase by 90
and both components have different magnitudes. E-fields of E.P. wave:
Ex = A cos(t + y +/2 + z) and Ey = B cos(t + y + z)
Example: use a probe to measure E & H fields of L. polarized EM wave

- EM wave propagation and attenuation : Use two horn antennas,

antennas
one connected with the source (mW power and 9GHz) and the other one
is connected with a speaker (load).
(load) By moving the receiving Horns,
Horns we
can show the power radiation pattern of the load (attinu. and main-loab)
- Reflection
R fl ti off EM wave: Microwave
Mi reflects
fl from
f metall plates
l with
ih
a reflected wave angle equal to the incident wave angle. This is due to
the acceleration of the free electrons in the metal (caused by the incident
EM wave), which in-turn produce a EM wave traveling away from the
metal pplate ((called reflected EM wave).
) Since in a semiconductor
material, the amount of free electrons are less, less amount of reflection
occurs and more incident EM wave is absorbed.
-Interference in EM wave propagation :The constructive and
destructive interference in the receiver is shown (~height of the receiver)

- Guided EM wave propagation: in rectangular waveguide: correct

guide size is important for guiding EM waves properly.
properly

Microwave Integrated Circuits (MICs):

- Standard Hybrid MIC: Standard hybrid MICs use a single-level
metallization for conductors and transmission lines with discrete circuit
elements (active and passive) bonded to the substrate.

- Miniature Hybrid MICs: it uses multi-level

multi level processes in which
passive elements are batch deposited on the substrate whereas the
semiconductor devices ((active)) are bounded on the substrate surface.

- Microwave Monolithic IC (MMIC): is obtained through a multi-

llevell process approachh comprising
i i all
ll active
ti andd passive
i circuit
i it elements
l t
and interconnects formed into the bulk of or onto the substrate of a semi-
insulating semiconductor substrate.
substrate
- Advantages: MMIC is suitable for mass production, with significant
reduction
d ti is i size,
i weight,
i ht costt andd greater
t reliability.
li bilit It is
i also
l possible
ibl to
t
achieve desired circuit configuration without parasitic circuit elements.
- But
B MMIC hhas ffabrication
b i i size i limitations
li i i for
f loss-less
l l matching
hi
elements and also circuit loss is comparatively large. (~ above 20 GHz).