WAVE PROPAGATION
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- GAETANO BELLANCA
- Credits
- 6
- Curriculum
- Ingegneria elettronica e wireless
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- ING-INF/02
Training objectives
- The aim of the course is to provide students with the fundamental knowledge to address the study of electromagnetic wave propagation and dimensioning of telecommunication systems in free space. The course will provide the knowledge needed for understanding the physical phenomena that underlie the propagation of electromagnetic waves, and will discuss the mathematical models used for these studies.
The main acquired knowledge will be:
the use of differential and vector calculus;
the comprehension of the electromagnetic propagation in homogeneous and discontinuous media;
the use of the Transmission Line Method to investigate matching problems;
the use of the Smith Chart for the design of matching networks;
the study of antennas and the identification of their basic properties;
the study of antenna systems;
The basic acquired abilities (that are the capacity of applying the acquired knowledge) will be:
analysis of the electromagnetic wave propagation in both free space and discontinuous media;
design of circuits and devices for impedance matching;
design of a radio-communication system in free space. Prerequisites
- The following concepts and the knowledge provided by the courses of “Analisi Matematica (Mathematics)”, “Fisica (Physics)” and “Teoria dei Circuiti (Circuits Theory)” are mandatory:
fundamentals of mathematical analysis, differential and vector calculus;
basic concepts of physics, with particular focus on those related to electromagnetics;
fundamentals of circuit theory and methods for both time domain and frequency domain approaches. Course programme
- The course includes 60 hours of teaching with lessons and classroom exercises.
Basic electromagnetics (10 hours)
Vector and differential calculus in electromagnetics. Maxwell’s equations for time-varying fields in integral and differential forms. Polarization and displacement currents. Charge-current continuity relation. Boundary conditions for electromagnetics.
Time harmonic fields (14 hours)
Time harmonic field: phasors and polarization. Fourier transform. Complex permittivity and secondary constants. Fundamental theorems: Poynting, equivalent sources, unicity.
Wave equation and electromagnetic potentials (14 hours)
Solution of the wave equation with electromagnetic potentials. Plane wave: classification, polarization, power density. Wave reflection and transmission. Total reflection and Brewster angle. Phase and group velocities. Propagation in dispersive media for pulse signals. Wave front diffraction: propagation of plane waves in k-space.
Transmission Line Method and matching (8 hours)
Equivalent transmission line: lumped element model and transmission-line equations Transmission and reflection coefficients. Transmission line impedance. Impedance matching. The Smith Chart. Single and double stub matching networks. Quarter-wave transformer.
Radiation and Antennas (14 hours)
Solution of the wave equation with a source: the Green function approach. The short (Hertz) dipole. Radiation field. Near field and far field regions. Fundamental parameters of antennas: radiation pattern, directivity, gain, effective area, polarization. Friis transmission equation and RADAR range equation. Didactic methods
- The course is organized with lectures on the topics listed in the Syllabus. Solutions of some exercises relevant to electromagnetic propagation, matching of transmission lines, design of antennas, antenna arrays and radio links in free space will be proposed and discussed.
Learning assessment procedures
- The exam consists of a written (mandatory) and an oral (optional if the result of the written section of the exam is at least 24) test and focuses on the topics covered during the course. The objective of the exam consists in verifying the achievement of the previously indicated training objectives.
In the written part of the exam, the student must solve exercises on the propagation of waves in the presence of discontinuities, on the adaptation of impedance in the transmission lines and on the sizing of a radio communication system or a RADAR.
In the oral exam, the student is asked to answer some questions, with the aim of assessing the level of learning and the ability to analyze and solve problems related to the topics covered during the course.
To pass the exam, the student should obtain a minimum mark of 18 over 30. Passing the exam demonstrates the acquisition of knowledge and skills specified in the educational objectives of the course. The student can apply for the exam in Italian, English or French. Reference texts
- Teacher’s handouts are provided to prepare the exam of the Course.
However, specific topics can be further developed by using these books:
F. Morichetti, A. Melloni, Mezzi di trasmissione per l'informazione, Amazon.
F. Morichetti, A. Melloni, Mezzi di trasmissione per l'informazione – Esercizi Svolti, Amazon.
G. Gerosa, P. Lampariello, Lezioni di campi elettromagnetici, Ingegneria 2000.
P. Bassi, L. Scolari, R. Zoli, Propagazione di onde elettromagnetiche, CLUEB.
P. Bassi, C. Zaniboni, Introduzione ai campi elettromagnetici, BUP.
G. Conciauro, L. Perregrini, Fondamenti di onde elettromagnetiche, McGraw-Hill.
F.T. Ulaby, Fondamenti di campi elettromagnetici, McGraw-Hill.
S.J. Orfanidis, Electromagnetic waves and antennas, http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~orfanidi/ewa/
M. Midrio, Campi Elettromagnetici, SGE Editoriali, Padova.
M.N.O. Sadiku, Elements of Electromagnetics, Oxford.
M.N.O. Sadiku, Principles of Electromagnetics, Oxford.
P. Bassi, G. Bellanca, G. Tartarini, Propagazione ottica libera e guidata, CLUEB.
