S-parameters

MUSE
Material developed by Prof. L. Dunleavy, USF

University of South Florida

2-Port Parameters
z

Recall Z-Parameters:

V
1
V
2

Z I Z I
11 1
12 2
Z I Z I
21 1
22 2

V1
!
V2

I1
V1

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Z 11
Z
21

Z 12 I1
Z 22 I 2

I2
2-port

V2
2

2-Port Parameters
z

Recall Z-Parameters:

V
1
V
2

Z I Z I
11 1
12 2
Z I Z I
21 1
22 2

V1
!
V2

I1
V1

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2-port
network

Z 11
Z
21

Z 12 I1
Z 22 I 2

I2
V2
3

2-PORT Parameters (contd)

z

Y-Parameters:

I1
I2
z

Y11V1  Y12 V2
Y21V1  Y22 V2

I1
!
I 2

Y11

Y21

Y12 V1

Y22 V2

h-Parameters:
V1 h11I1  h12 V2
I 2 h 21I1  h 22 V2

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V1
!
I2

h11
h
21

h12 I1
h 22 V2
4

2-Port Parameters (contd)

z

2-port Parameter Determination:

h 11

v1
I1

|v

I2
h21
|V 0
I1 2
V
1|
h
12 V I 0
2 1

I
h22 2 |I 0
V 1
2

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(Put a Short Circuit at Port #2)

(Put an Open Circuit at Port # 1)

S-Parameters
At high RF and Microwave frequencies direct
measurement of Y- , Z-, or H- parameters is
difficult due to:
Unavailability of equipment to measure
RF/MW total current and voltage.
Difficulty of obtaining perfect opens/shorts
Active devices may be unstable under
open/short conditions.
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S-Parameters
For a two-port device there are four Sparameters S11, S21, S12, and S22
z S11, and S22 are simply the forward and
reverse reflection coefficients, with the
opposite port terminated in Z0 (usually 50
ohms.)
z S21 and S12 are simply the forward and
reverse gains assuming a Z0 source and load
(again usually 50 ohms).
z

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S-Parameters (contd)
z

S-Parameters:
b
S a s a
1
11 1 12 2
b
S a S a
2
21 1
22 2
a1

b1

b1
!
b 2
b2

S 11
S
21

S 12 a 1
S 22 a 2
a2

2-port

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S-Parameters (contd)
z

Q. So whats the deal with the as and bs?

a1

b1

b2

a2

Zs
Vg

V1

2-port

V2

ZL

A. a1 and a2 are incident waves; b1 and b2 are

reflected waves

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Incident & Reflected Waves:

Simplified Case: Z1=Zs=Z2=ZL=Zo (real)
a1
a2

V1  Z 0 I 1

Incident port 1 voltage

E i1

2 Z0

Z0

Z0

V2  Z 0 I 2
2 Z0

Incident port 2 voltage

E i2

b1

b2
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Z0

Z0

V1  Z 0 I 1

reflected port 1 voltage

E r1

2 Z0

Z0

Z0

V2  Z 0 I 2

reflected port 2 voltage

2 Z0

Z0

E r2
Z0
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S-Parameter Determination
s11

b1
|
a 1 a2

s21

b2
|
a1 a2 0

s12

b1
|
a2 a1 0

s22

b2
|
a2 a1 0

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= Input reflection coefficient *in

for case of ZL=Z0
= Forward transmission (insertion) gain
for case of ZL=Z0
= Reverse transmission (insertion) gain
for case of Zs=Z0
= Output reflection coefficient *out
for case of Zs=Z0
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Desired Measurement Conditions

Zs = Z0

a1

b1

Vg

b2
Z0

2-port

Z0

a2 = 0
V2

ZL =
Z0

Notethe input and output are terminated in Z0

a1

b1

Zs = Z0

Vg

Z0

*
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1-port
S11=*
12

GRAPHICAL VIEW OF SPARAMETERS

S12

S11,
Input
Refl.
Coeff. *in,
Return
Loss,
VSWR

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Reverse Gain
Insertion Loss,
Transmission Phase
Device
Under Test
S21, Forward Gain
Insertion Loss,
Transmission Phase

S22,
Output
Refl.
Coeff. *out,
Return
Loss,
VSWR
13

S-Parameters in Decibels
dB

Meaning or interpretation

S11

20 log10 |S11| Corresponds to the algebraic negative of the input

S12

20 log10 |S12| Reverse isolation (active device or amplifier), or

S21

20 log10 |S21| Power gain (active device or amplifier), or algebraic

S22

20 log10 |S22| Corresponds to the algebraic negative of the

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return loss of a 2-port with an R0 termination on

the opposite port.

algebraic negative of the insertion loss (I.L.) for a

passive device, with R0 at ports 1 and 2.
negative of the insertion loss (I.L.) for a passive
device, under matched R0 at ports 1 and 2.
output return loss of a 2-port with an R0
termination on the opposite port.

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WHAT TO EXPECT
Ideal Lossless T-line
T

Ed

Zo, Hr
Ideal X dB Attenuator
PAD
Ideal G dB Gain Amp

S11=S22=0
S21=S12=1e-jT
S21DB=0
S11=S22=0
S21=S12=xe-jTpad
S21DB= X=20log(|S21|)
x =10-X/20
S11 = S22 = 0 = S12
S21 = gve-jTamp
S21DB= G=20log(S21)

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gv

G
10 20

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WHAT TO EXPECT: Ideal Filters

Ideal Band Pass
S21

Ideal Low Pass

S21

fc1

fc2

Ideal High Pass

0dB

S21
fc

fc

GENERAL IN-BAND

GENERAL OUT-OF-BAND

S11=S22=0
S21=S12=1e-jTf)
S21(dB)=S12(dB)=0dB

|S11|=|S22|=1
S21=S12=0
S11(dB)=S22(dB)=0dB

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