Chapter 10: TWO-PORT NETWORKS

10.1 Admittance Parameters

Figure 10.1: (a) Single-port network; (b) two-port network.

The linear network in Fig. 10.1a has a single port—that is, a single pair of terminals.

The pair of terminals A-B that constitute this port could represent a single element (e.g., R, L, or C),
or it could be some interconnection of these elements. The linear network in Fig. 10.1b is called a
two-port. As a general rule the terminals A-B represent the input port, and the terminals C-D
represent the output port.

In the two-port network shown in Fig. 10.3, it is customary to label the voltages and currents as
shown; i.e, the upper terminals are positive with respect to the lower terminals, the currents are
into the two-port at the upper terminals, and, because KCL must be satisfied at each port, the
current is out of the two-port at the lower terminals. Since the network is linear and contains no
independent sources, the principle of superposition can be applied to determine the current I1 which
can be written as the sum of two components, one due to V1 and one due to V2. Using this principle,
we can write

Where and are essentially constants of proportionality with units of siemens.

Figure 10.3; Generalized two-port network.

Manner can be written as

These two equations describe the two port network and can be written in matrix form as:

[ ] [ ][ ]

Note that subscript 1 refers to the input port and subscript 2 refers to the output port, and the
equations describe what we will call the Y parameters for a network. If these parameters y11 , y12 ,
y21 and y22 are known, the input/output operation of the two-port is completely defined.
From the equations is equal to divided by with the output short-circuited (1.e

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Since is an admittance at the input measured in siemens with the output short-circuited, it is
called the short-circuit input admittance. The equations indicate that the other Y parameters can be
determined in a similar manner.

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are called the short-circuit transfer admittances, and is called the short-circuit
output admittance. As a group, the Y parameters are referred to as the short-circuit admittance
parameters. Note that by applying the preceding definitions, these parameters could be determined
experimentally for a two-port network whose actual configuration is unknown.

Example

We wish to determine the Y parameters for the two-port network shown in Fig. 10.4a. Once these
parameters are known, we will determine the current in a 4 Ω load, which is connected to the
output port when a 2-A current source is applied at the input port

Figure 10.4
Solution

From Fig. 10.4b,

( ) Thus
As shown in Fig. 10.4c
And hence
And also is computed from fig 10.4b using the equation

And therefore

From Fig. 10.4c

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These equations can now be employed to determine the operation of the two-port for some given
set of terminal conditions. The terminal conditions we will examine are shown in Fig. 10.4d. From
this figure we note that

Combining these with the preceding two-port equations yields

Or in matrix form

[ ][ ] [ ]

Note carefully that these equations are simply the nodal equations for the network in Fig. 10.4d.
Solving the equations, we obtain V2 = 8/11 V and therefore I2 = -2/11 A .

Exercise

1. Find the Y parameters for the two-port network shown in Fig. 10.4

Figure 10.4

( )

2. If a 10-A source is connected to the input of the two-port network in Fig. 10.4, find the current
in a 5Ω resistor connected to the output port. (-4.29 A)

10.3 Impedance Parameters

Once again, if we assume that the two-port network is a linear network that contains no
independent sources, then by means of superposition we can write the input and output voltages as
the sum of two components, one due to I1 and one due to I2.

These equations, which describe the two-port network, can also be written in matrix form as

[ ] [ ][ ]

Like the Y parameters, these Z parameters can be derived as follows:

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In the preceding equations, setting I1 or I2 = 0 is equivalent to open-circuiting the input or output

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open-circuit input impedance, z22 is called the open-circuit output impedance, and z12 and z21 are
termed open-circuit transfer impedances.

Example

We wish to find the Z parameters for the network in Fig. 10.5a. Once the parameters are known, we
will use them to find the current in a 4-Ω resistor that is connected to the output terminals when a
source with an internal impedance of 1+j0 Ω is connected to the input.

Figure 10.5
Solution

From Fig. 10.5a we note that

The equations for the two-port network are, therefore,

The terminal conditions for the network shown in Fig. 10.5b are
(
Combining these with the two-port equations yields
(
(
It is interesting to note that these equations are the mesh equations for the network. If we solve
the equations for I2 we obtain A which is the current in the 4 Ω load.

Exercise

1. Find the Z parameters for the network in Fig. 10.6. Then compute the current in a 4Ω load if
a1 source is connected at the input port.

Figure 10.6
(
2. Determine the Z parameters for the two-port network shown in Fig. 10.7

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Figure 10.7
(

10.4 Hybrid Parameters

Under the assumptions used to develop the Y and Z parameters, we can obtain what are commonly
called the hybrid parameters. In the pair of equations that define these parameters, V1 and I2 are
the independent variables. Therefore, the two-port equations in terms of the hybrid parameters are

Or in matrix form

[ ] [ ][ ]

These parameters are especially important in transistor circuit analysis. The parameters are
determined via the following equations:

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The parameters h11, h12, h21 and h22 represent the short-circuit input impedance, the open-circuit
reverse voltage gain, the short-circuit forward current gain, and the opencircuit output admittance,
respectively. Because of this mix of parameters, they are called hybrid parameters. In transistor
circuit analysis, the parameters h11, h12, h21 and h22 are normally labeled hi, hr, hf, and ho.

Example

An equivalent circuit for the op-amp in Fig. 10.8a is shown in Fig. 10.8b. We will determine the
hybrid parameters for this network.

Solution

Parameter h11 is derived from Fig. 10.8c. With the output shorted, h11 is a function of only Ri, R1 and
R2 and

Fig. 10.8d is used to derive h12. Since I1=0 V, Vi=0 and the relationship between V1 and V2 is a
simple voltage divider.

And thus
KVL and KCL can be applied to Fig. 10.8c to determine h21. The two equations that relate I2 to I1 are.

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Therefore
( )

Finally, the relationship between I2 and V2 in Fig. 10.8d is

And thus

(
The network equations are, therefore,
( )

( )
(

Figure 10.8

Exercise

Find the hybrid parameters for the network shown in Fig. 10.7.

( )

16.4 Transmission Parameters

The final parameters we will discuss are called the transmission parameters. They are defined by
the equations

or in matrix form,

[ ] [ ][ ]

These parameters are very useful in the analysis of circuits connected in cascade, as we will
demonstrate later. The parameters are determined via the following equations:

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A, B, C, and D represent the open-circuit voltage ratio, the negative short-circuit transfer
impedance, the open-circuit transfer admittance, and the negative short-circuit current ratio,
respectively. For obvious reasons the transmission parameters are commonly referred to as the
ABCD parameters.

Example

Figure 10.9
We will now determine the transmission parameters for the network in Fig. 10.9.
Solution

Let us consider the relationship between the variables under the conditions stated in the parameters
For example, I2 = 0, V2 with can be written as

( ) |

Similarly, with V2=0 the relationship between I2 and V1 is

( ) |

In a similar manner, we can show that

Exercise

1. Compute the transmission parameters for the two-port network in Fig. 10.4 .

2. Find the transmission parameters for the two-port network shown in Fig. 10.7.
(

16.5 Parameter Conversions

If all the two-port parameters for a network exist, it is possible to relate one set of parameters to
another since the parameters interrelate the variables V1, I1, V2 and I2 and Table 10.1 lists all the
conversion formulas that relate one set of two-port parameters to another. Note that
refer to the determinants of the matrices for the Z, Y, hybrid and ABCD
parameters, respectively. Therefore, given one set of parameters for a network, we can use Table
10.1 to find others.

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TABLE 10.1: Two-port parameter conversion formulas

Example

Determine the Y parameters for a two-port if the Z parameters are

[ ]

( )

10.6 Interconnection of Two-Ports

Interconnected two-port circuits are important because when designing complex systems it is
generally much easier to design a number of simpler subsystems that can then be interconnected to
form the complete system. If each subsystem is treated as a two-port network, the interconnection
techniques described in this section provide some insight into the manner in which a total system
may be analyzed and/or designed. Thus, we will now illustrate techniques for treating a network as
a combination of subnetworks. We will, therefore, analyze a two-port network as an interconnection
of simpler two-ports. Although two-ports can be interconnected in a variety of ways, we will treat
only three types of connections: parallel, series, and cascade.

Figure 10.10: Parallel interconnection of two-ports.

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In the parallel interconnection case, a two-port N is composed of two-ports Na and Nb and
connected as shown in Fig. 10.10. Provided that the terminal characteristics of the two networks Na
and Nb are not altered by the interconnection illustrated in the figure, then the Y parameters for the
total network are

[ ] [ ]

and hence to determine the Y parameters for the total network, we simply add the Y parameters of
the two networks Na and Nb. Likewise, if the two-port N is composed of Na and Nb the series
connection of and as shown in Fig. 10.8, then once again, as long as the terminal characteristics of
the two networks Na and Nb are not altered by the series interconnection, the Z parameters for the
total network are

[ ] [ ]

Therefore, the Z parameters for the total network are equal to the sum of the Z parameters for the
networks Na and Nb .

Figure 10.11: Series interconnection of two-ports.

Figure 10.12: Cascade interconnection of networks.

Finally, if a two-port N is composed of a cascade interconnection of Na and Nb as shown in Fig.

[ ] [ ][ ][ ]

Hence, the transmission parameters for the total network are derived by matrix multiplication as
indicated previously. The order of the matrix multiplication is important and is performed in the
order in which the networks are interconnected.

The cascade interconnection is very useful. Many large systems can be conveniently modeled as the
cascade interconnection of a number of stages. For example, the very weak signal picked up by a
radio antenna is passed through a number of successive stages of amplification—each of which can
be modeled as a two-port subnetwork.

Example

We wish to determine the Y parameters for the network shown in Fig. 10.13a by considering it to be
a parallel combination of two networks as shown in Fig. 10.13b. The capacitive network will be
referred to as Na and the resistive network will be referred to as Nb.

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The Y parameters for Na are

And the Y parameters for Nb are:

Hence, the Y parameters for the network in Fig. 10.10 are

( )
To gain an appreciation for the simplicity of this approach, you need only try to find the Y
parameters for the network in Fig. 10.13a directly.

Figure 10.13: Network composed of the parallel combination of two subnetworks.

Let us derive the two-port parameters of the network in Fig. 10.14 by considering it to be a cascade
connection of two networks as shown in Fig. 10.9

The ABCD parameters for the identical T networks were calculated in Example 16.4 to be

Therefore, the transmission parameters for the total network are

[ ] [ ]

Figure 10.14

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