Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis ((PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation proposes a multi-mode antenna element excited through a multiconductor feed. It is shown that each of the orthogonal transverse electromagnetic modes supported by the antenna feed results in a unique radiated far-field pattern that collectively allow for nearhemispherical field-of-view coverage. Three multi-mode antenna designs are presented: a dual-mode antenna, integrating a single linearly polarised dipole antenna with a co-located monopole, as well as two quad-mode antenna designs integrating two dual-polarised dipole elements with a co-located monopole element. The dual-mode antenna is excited through a balanced transmission line feed supporting both differential- and common-mode signals that, respectively, result in typical dipole-over-ground and monopole radiated far-field patterns. The quad-mode antennas are each fed through a quadraxial transmission line allowing for excitation through four orthogonal transverse electromagnetic port modes. To characterise the multi-mode response of the multi-mode antennas, generalised transformations are derived by which the multi-mode S-parameters and radiated far-fields can be calculated from the S-parameters and far-fields corresponding to single-ended excitations. These transformations are implemented to validate the response of a dual-mode and quad-mode antenna design through measurements. An equivalent network representation for active multi-mode antennas is presented, including generalised transformations relating the multi-mode signal and noise response of the low-noise amplifiers to the two-port S-parameters and noise parameters of the low-noise amplifiers. Through the use of classical beamforming algorithms, the performance of an active dual-mode and quadmode antenna is presented. In the case of the active dual-mode antenna, it is shown that through the added use of common-mode signals, a variation in sensitivity of less than 50% is achieved in the E-plane. Similarly, the additional excitation modes supported by the active quad-mode antenna is shown to result in a significant improvement in the polarimetric capabilities over the field-of-view coverage. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif stel ’n multimodale antenna element voor wat deur ’n multi-geleier transmissielyn gevoer word. Dit word gewys dat elk van die ortogonale transversale elektromagnetiese opwekkingsmodusse wat deur die antenna voer ondersteun word, ’n unieke vêrveld stralingspatroon skep, wat gesamentlik lei tot ’n hemisferiese gesigsveld. Drie multimodale antenna ontwerpe word voorgestel: ’n dubbelmodale antenna, waarin ’n enkel lineêrgepolariseerde dipool antenna en monopool mede-geleë word, asook twee viermodale antenna ontwerpe waarin twee dubbelgepolariseerde dipool elemente geïntegreer word met medegeleë monopool antenna elemente. Die dubbelmodale antenna word gevoer deur ’n gebalanseerde transmissielyn wat beide differensiële- en gemene-modus seine ondersteun, waar elk onderskeidelik dipool-oor-aardvlak en monopool stralingspatrone voortbring. Die viermodale antennas word elk gevoer deur vier-as transmissielyne wat vier ortogonale transversale elektromagnetiese opwekkingsmodusse ondersteun. Om die multimodale gedrag van die drie multimodale antennas te karakteriseer, word veralgemeende transformasies afgelei waardeur die multimodale strooiingsparameters asook die vêrveld stralingspatrone vanaf enkelpoort strooiingsparameters en vêrvelde bereken word. Hierdie transformasies word toegepas om die gedrag van ’n dubbel- en viermodale antenna ontwerp te karakteriseer deur metings. Ekwivalente netwerkvoorstellings vir aktiewe multimodale antennas word voorgestel, insluitend veralgemeende transformasies om die multimodale sein asook ruis gedrag van die lae-ruis versterkers betreklik te maak tot die tweepoort strooiingsparameters en ruisparameters van die laeruis versterkers. Deur gebruik te maak van klasieke bundelvormingsalgoritmes, word die gedrag van aktiewe dubbelmodale en viermodale antennas voorgestel. Vir die aktiewe dubbelmodale antenna word daar aangedui dat die gesamentlike gebruik van differensiële- en gemene-modus seine, ’n variasie in sensitiwiteit onder 50% tot gevolg het in die E-vlak. Soortgelyk word daar aangedui dat die addisionele opwekkingsmodusse wat deur die aktiewe viermodale antenna ondersteun word, tot ’n beduidende verbetering in die polarisasievermoë oor die gesigsveld lei.

Transmission lines are the basic building blocks of any RF and microwave circuits. The width of a microstripline increases as the characteristic impedance is lowered for a given substrate. Wide microstriplines suffer from spurious and higher order modes at higher frequencies and may not behave as transmission lines. This means the lower limitation for a realisable microstripline is about 10 ohm. In this project microstriplines with characteristic impedances of 7 ohm and 25 ohm at a frequency of 2 GHz were designed and realised using the artificial transmission lines (ATL) concept. Detailed theoretical analysis and circuit and EM simulations were used for the design and implementation of the ATLs. Taconic TLY-5 substrate was used for the PCB fabrication. The substrate thickness was 0.787 mm and the dielectric constant was 2.2. The measured results were de-embedded and compared with the simulation results. The detailed procedure of modelling and de-embedding of an SMA connector is also given. The 25 ohm ATL was realised using microstriplines only, where as microstriplines and chip capacitors were used in realising the 7 ohm ATL. The measured characteristic impedance of the 25 ohm ATL was 24.4 ohm and the measured electrical length of the 25 ohm ATL was 180 degrees at 2.1 GHz. To realise a 25 ohm ATL with 90 degrees electrical length, the half-wavelength 25 ohm ATL geometry was cut into half and one of the half geometries was EM simulated. The EM simulated electrical length of the 25 ohm ATL was 90 degrees at 1.9 GHz. The measured characteristic impedance of the 7 ohm ATL was 5.9 ohm and the measured electrical length of the 7 ohm ATL was 90 degrees at 1.8 GHz. The main advantage of an ATL is size reduction. A 25 ohm meandered microstrip line (substrate thickness = 0.787 mm, dielectric constant = 2.2) with 180 degrees electrical length at 2 GHz has a size of 34 mm x 15 mm. The 25 ohm ATL with 180 degrees electrical length at 2.1 GHz was realised in a size of 22 mm x 19 mm. The design of the 25 Ω ATL resulted in 18 percent reduction in area compared to the meander line. A 7 ohm conventional microstripline (substrate thickness = 0.787 mm, dielectric constant = 2.2) with 90 degrees electrical length at 1.8 GHz has a size of about 28 mm x 27 mm. The 7 ohm ATL with 90 degrees electrical length at 1.8 GHz was realised in a size of 7 mm x 8.4 mm which is only 8 percent of the conventional 7 ohm microstripline area. In general, a spacing of 3h where h is the substrate thickness is required between the adjacent microstriplines. In this project detailed investigations were done to see if the spacing can be reduced without any detrimental coupling affects and a spacing of 0.6 mm was used. This reduction in spacing has resulted in reduced size of the ATL. For an asymmetrical power splitter based on the Wilkinson topology, the power splitter output power split ratio depends on the square of the characteristic impedances of the quarter-wavelength arms. In this project an asymmetrical power splitter was designed and realised using a 7 ohm ATL and a 25 ohm ATL as the quarter-wavelength arms. The desired centre frequency of the power splitter was 2 GHz and the measured centre frequency was 1.6 GHz. At the centre frequency the phase difference between the output ports of the power splitter will be zero. The simulated power split ratio was 10.1 dB and the measured power split ratio was 13 dB. The power split ratio calculated using the measured characteristic impedances of the ATLs (24.4 ohm and 5.9 ohm) will be 12.4 dB which is very close to the measured power split ratio.

The increase in clock rate and integration density in modem IC technology leads to complex interactions among different parts of the circuit. These interactions are poorly represented with traditional lumped circuit design methodologies. Traditional CAD tools, such as SPICE, provide very accurate models for a large variety of active devices, but their description of the passive part of the circuit is progressively becoming insuffcient, as the frequencies of the signals increase. Problems such as dispersion, crosstalk and package effects require a full electromagnetic approach in order to predict their impact on the final response of the circuit. On the other hand, the application of a full-wave numerical method for the analysis of a complete device containing nonlinear elements is not sustainable with the present computer capabilities. The spatial and time discretization steps required to accurately model the nonlinear part of the device are much smaller than those necessary to describe the distributed part of the circuit. In the present thesis, the possibility of modeling nonlinear devices with the three-dimensional TLM method has been explored; a new procedure has been successfully developed and implemented, linking the equivalent circuit representation of the nonlinear device to the transmission line model of the electromagnetic fields in the TLM network. No restrictions are applied on the size of the device, which can thus occupy more than a TLM cell. In order to model devices embedded in heterogenous media, a modification of the TLM node and relative scattering matrix has also been proposed. In view of linking the TLM field solver with a lumped element circuit CAD tool, the modified TLM scattering algorithm has remained independent of the specific device connected to the mesh. The general methodology shown in this thesis appears to be a promising approach to solve a large variety of electromagnetic problems containing nonlinear elements. / Graduate

Thesis (M.Sc.), Faculty of Engineering (Electrical Engineering), University of the Witwatersrand, 1994

Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um método de localização de faltas em linhas de transmissão constituídas de circuitos simples ou duplos, admitindo trechos não transpostos e com derivações, além de terminais com medições dessincronizadas. O método utiliza os fasores de tensão e corrente, pré-falta e pós-falta, medidos nos terminais, local e remoto, para determinar as informações da falta, as quais são: trecho de ocorrência, distância, resistência e tipo. O método de localização de faltas proposto neste trabalho é composto pelo: processo de obtenção dos fasores, onde os sinais de tensão e corrente são filtrados; algoritmo de montagem da matriz de admitâncias da rede; algoritmo de estimativa de cargas e algoritmo de localização de faltas. O método desenvolvido tem como principal característica a localização de faltas em linhas de transmissão constituídas por circuito duplo com derivações utilizando dados de somente dois terminais, não descartando a possibilidade da utilização de dados de outros terminais caso disponíveis, e a pesquisa por trechos da rede através da minimização de funções objetivo. Para avaliar a eficiência do método de localização de faltas desenvolvido, diversas simulações foram realizadas no programa ATP (Alternative Transient Program), tais como: variação da distância de falta, da resistência de falta e do tipo de falta, bem como simulações de erros no módulo e no ângulo dos fasores, erros nos parâmetros da linha de transmissão e erros nos equivalentes. / In this work was developed a fault location method on transmission lines constituted of single or double circuits, allowing non-transposed lines sections, with derivations. The method uses the pre-fault and post-fault voltage and current phasors measured at local and remote terminals to determine the fault information, which are: section of occurrence, distance, resistance and, type. The fault location method proposed in this work is composed by: phasor obtaining process, where the voltage and current phasors are filtered; the network\'s admitance matrix building process; the load estimation algorithm and; the fault location algorithm. The developed method has as main features the fault location on double circuit transmission lines with derivations using data of two terminals only, without discarding the possibility of using another terminals data, case available, and the search for the fault location on transmission line\'s sections by objective functions minimization. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the developed fault location method, a lot of simulations were conducted in ATP (Alternative Transient Program), such as: fault distance, resistance and, type variations as well as errors on phasors\' module and angle, transmission line parameters and, terminals\' equivalent.

O fenômeno \"crosstalk\" constitui-se de acoplamentos eletromagnéticos não intencionais entre condutores. Motivado pela importância deste fenômeno para a área de Compatibilidade Eletromagnética, este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de análise do fenômeno através do aplicativo SPICE considerando-se configurações compostas por condutores múltiplos. A proposta de desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta computacional de simulação do fenômeno utilizando uma versão estudantil, com livre acesso, possibilita, entre outras coisas, a disseminação de um modelo alternativo, simples e eficaz, e a inclusão do estudo do \"crosstalk\" no conteúdo programático de cursos de Graduação ou Pós-graduação. Para este fim, adotou-se um modelo de simulação de acoplamento eletromagnético com base em modelos de linha de transmissão. Tal modelo é complementado com geradores vinculados controlados por tensão e corrente, que representam fontes de interferência eletromagnética. Em face de limitações dos blocos funcionais que representam essas fontes no aplicativo, foi utilizado em um primeiro instante um método de representação do modelo através de arquivos-texto, ao invés da utilização da interface gráfica existente no software. Posteriormente, novos blocos foram desenvolvidos e acrescentados à biblioteca, tornando possível à aplicação dessa interface diretamente nas simulações. A validação do modelo foi feita, inicialmente, comparando-se os resultados simulados àqueles disponíveis na literatura internacional. Além disto, foi desenvolvida uma bancada experimental para comprovação dos resultados e validação do modelo implementado no aplicativo SPICE através de casos simples do fenômeno. Esses resultados mostram a viabilidade da utilização dos componentes desenvolvidos para o aplicativo, tornando possível e confiável o uso dessa ferramenta na simulação do fenômeno \"crosstalk\". Passou-se então a aplicação da ferramenta desenvolvida a sistemas mais complexos com um número superior de condutores. / This work presents an approach, in which the well-known SPICE simulator is used as a tool to simulate the phenomenon crosstalk. Basically, it is based on transmission line model, where the electromagnetic interferences are simulated by controlled voltage and current sources. Due to the limitations of the available Spice models concerning multiconductors configurations, additional models were developed and implemented as part of the SPICE library. Theoretical and experimental results were obtained. They were used as part of the validation process of the proposed methodology. The developing of specific models allowed the use of this modeling in SPICE student versions. This turns possible the introduction of crosstalk simulations in undergraduate and graduate courses. Besides, the methodology was applied to complex systems in order to present its versatility.

In the analysis of optically controlled microstrip interdigitated gaps, an equivalent circuit model for simple interdigitated gap is obtained. As far as we know, this is the first report of optically controlled microstrip interdigitated gap equivalent circuit model. The amplitude and phase changes of interdigitated gaps under different illumination powers are calculated with this equivalent circuit model, which basically agree with the experimental results. Meanwhile, the effect on the transmission characteristics from the gap dimensions is also discussed. Finally a novel gap structure is described for optically controlled phase shifter application, whose transmission characteristics have nearly zero amplitude change and no less than 27 degrees phase change under different illumination powers when the transmission signal frequency is about 1.8 to 2.5GHz. Some detailed experimental results of this gap are presented in Chapter 5. / In this dissertation, a systematic work has been done to analyze the transmission characteristics and applications of optically controlled microstrip single gap and interdigitated gap devices on high resistivity silicon (HRS) wafer. Detailed simulations, experiments and the relative equivalent circuit models for these gap structures are presented. / Microwave photonics is a multi-disciplinary area that studies the interactions between microwave signals and optical signals. As one of the key elements, direct optical control of microwave semiconductor devices has been an area of growing interest since 1980's. They can be widely used in picosecond photoconductive switch, phase shifter, attenuator, high-speed sampling, gain control of amplifier and so on. / Some future work is also suggested based on the study in this dissertation. / Specifically, optically controlled microstrip discontinuities devices fabricated on semiconductor substrates have wide-ranging applications due to their simple fabrication, easy integration with other passive and active microwave devices. / When illuminated on the surface of the microstrip single gaps, the S 12 amplitude of this gap increases linearly as the optical illumination increasing, which is a good potential application for digital controllable attenuator. The change of the S12 amplitude is mainly due to the imaginary permittivity change of the HRS substrates. The equivalent circuit model is established to explain the amplitude and phase changed. The equivalent resistors have been calculated according to the excess carrier concentration profile after illumination, which match well with the experimental results. / Li Huiping. / "March 2005." / Adviser: K. T. Chan. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: B, page: 6619. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um método de localização de faltas em linhas de transmissão constituídas de circuitos simples ou duplos, admitindo trechos não transpostos e com derivações, além de terminais com medições dessincronizadas. O método utiliza os fasores de tensão e corrente, pré-falta e pós-falta, medidos nos terminais, local e remoto, para determinar as informações da falta, as quais são: trecho de ocorrência, distância, resistência e tipo. O método de localização de faltas proposto neste trabalho é composto pelo: processo de obtenção dos fasores, onde os sinais de tensão e corrente são filtrados; algoritmo de montagem da matriz de admitâncias da rede; algoritmo de estimativa de cargas e algoritmo de localização de faltas. O método desenvolvido tem como principal característica a localização de faltas em linhas de transmissão constituídas por circuito duplo com derivações utilizando dados de somente dois terminais, não descartando a possibilidade da utilização de dados de outros terminais caso disponíveis, e a pesquisa por trechos da rede através da minimização de funções objetivo. Para avaliar a eficiência do método de localização de faltas desenvolvido, diversas simulações foram realizadas no programa ATP (Alternative Transient Program), tais como: variação da distância de falta, da resistência de falta e do tipo de falta, bem como simulações de erros no módulo e no ângulo dos fasores, erros nos parâmetros da linha de transmissão e erros nos equivalentes. / In this work was developed a fault location method on transmission lines constituted of single or double circuits, allowing non-transposed lines sections, with derivations. The method uses the pre-fault and post-fault voltage and current phasors measured at local and remote terminals to determine the fault information, which are: section of occurrence, distance, resistance and, type. The fault location method proposed in this work is composed by: phasor obtaining process, where the voltage and current phasors are filtered; the network\'s admitance matrix building process; the load estimation algorithm and; the fault location algorithm. The developed method has as main features the fault location on double circuit transmission lines with derivations using data of two terminals only, without discarding the possibility of using another terminals data, case available, and the search for the fault location on transmission line\'s sections by objective functions minimization. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the developed fault location method, a lot of simulations were conducted in ATP (Alternative Transient Program), such as: fault distance, resistance and, type variations as well as errors on phasors\' module and angle, transmission line parameters and, terminals\' equivalent.

A configuration-oriented circuit model for multiple coupled lines in an inhomogeneous medium is developed and presented in this thesis. This circuit model consists of a network of uncoupled transmission lines and is readily modeled with simulation tools like LIBRA�� and SPICE��. It provides an equivalent circuit representation which is simple and topologically meaningful as compared to the model based on modal decomposition. The configuration-oriented model is derived by decomposing the immittance matrices associated with an n coupled line 2n-port system. Time- and frequency-domain simulations of typical coupled line multiports are included to exemplify the utility of the model. The model is useful for the simulation and design of general single and multilayer coupled line components, such as filters and couplers, and for the investigation of signal integrity issues including crosstalk in interconnects associated with high speed digital and mixed signal electronic modules and packages. It is shown that multiconductor lossless structures in an inhomogeneous medium can be characterized by multiport time-domain reflection (TDR) measurements. A synthesis technique of an equivalent lossless (non-dispersive) uniform multiconductor n coupled lines (UMCL) 2n-port system from the measured discrete time-domain reflection response is presented. This procedure is based on the decomposition of the characteristic immittance matrices of the UMCL in terms of partial mode immittance matrices. The decomposition scheme leads to the discrete transition matrix function of a UMCL 2n-port system. This in turn establishes a relationship between the normal-mode parameters of the UMCL and the measured impulse reflection and transmission response. Equivalence between the synthesis procedure presented in this thesis and the solution of a special form of an algebraic Riccati matrix equation whose solution can lead to the normal-mode parameters and a real termination network is illustrated. In order to demonstrate the procedure, a typical microstrip structure with three lines is synthesized from the time-domain reflection (TDR) data. In order to compliment known field theoretic techniques for characterization of multiconductor structures a network analog method is employed to solve the magnetic vector potential equation to characterize multilayer Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) transmission line structures. This approach leads to the frequency dependent distributed inductance and the resistance matrices of a multilayer MIS transmission line structure. It is shown that the frequency dependent transmission line parameters can be modeled by an efficient quasi-static formulation for all propagating modes including the slow-wave and skin-effect modes. To demonstrate the proposed approach for single and multilevel structures, the frequency dependent distributed inductance and resistance matrices corresponding to the propagating modes classified as the slow-wave and skin-effect modes are calculated and validated by comparison with full-wave solutions. / Graduation date: 1999