ECE 4333/6333

MICROWAVE THEORY

CATALOG DATA: ECE 4333/6333. Microwave Theory. (3)

(Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ECE 3324).

Three hours lecture. Review of Maxwell's equations; wave propagation; waveguides; impedance matching antennas and arrays; lasers.

PREREQUISITES BY TOPIC:

1. Vector calculus.
2. Electrostatics.
3. Magnetostatics.
4. Introduction to Maxwell’s equations.
5. Electrodynamics.

TEXTBOOK(S) AND OTHER REQUIRED MATERIAL:

1. David M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 2^nd Ed., John Wiley and Sons, 1998.

GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES AND RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

1. To further enhance the student’s understanding of electromagnetic fields through the study of Maxwell’s equations, transmission lines and microwave networks. [1,2]
2. To further the student’s ability to apply vector calculus to the solution of engineering electromagnetic problems using applications in microwave networks. [1,2]
3. To further develop the concept of electromagnetic waves and their application areas involving propagation, scattering, transmission lines, waveguides, antennas and microwave devices. [1,2]
4. To develop the student’s ability to apply modern mathematical software and numerical techniques to the solution of microwave network problems. [1,2]
5. To develop a basic understanding of the underlying physics for many application areas of microwaves such as radar, remote sensing, cellular communications, satellite communications and microwave ovens. [1,2]

TOPICS COVERED:

1. Electromagnetic theory and Maxwell’s equations. (2 classes)
2. Transmission line theory. (2 classes)
3. Transmission lines and waveguides. (5 classes)
4. Microwave network analysis. (5 classes)
5. Impedance matching and tuning. (5 classes)
6. Microwave resonators and cavities. (5 classes)
7. Power dividers and directional couplers. (4 classes)
8. Microwave filters. (4 classes)
9. Active microwave circuits and amplifiers (4 classes)
10. Microwave applications (6 classes)
11. Tests. (3 classes)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT:

1. Engineering Science : 2 hours
2. Engineering Design : 1 hour
3. Basic Math and Science : 0 hours

ASSESSMENT:

1. Homework.
2. Tests.
3. Final exam.
4. Computer projects.

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES AND RELATIONSHIP TO MEASURABLE OUTCOMES:

Objective 1:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of Maxwell’s equations and how to apply them to the solution of static and dynamic problems. (1)
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of transmission lines and how to solve transmission line problems. (1)
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of microwave two-port networks and how to analyze these networks using S-parameters and other two-port parameters. (1)

Objective 2:

• Demonstrate the ability to solve problems involving time-harmonic electromagnetic fields. (1)

Objective 3:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the propagation of electromagnetic waves through lossless dielectrics, lossy dielectrics and good conductors. (1,2)
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the propagation of energy in a transmission line via transverse electromagnetic modes along with the ability to solve transmission line problems using both transmission line equations and the Smith Chart. (1,2)
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the propagation of energy in a waveguide via transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes. (1,2)
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic antenna concepts such as radiation pattern, gain, radiation resistance, and effective aperture. (1,2,5)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic physics of operation of various microwave devices such as power dividers and couplers, microstrip and stripline transmission lines, and microwave filters. (1,5)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic physics of scattering and how that applies to applications such as radar. (1,2,5)

Objective 4:

• Demonstrate the ability to develop computer code (MATLAB) to solve engineering problems involving microwave networks. (1,2)

Objective 5:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic physics and requirements of many application areas of microwaves such as radar, cellular communications, microwave ovens, satellite communications and remote sensing. (1,5,8)

PREPARED BY:

Dr. J. Patrick Donohoe, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, October 12, 2004.