9/4/2007 Microwave Network Theory 1/3

E. Microwave Network Theory

Note that a passive load is a one-port device—a device that

can be characterized (at one frequency) by impedance ZL or
load reflection coefficient ΓL .

However, many microwave devices have multiple ports!

Most common are two-port devices (e.g., amplifiers and

filters), devices with both a gozenta and a gozouta.

gozenta gozouta

Note that a transmission line is also two-port device!

Q: Are there any known ways to characterize a multi-port

device?

A: Yes! Two methods are:

1. The impedance matrix—a multi-port equivalent of ZL

2. The scattering matrix—a multi-port equivalent of ΓL

HO: The Impedance Matrix

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Microwave Network Theory 2/3

Q: You say that the impedance matrix characterizes a multi-

port device. But is this characterization helpful? Can we
actually use it to solve real problems?

A: Example: Using the Impedance Matrix

Q: The impedance matrix relates the quantities I ( z ) and

V ( z ) , is there an equivalent matrix that relates V + ( z ) and
V −( z ) ?

A: Yes! The scattering matrix relates the t.l. waves entering

and exiting a multi-port device!

HO: The Scattering Matrix

Q: Can the scattering matrix likewise be used to solve real

problems?

A: Of course!

Example: The Scattering Matrix

Example: Scattering Parameters

Q: But, can the scattering matrix by itself tell us anything

about the device it characterizes?

A: Yes! It can tell us if the device is matched, or lossless, or

reciprocal.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Microwave Network Theory 3/3

HO: Matched, Lossless, Reciprocal

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 1/7

The Impedance Matrix

Consider the 4-port microwave device shown below:

+ −
I2 ( z 2 )
V2 ( z 2 )

port
z 2 = z 2P
2 Z0
I1 ( z 1 ) port 1 port 3 I3 ( z 3 )

+
4-port +
V1 (z )1
Z0 microwave Z0 V3 ( z 3 )
− device −

z 1 = z 1P z3 = z3P
port Z0
z 4 = z 4P
4

+ −
I4 (z 4 )
V4 ( z 4 )

Note in this example, there are four identical transmission lines

connected to the same “box”. Inside this box there may be a
very simple linear device/circuit, or it might contain a very large
and complex linear microwave system.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 2/7

Æ Either way, the “box” can be fully characterized by its

impedance matrix!

First, note that each transmission line has a specific location

that effectively defines the input to the device (i.e., z1P, z2P,
z3P, z4P). These often arbitrary positions are known as the port
locations, or port planes of the device.

Thus, the voltage and current at port n is:

Vn ( zn = znP ) In ( zn = znP )

We can simplify this cumbersome notation by simply defining

port n current and voltage as In and Vn :

Vn =Vn ( zn = znP ) In = In ( zn = znP )

For example, the current at port 3 would be I3 = I3 ( z 3 = z 3P ) .

Now, say there exists a non-zero current at port 1 (i.e., I1 ≠ 0 ),

while the current at all other ports are known to be zero (i.e.,
I2 = I3 = I 4 = 0 ).

Say we measure/determine the current at port 1 (i.e.,

determine I1 ), and we then measure/determine the voltage at
the port 2 plane (i.e., determine V2 ).

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 3/7

The complex ratio between V2 and I1 is know as the trans-

impedance parameter Z21:

V2
Z 21 =
I1

Likewise, the trans-impedance parameters Z31 and Z41 are:

V3 V4
Z 31 = and Z 41 =
I1 I1

We of course could also define, say, trans-impedance parameter

Z34 as the ratio between the complex values I 4 (the current
into port 4) and V3 (the voltage at port 3), given that the
current at all other ports (1, 2, and 3) are zero.

Thus, more generally, the ratio of the current into port n and
the voltage at port m is:

Vm
Z mn = (given that Ik = 0 for all k ≠ n )
In

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 4/7

Q: But how do we ensure

that all but one port
current is zero ?

A: Place an open circuit at those ports!

+ V2 −
I2 = 0
Z0

I1 I3 = 0

+ 4-port +
V1 Z0 microwave Z0 V3
− device −

Z0

I4 = 0
+V4 −

Placing an open at a port (and it must be at the port!) enforces

the condition that I = 0 .

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 5/7

Now, we can thus equivalently state the definition of trans-

impedance as:

Vm
Z mn = (given that all ports k ≠ n are open)
In

Q: As impossible as it sounds,
this handout is even more
boring and pointless than any
of your previous efforts. Why
are we studying this? After all,
what is the likelihood that a
device will have an open circuit
on all but one of its ports?!

A: OK, say that none of our ports are open-circuited, such

that we have currents simultaneously on each of the four ports
of our device.

Since the device is linear, the voltage at any one port due to all
the port currents is simply the coherent sum of the voltage at
that port due to each of the currents!

For example, the voltage at port 3 can be determined by:

V3 = Z 34 I 4 + Z 33 I3 + Z 32 I2 + Z 31 I1

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 6/7

More generally, the voltage at port m of an N-port device is:

N
Vm = ∑ Z mn In
n =1

This expression can be written in matrix form as:

V=ZI

Where I is the vector:

I = [I1 , I 2 , I 3 , , IN ]
T

and V is the vector:

T
V = ⎡⎣V1 ,V2 ,V3 , … ,VN ⎤⎦

And the matrix Z is called the impedance matrix:

⎡ Z 11 … Z 1n ⎤
Z = ⎢⎢ ⎥
⎥
⎢⎣Z m 1 Z mn ⎥⎦

The impedance matrix is a N by N matrix that completely

characterizes a linear, N -port device. Effectively, the
impedance matrix describes a multi-port device the way that Z L
describes a single-port device (e.g., a load)!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Impedance Matrix 7/7

But beware! The values of the impedance matrix for a

particular device or network, just like Z L , are
frequency dependent! Thus, it may be more
instructive to explicitly write:

⎡ Z 11 (ω ) … Z 1n (ω ) ⎤
Z (ω ) = ⎢⎢ ⎥
⎥
⎢⎣Z m 1 (ω ) Z mn (ω ) ⎥⎦

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Using the Impedance Matrix 1/3

Example: Using the

Impedance Matrix
Consider the following circuit:

1 I1 I2

+ +
16
+
V1
Z
- V2
− −

I3 +V3 −

Where the 3-port device is characterized by the impedance

matrix:

⎡2 1 2 ⎤
Z = ⎢⎢ 1 1 4 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣2 4 1 ⎥⎦

Let’s now determine all port voltages V1 ,V2 ,V3 and all currents
I1 , I 2 , I 3 .

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Using the Impedance Matrix 2/3

Q: How can we do that—we

don’t know what the device
is made of! What’s inside
that box?

A: We don’t need to know what’s inside that box! We know

its impedance matrix, and that completely characterizes the
device (or, at least, characterizes it at one frequency).

Thus, we have enough information to solve this problem. From

the impedance matrix we know:

V1 = 2 I1 + I2 + 2 I3

V2 = I1 + I2 + 4 I3

V3 = 2 I1 + 4 I2 + I3

Q: Wait! There are

only 3 equations
here, yet there are
6 unknowns!?

A: True! The impedance matrix describes the device in the

box, but it does not describe the devices attached to it. We
require more equations to describe them.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Using the Impedance Matrix 3/3

1. The source at port 1 is described by the equation:

V1 = 16.0 − (1 ) I1

2. The short circuit on port 2 means that:

V2 = 0

3. While the load on port 3 leads to:

V3 = − (1 ) I3 (note the minus sign!)

Now we have 6 equations and 6 unknowns! Combining equations,

we find:

V1 = 16 − I1 = 2 I1 + I2 + 2 I3
∴ 16 = 3 I1 + I2 + 2 I3

V2 = 0 = I1 + I2 + 4 I3
∴ 0 = I1 + I 2 + 4 I 3

V3 = −I3 = 2 I1 + 4 I2 + I3
∴ 0 = 2 I1 + 4 I2 + 2I3

Solving, we find (I’ll let you do the algebraic details!):

I1 = 7.0 I2 = −3.0 I3 = −1.0

V1 = 9.0 V2 = 0.0 V3 = 1.0

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 1/11

The Scattering Matrix

At “low” frequencies, we can completely characterize a linear
device or network using an impedance matrix, which relates the
currents and voltages at each device terminal to the currents
and voltages at all other terminals.

But, at microwave frequencies, it

is difficult to measure total
currents and voltages!

* Instead, we can measure the magnitude and phase of

each of the two transmission line waves V + (z ) and V − (z ) .

* In other words, we can determine the relationship

between the incident and reflected wave at each device
terminal to the incident and reflected waves at all other
terminals.

These relationships are completely represented by the

scattering matrix. It completely describes the behavior of a
linear, multi-port device at a given frequency ω , and a given line
impedance Z0.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 2/11

Consider now the 4-port microwave device shown below:

V2− ( z 2 ) Z0 V2+ ( z 2 )

port
z 2 = z 2P
2
V1 + ( z1 ) port 1 port 3 V3− ( z 3 )
4-port
Z0 microwave Z0
device
V1 − ( z1 ) z1 = z1P z3 = z3P V3+ ( z 3 )
port
z 4 = z 4P
4

Z0
V4+ ( z 4 ) V4− ( z 4 )

Note that we have now characterized transmission line activity

in terms of incident and “reflected” waves. Note the negative
going “reflected” waves can be viewed as the waves exiting the
multi-port network or device.

Æ Viewing transmission line activity this way, we can fully

characterize a multi-port device by its scattering parameters!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

 09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 3/11

Say there exists an incident wave on port 1 (i.e., V1 + ( z1 ) ≠ 0 ),

while the incident waves on all other ports are known to be zero
(i.e., V2+ ( z 2 ) =V3+ ( z 3 ) = V4+ ( z 4 ) = 0 ).

V1 + ( z1 ) port 1
Say we measure/determine the
+
voltage of the wave flowing into
Z0 V1
+
(z 1
= z1 p ) port 1, at the port 1 plane (i.e.,
− determine V1 + ( z1 = z1P ) ).
z 1 = z 1P
port 2 V2− ( z 2 )

Say we then measure/determine

+
the voltage of the wave flowing
out of port 2, at the port 2
V2
−
(z 2
= z2p ) Z0

plane (i.e., determine −

V2− ( z2 = z2P ) ).
z 2 = z 2P

The complex ratio between V1 + (z1 = z1P ) and V2 − (z 2 = z 2P ) is know

as the scattering parameter S21:

V2− (z 2 = z 2P ) V02− e + j β z P V02− + j β (z P +z P )

2

S21 = + = = e 2 1

V1 (z1 = z1P ) V01+ e − j β z P V01+ 1

Likewise, the scattering parameters S31 and S41 are:

V3− (z 3 = z 3P ) V4− (z 4 = z 4P )
S31 = + and S41 = +
V1 (z1 = z1P ) V1 (z1 = z1P )

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 4/11

We of course could also define, say, scattering parameter S34

as the ratio between the complex values V4+ (z 4 = z 4P ) (the wave
into port 4) and V3 − (z 3 = z 3P ) (the wave out of port 3), given
that the input to all other ports (1,2, and 3) are zero.

Thus, more generally, the ratio of the wave incident on port n to

the wave emerging from port m is:

Vm− (z m = z mP )
Smn = + (given that Vk + ( z k ) = 0 for all k ≠ n )
Vn (zn = znP )

Note that frequently the port positions are assigned a zero

value (e.g., z1P = 0, z 2P = 0 ). This of course simplifies the
scattering parameter calculation:

Vm− (z m = 0) V0−m e + j β 0 V0−m

Smn = + = =
Vn (zn = 0) V0n+ e − j β 0 V0n+
Microwave
lobe

We will generally assume that the port

locations are defined as znP = 0 , and thus use
the above notation. But remember where this
expression came from!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 5/11

Q: But how do we ensure

that only one incident wave
is non-zero ?

A: Terminate all other ports with a matched load!

Γ2 L = 0

V2− ( z 2 ) Z0 V2+ ( z 2 ) = 0

V1 + ( z1 ) V3− ( z 3 )
4-port
Z0 microwave Z0 Γ 3L = 0
device
V1 − ( z1 ) V3+ ( z 3 ) = 0

V3+ ( z 3 ) = 0 Z0 V4− ( z 4 )

Γ 4L = 0

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 6/11

Note that if the ports are terminated in a matched load (i.e.,

Z L = Z 0 ), then ΓnL = 0 and therefore:

Vn+ ( zn ) = 0

In other words, terminating a port ensures

that there will be no signal incident on
that port!

Q: Just between you and me, I think you’ve messed this up! In all
previous handouts you said that if ΓL = 0 , the wave in the minus
direction would be zero:

V − (z ) = 0 if ΓL = 0

but just now you said that the wave in the positive direction would
be zero:
V + ( z ) = 0 if ΓL = 0

Of course, there is no way that both statements can be correct!

A: Actually, both statements are correct! You must be careful

to understand the physical definitions of the plus and minus
directions—in other words, the propagation directions of waves
Vn+ ( zn ) and Vn− ( zn )!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 7/11

For example, we originally analyzed this case:

V + (z )

Z0 ΓL V − (z ) = 0 if ΓL = 0

V − (z )

In this original case, the wave incident on the load is V + ( z )

(plus direction), while the reflected wave is V − ( z ) (minus
direction).

Contrast this with the case we are now considering:

port n Vn − ( zn )
N-port
Microwave Z0 ΓnL
Network

Vn + ( zn )

For this current case, the situation is reversed. The wave

incident on the load is now denoted as Vn− ( zn ) (coming out of
port n), while the wave reflected off the load is now denoted as
Vn+ ( zn ) (going into port n ).

As a result, Vn+ ( zn ) = 0 when ΓnL = 0 !

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 8/11

Perhaps we could more generally state that for some load Γ L :

V reflected ( z = z L ) = ΓL V incident ( z = z L )

For each case, you must be able to

correctly identify the mathematical
statement describing the wave incident on,
and reflected from, some passive load.

Like most equations in engineering, the

variable names can change, but the physics
described by the mathematics will not!

Now, back to our discussion of S-parameters. We found that if

znP = 0 for all ports n, the scattering parameters could be
directly written in terms of wave amplitudes V0n+ and V0−m .

V0−m
Smn = + (when Vk + ( z k ) = 0 for all k ≠ n )
V0n

Which we can now equivalently state as:

V0−m
Smn = + (when all ports, except port n , are terminated in matched loads)
V0n

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 9/11

We can use the scattering matrix to determine the

solution for a more general circuit—one where the ports
are not terminated in matched loads!

Q: I’m not understanding the importance

scattering parameters. How are they
useful to us microwave engineers?

A: Since the device is linear, we can apply superposition.

The output at any port due to all the incident waves is
simply the coherent sum of the output at that port due
to each wave!

For example, the output wave at port 3 can be

determined by (assuming znP = 0 ):

V03− = S34V04+ + S33V03+ + S32V02+ + S31V01+

More generally, the output at port m of an N-port device

is:

N
V0m = ∑ Smn V0n+
−
( znP = 0)
n =1

This expression can be written in matrix form as:

V− = S V+

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 10/11

Where V − is the vector:

T
V − = ⎡⎣V01− ,V02− ,V03− , … ,V0−N ⎤⎦

and V + is the vector:

T
V + = ⎡⎣V01+ ,V02+ ,V03+ , … ,V0+N ⎤⎦

Therefore S is the scattering matrix:

⎡ S11 … S1n ⎤
S = ⎢⎢ ⎥
⎥
⎢⎣Sm 1 Smn ⎥⎦

The scattering matrix is a N by N matrix that completely

characterizes a linear, N-port device. Effectively, the
scattering matrix describes a multi-port device the way that Γ L
describes a single-port device (e.g., a load)!

But beware! The values of the scattering matrix for a

particular device or network, just like Γ L , are
frequency dependent! Thus, it may be more
instructive to explicitly write:

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 The Scattering Matrix 622 11/11

⎡ S11 (ω ) … S1n (ω ) ⎤
S (ω ) = ⎢⎢ ⎥
⎥
⎢⎣Sm 1 (ω ) Smn (ω ) ⎥⎦

Also realize that—also just like ΓL—the scattering matrix

is dependent on both the device/network and the Z0
value of the transmission lines connected to it.

Thus, a device connected to transmission lines with

Z 0 = 50Ω will have a completely different scattering
matrix than that same device connected to transmission
lines with Z 0 = 100Ω !!!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example The Scattering Matrix 1/5

Example: The
Scattering Matrix
Say we have a 3-port network that is completely characterized
at some frequency ω by the scattering matrix:

⎡0.0 0.2 0.5 ⎤

S = ⎢⎢ 0.5 0.0 0.2 ⎥⎥
⎢⎣ 0.5 0.5 0.0 ⎥⎦

A matched load is attached to port 2, while a short circuit has

been placed at port 3:
Z = Z0

zP 2 = 0
Z0
V2− (z) V2+ (z)
port
2
z P 1 = 0 V + (z) V3− (z) z P 3 = 0
1

3-port
Z0 port 1 microwave port 3 Z0 Z =0
device
V1 − (z) V3+ (z)

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example The Scattering Matrix 2/5

a) Find the reflection coefficient at port 1, i.e.:

V01−
Γ1  +
V01

b) Find the transmission coefficient from port 1 to port 2, i.e.,

V02−
T21  +
V01

I am amused by the trivial

problems that you apparently
find so difficult. I know that:

V01−
Γ1 = + = S11 = 0.0
V01
and

V02−
T21 = + = S21 = 0.5
V01

NO!!! The above statement is not correct!

Remember, V01− V01+ = S11 only if ports 2 and 3 are

terminated in matched loads! In this problem port 3
is terminated with a short circuit.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example The Scattering Matrix 3/5

Therefore:
V01−
Γ1 = + ≠ S11
V01
and similarly:

V02−
T21 = + ≠ S21
V01

To determine the values T21 and Γ1 , we must start with the

three equations provided by the scattering matrix:

V01− = 0.2V02+ + 0.5V03+

V02− = 0.5V01+ + 0.2V03+

V03− = 0.5V01+ + 0.5V02+

and the two equations provided by the attached loads:

ΓL2 = 0 ⇒ V02+ = 0

ΓL 3 = −1 ⇒ V03+ = −V03−

You’ve made a terrible mistake!

Fortunately, I was here to
correct it for you—since ΓL = 0 ,
the constant V02− (not V02+ ) is
equal to zero.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example The Scattering Matrix 4/5

NO!! Remember, the signal V2− (z ) is incident on the matched

load, and V2+ (z ) is the reflected wave from the load (i.e., V2+ (z )
is incident on port 2). Therefore, V02+ = 0 is correct!

Likewise, because of the short circuit at port 3 ( ΓL = −1 ):

V3+ (z 3 = 0) V03+
= = −1
V3− (z 3 = 0) V03−

and therefore:

V03+ = −V03−

We can divide all of these equations by V01+ , resulting in:

V01− V02+ V03+

Γ1 = + = 0.2 + + 0.5 +
V01 V01 V01

V02− V03+
T21 = + = 0.5 + 0. 2 +
V01 V01

V03− V02+
= 0.5 + 0.5 +
V01+ V01

V02+
=0
V01+

V03+ V03−
=− +
V01+
V01

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example The Scattering Matrix 5/5

Look what we have—5 equations and 5 unknowns! Inserting

equations 4 and 5 into equations 1 through 3, we get:

V01− V03+
Γ1 = + = −0.5 +
V01 V01

V02− V03+
T21 = + = 0.5 − 0.2 +
V01 V01

V03−
= 0.5
V01+

Solving, we find:

Γ1 = −0.5 ( 0.5 ) = −0.25

T21 = 0.5 − 0.2 ( 0.5 ) = 0.4

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Scattering Parameters 1/4

Example: Scattering
Parameters
Consider a two-port device with a scattering matrix (at some
specific frequency ω0 ):

⎡ 0.1 j 0.7 ⎤
S ( ω = ω0 ) = ⎢
⎣ j 0.7 −0.2 ⎥⎦

and Z 0 = 50Ω .

Say that the transmission line connected to port 2 of this

device is terminated in a matched load, and that the wave
incident on port 1 is:

V1 + ( z1 ) = − j 2 e − j β z 1

where z1P = z 2P = 0 .

Determine:

1. the port voltages V1 ( z1 = z1P ) and V2 ( z 2 = z 2P ) .

2. the port currents I1 ( z1 = z1P ) and I2 ( z 2 = z 2P ) .

3. the net power flowing into port 1

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Scattering Parameters 2/4

1. Since the incident wave on port 1 is:

V1 + ( z1 ) = − j 2 e − j β z 1

we can conclude (since z1P = 0 ):

V1 + ( z1 = z1P ) = − j 2 e − j β z P 1

= − j 2 e − j β (0)
= −j 2

and since port 2 is matched (and only because its matched!),

we find:

V1 − ( z1 = z1P ) = S11 V1 + ( z1 = z1P )

= 0.1 ( − j 2 )
= − j 0.2
The voltage at port 1 is thus:

V1 ( z1 = z1P ) =V1 + ( z1 = z1P ) +V1 − ( z1 = z1P )

= − j 2.0 − j 0.2
= − j 2.2
−j π 2
= 2.2 e

Likewise, since port 2 is matched:

V2+ ( z 2 = z 2P ) = 0

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Scattering Parameters 3/4

And also:

V2− ( z 2 = z 2P ) = S21 V1 + ( z1 = z1P )

= j 0.7 ( − j 2 )
= 1.4
Therefore:

V2 ( z 2 = z 2P ) =V2+ ( z 2 = z 2P ) +V2− ( z2 = z2P )

= 0 + 1 .4
= 1.4
= 1.4 e − j 0

2. The port currents can be easily determined from the

results of the previous section.

I 1 ( z 1 = z 1 P ) = I 1+ ( z 1 = z 1 P ) − I 1− ( z 1 = z 1 P )
V1 + ( z1 = z1P ) V1 − ( z1 = z1P )
= −
Z0 Z0
2.0 0.2
= −j +j
50 50
1.8
= −j
50
= − j 0.036
−jπ 2
= 0.036 e

and:

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

9/4/2007 Example Scattering Parameters 4/4

I2 ( z 2 = z 2P ) = I2+ ( z2 = z2P ) − I2− ( z2 = z 2P )

V2+ ( z 2 = z2P ) V2− ( z2 = z2P )
= −
Z0 Z0
0 1. 4
= −
50 50
= −0.028
= 0.028 e + j π

3. The net power flowing into port 1 is:

∆P1 = P1 + − P1 −
2 2
V01+ V01−
= −
2Z 0 2Z 0
2 2
(2 ) − ( 0.2 )
=
2 ( 50 )
= 0.0396 Watts

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 1/9

Matched, Lossless,
Reciprocal Devices
A microwave device can be lossless or reciprocal. In addition,
we can likewise classify it as being matched.

Let’s examine each of these three characteristics, and how

they relate to the scattering matrix.

Matched

A matched device is another way of saying that the input

impedance at each port is equal to Z0 when all other ports are
terminated in matched loads. For this condition, the reflection
coefficient of each port is zero—no signal will be come out of a
port if a signal is incident on that port (but only that port!).

In other words, we want:

Vm− = Smm Vm+ = 0 for all m

a result that occurs when:

Smm = 0 for all m if matched

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 2/9

We find therefore that a matched device will exhibit a

scattering matrix where all diagonal elements are zero.

Therefore:
⎡ 0 0.1 j 0.2 ⎤
⎢ ⎥
S = ⎢ 0.1 0 0.3 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ j 0.2 0.3 0 ⎥⎦

is an example of a scattering matrix for a matched, three port

device.

Lossless

For a lossless device, all of the power that delivered to each

device port must eventually find its way out!

In other words, power is not absorbed by the network—no

power to be converted to heat!

Recall the power incident on some port m is related to the

amplitude of the incident wave (V0+m ) as:

2
V0+m
Pm+ =
2Z 0

While power of the wave exiting the port is:

2
V0−m
Pm− =
2Z 0

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 3/9

Thus, the power delivered to (absorbed by) that port is the

difference of the two:
2 2
V0+m V0−m
∆Pm = Pm+ − Pm− = −
2Z 0 2Z 0

Thus, the total power incident on an N-port device is:

N N
1 2
P +
= ∑ Pm = +
2Z 0 ∑ V0+m
m =1 m =1

Note that:
N
2 H
∑ V0+m = ( V+ ) V +
m =1

where operator H indicates the conjugate transpose (i.e.,

H
Hermetian transpose) operation, so that ( V+ ) V+ is the inner
product (i.e., dot product, or scalar product) of complex vector
V+ with itself.

Thus, we can write the total power incident on the device as:

N H
1 2 ( V+ ) V+
2Z 0 m∑
P +
= V0+m =
=1 2Z 0

Similarly, we can express the total power of the waves exiting

our M-port network to be:
N H
1 2 ( V− ) V−
2Z 0 m∑
P −
= V0−m =
=1 2Z 0

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 4/9

Now, recalling that the incident and exiting wave amplitudes are
related by the scattering matrix of the device:

V− = S V+

Thus we find:
H H
( V− ) V− ( V+ ) S H S V+
P −
= =
2Z 0 2Z 0

Now, the total power delivered to the network is:

M
∆P = ∑ ∆P = P+ −P−
m =1
Or explicitly:
∆P = P + − P −
H H
( V+ ) V+ ( V+ ) S H S V+
= −
2Z 0 2Z 0
1 H
= ( V+ ) ( I − S H S ) V +
2Z 0

where I is the identity matrix.

Q: Is there actually some point to this long, rambling, complex

presentation?

A: Absolutely! If our M-port device is lossless then the total

power exiting the device must always be equal to the total
power incident on it.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 5/9

If network is lossless, then P + = P − .

Or stated another way, the total power delivered to the device

(i.e., the power absorbed by the device) must always be zero if
the device is lossless!

If network is lossless, then ∆P = 0

Thus, we can conclude from our math that for a lossless device:

1 H
∆P = ( V+ ) ( I − S H S ) V + =0 for all V+
2Z 0

This is true only if:

I − SH S = 0 ⇒ SH S = I

Thus, we can conclude that the scattering matrix of a lossless

device has the characteristic:

If a network is lossless, then SH S = I

Q: Huh? What exactly is this supposed to tell us?

A: A matrix that satisfies S H S = I is a special kind of

matrix known as a unitary matrix.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 6/9

If a network is lossless, then its scattering matrix S is unitary.

Q: How do I recognize a unitary matrix if I see one?

A: The columns of a unitary matrix form an orthonormal set!

⎡ S11 S12 S13 S14 ⎤

⎢ ⎥
⎢ S21 S22 S23 S22 ⎥
S=⎢
S31 S33 S33 S33 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣S41 S42 S43 S44 ⎥⎦

matrix
columns

In other words, each column of the scattering matrix will have

a magnitude equal to one:

∑ Smn
2
=1 for all n
m =1

while the inner product (i.e., dot product) of dissimilar columns

must be zero.

∑
n
Sni Snj
=1
∗
=S1i S1∗j + S2i S2∗j + " + SNi SN∗j = 0 for all i ≠ j

In other words, dissimilar columns are orthogonal.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 7/9

Consider, for example, a lossless three-port device. Say a

signal is incident on port 1, and that all other ports are
terminated. The power incident on port 1 is therefore:

2
V01+
P1 + =
2Z 0

while the power exiting the device at each port is:

2 2
V0−m Sm 1V01− 2
Pm− = = = Sm 1 P1 +
2Z 0 2Z 0

The total power exiting the device is therefore:

P − = P1 − + P2− + P3−
2
= S11 P1 + + S21 2 P1 + + S31 2 P1 +
= ( S11 2
+ S21 2
+ S31 2
) P1 +

Since this device is lossless, then the incident power (only on

port 1) is equal to exiting power (i.e, P − = P1 + ). This is true only
if:
S11 2 + S21 2 + S31 2 = 1

Of course, this will likewise be true if the incident wave is

placed on any of the other ports of this lossless device:

2 2 2
S12 + S22 + S32 =1
2 2 2
S13 + S23 + S33 =1

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 8/9

We can state in general then that:

∑ Smn
2
=1 for all n
m =1

In other words, the columns of the scattering matrix must have

unit magnitude (a requirement of all unitary matrices). It is
apparent that this must be true for energy to be conserved.

An example of a (unitary) scattering matrix for a lossless

device is:

⎡ 0 1
2 j 3
2 0 ⎤
⎢ 1 0 j 3 2 ⎥⎥
0
S=⎢ 3
2

⎢j 2 0 0 1
2 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ 0 j 3
2
1
2 0 ⎦

Reciprocal

Recall reciprocity results when we build a passive (i.e.,

unpowered) device with simple materials.

For a reciprocal network, we find that the elements of the

scattering matrix are related as:

Smn = Snm

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

09/04/07 Matched reciprocal lossless 622 9/9

For example, a reciprocal device will have S21 = S12 or

S32 = S23 . We can write reciprocity in matrix form as:

ST = S if reciprocal

where T indicates (non-conjugate) transpose.

An example of a scattering matrix describing a reciprocal, but

lossy and non-matched device is:

⎡ 0.10 −0.40 − j 0.20 0.05 ⎤

⎢ −0.40 j 0.20 0 j 0.10 ⎥⎥
S=⎢
⎢ − j 0.20 0 0.10 − j 0.30 −0.12 ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ 0.05 j 0.10 −0.12 0 ⎦

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS