Microwave & Optical Engineering Question Bank
Microwave & Optical Engineering Question Bank
Microwave & Optical Engineering Question Bank
EC T72
UNIT- I
PART-A
1. Define Gunn Effect.
Gunn diode are negative resistance devices which are normally used as lowpower oscillator at
microwavve oscillation in gallium arsenide , indium phosphide and candium telluride. The frequency of
oscillation was determined mainly by the specimen and not by the external circuit.
2. What is the necessary condition for an IMPATT to produce oscillations?
An IMPATT diode (Impact ionization Avalanche Transit-Time) is a form of high power diode
used in high-frequency electronics and microwave devices.
The IMPATT diode family includes many different junctions and metal semiconductor
devices.
3. List the differences between microwave transistor and TED devices.
Step recovery diodes, transistors, tunnel diodes & TEDs are active microwave devices
that generate power or amplify microwave signals.
4. What are the advantages of parametric amplifier?
Microwave and audio parametric amplifiers were used as low-noise amplifiers, to process
low-level signals. Therefore their non-linearity probably never occurred in use
5. What is meant by avalanche transit time device?
Negative resistance is achieved by creating a delay (1800 Phase shift) between the voltage
and current. Delay is achieved by, Delay in generating the avalanche current multiplication &
Delay due to transit time through the material. So this time is called Avalanche transit time
(ATT) devices
6. Mention the applications of PIN diode.
RF switches,
Attenuators,
Photo detectors,
Phase shifters
7. What is a parametric amplifier?
Parametric amplification is a phenomenon where a signal can be amplified using a
parametric nonlinearity and a pump wave. This focuses on optical amplification, even though
there are also electronic parametric amplifiers, used e.g. for microwaves.
8. What is the theory of a negative resistance amplifier?
A device exhibiting negative resistance can be used to amplify a signal and this is an especially
useful technique at microwave frequencies. Such devices do not present as pure negative
resistance at these frequencies (in the case of the tunnel diode a large parallel capacitance is also
present) and a matching filter is usually required.
The reactive components of the device's equivalent circuit can be absorbed into the filter design
so the circuit can be represented as a pure resistance followed by a band pass filter.
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Large bandwidth
High directivity of microwave radiation pattern.
Antennae size becomes small and low fading effect.
Propagate through ionosphere provide effective satellite communication.
To communicate efficiently between two points, it is important that the transmitted signal be
sharply focused and aimed at the receiving antennae. Since microwave frequencies have this
ability they are ideally suited for wireless type point to point communication.
The combination of satellites and point to point microwave transmission results in the ability
to communicate between continents.
In radar system microwaves are used to detect aircraft, guide supersonic missiles, observe
and traffic weather patterns and control flight traffic at airports.
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RADAR transmitters
Microwave Owens
Industrial heating
BJT
HBT hetero bipolar junction transistor
Tunnel diode
JFET
MOSFET
HEMT
MESFET
NMOS,PMOS,CMOS
Memories
CCD
Read diode
IMPATT diode
TRAPATT
BARITT
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It is wideband
Pulse power is high
Suitable for high frequency
It is a noisy device
Tuning range is not high
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UNIT-II
PART-A
1. State Faradays rotation law.
If a circularly polarized wave is made to pass through a ferrite rod which has been
influenced by an axial magnetic field B, then the axis of polarization gets tilted in clockwise
direction and amount of tilt depends upon the strength of magnetic field and geometry of the
ferrite.
2. State the properties of S matrix.
It possess symmetric property sij =sji
It possess unitary property [s][s]*=[i]
3. What are the reasons that low frequency parameters cannot be measured in
microwaves?
Bandwidth, improved directivity with an aerial array, reliability, power requirement
4. State the two parameters that describe a directional coupler? Define them.
The important parameters of a directional coupler are: Coupling factor and Coefficient.
A directional coupler is a useful hybrid wave guide joint which couples power in a auxiliary
wave guide arm in one direction.
5. What is Tee junction? Give two examples
In Microwave circuits a wave guide or coaxial junction with three independent ports is
referred to as Tee junction. Eg: E- Plane Tee, H-plane Tee
6. What is S matrix and write the S matrix of N port network?
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10. List the parameters that determine the performance of a directional coupler.
Coupling coefficient
Directivity
Insertion loss
Isolation.
11. What are the advantages of ABCD matrix?
They are used in power transmission lines.
They are very helpful in the case of cascade networks.
12. Define one port network.
A one port circuit is a circuit for which power can enter or leave through a single
waveguide or transmission lines.
13. Define s-matrix.
At microwave frequencies the measurable quantities are power, reflection coefficient,
transmission coefficient and standing wave ratio. A linear relation between input and output of a
microwave network in terms of precisely measurable parameters is called scattering description
(or scattering matrix is a matrix made up of scattering coefficients).
14. What is ABCD matrix?
ABCD matrix is a transmission matrix. These parameters express voltage and current at
output in terms of those at input port.
V1=AV2-BI2
I1=CV2-DI2
15. Give an example for a two port Microwave device.
Small signal models for transistors (such as the hybrid-pi model), filters
Matching networks.
16. What are scattering matrix parameters?
the scattering matrix of an m-port junction is a square matrix of a set of elements which relate
incident and reflected waves at the port of the junction
17. What are the characteristics of S parameter?
It describes any passive microwave component.
It exists for linear passive and time invariant networks.
It gives complete information on reflection and transmission coefficients.
18. What are the various losses occur in microwave circuts?
Insertion loss(dB)
Reflection loss(dB)
Return loss(dB)
19. Define insertion loss
Insertion loss is the loss of signal power resulting from the insertion of a device in a
transmission line or optical fiber and is usually expressed in decibels (dB).
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It is the ratio of the light reflected back from a device under test, Pout, to the light
launched into that device, Pin, usually expressed as a negative number in dB.
22. What is transmission loss?
Transmission loss (TL) (more specifically in duct acoustics) is defined as the difference
between the power incident on a duct acoustic device (muffler) and that transmitted downstream
into an anechoic termination.
23. What is reciprocal network?
A reciprocal device has the same transmission characteristics in either direction of a pair
of ports and is characterized by a symmetric scattering matrix
24. What is the condition for impedance of network?
The impedance Z of a network is given by
[V] = [Z][I]
25. Define phase shift property.
Phase shift is a term describing the displacement of two signals in time. When we
described the two sides of a balanced line as being of opposite polarity, we could have said that
they are 180 degrees out of phase with each other.
26. What is incident wave?
A wave that strikes a boundary where it is either reflected or refracted. Incoherent light:
light consisting of waves that are not in step. Independent variable: variable that is manipulated
or changed in an experiment. Index of refraction: ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to its
speed in a material.
27. What is reflected wave?
Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The law of
reflection says that for specular reflection the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface
equals the angle at which it is reflected.
28. Define zero property of S matrix.
If the diagonal S-matrix elements are all zero, there is no reflection from any port when
the other three ports are terminated.
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A circulator is a microwave passive multiport device in which the incident wave at port 1
is coupled to port 2 only. Incident wave at port 2 is coupled to port 3 only and so on.
34. What are the applications of circulator?
It is used to separate the input and output in negative resistance application.
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It is a passive four port device. It consists of a primary waveguide 1-2 and a secondary
waveguide 3-4. The guides 1-2 and 3-4 are identical. Any one of them can be used as primary
and the other act as auxiliary guide. The direction coupler is said to be consisting of main arm
and an auxiliary arm.
41. What are the various types of DC?
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It is defined as the ratio of input power and output power at auxiliary arm.
43. What is directivity?
It is defined as the ration of power in the auxiliary arm due to power in forward direction
to the power at the same port due to power in the reverse direction.
The unitary property of [S] helps a quick check of power balance for lossless structures. No
such immediate check is possible with [Z] or[Y].
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UNIT-III
PART-A
1. What is Bolometer?
It is a power sensor whose resistance change with changed temperature as it absorbs the
microwave power. It is a short thin metallic wire sensor with positive temperature coefficient of
resistance.
2. What is transit time?
It is the time taken by the electro to travel from cathode to the plate of an electrode.
3. State the applications of magnetron.
Pulse work in Radar.
Linear particle accelerators.
4. What are the methods to detect microwave power?
Balometer method
Calorimeter method
5. What is meant by duty cycle?
When you change the power setting on most microwaves, it doesn't change the power
output of the magnetron. It changes the duty cycle, i.e. when the magnetron is on and when it is
off.
6. How are microwave measurements different from low frequency measurements?
The low-frequency measurements are direct capacitance measurements performed with
an LCR meter and the capacitance determination at microwave frequencies is done by extracting
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the capacitance from S-parameter measurement results. Several discrete and monolithically
integrated Schottky diodes are measured with both techniques and the differences of the
techniques are discussed in the view of the obtained results.
7. State the four types of TWT.
Broadband, Low noise, Low level amplifiers.
CW power TWT
Pulsed TWT
Dual mode TWT
8. How the Klystron amplifier can act as Klystron oscillator?
When the klystron amplifier is given a positive feedback such that the overall phase shift
becomes 0 or 360. Then the klystron amplifier acts as an oscillator.
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It has a line carriage is a microwave sectioned coaxial line connecting a coaxial E-field
probe which penetrates inside a rectangular waveguide slotted section. The longitudinal slot
is cut along the center of the waveguide broad walls. The probe is made to move along the
slotted wall which samples the electric field proportional to probe voltage.
59. Draw the diagram of thermocouple sensors in a electrical circuit.
Microwave setup will always uses a frequency meter in order to calibrate the frequency
of microwave signal passes through it.
61. What is radiation pattern?
In the field of antenna design the term radiation pattern (or antenna pattern or far-field
pattern) refers to the directional (angular) dependence of the strength of the radio waves
from the antenna or other source.
62. Define directivity?
They are instrumental error, substitution error, mount inefficiency error etc.
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It is defined as a provision given in microwave device used to vary the termination point
of the device.
66. Define thin film resistor.
The resistive element of thick films is 1000 times thicker than thin films, but the principal
difference is how the film is applied to the cylinder or the surface. Thin film resistors are
made by sputtering the resistive material onto an insulating substrate.
67. What are the drawbacks occur while impedance measurement?
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GaAs,
InP,
InGaAs
GaAlAs
The internal quantum efficiency in the active region is the fraction of electron hole
pairs that recombine radiatively. Its given by i=Rr/ (Rr+ Rnr)
i is the internal quantum efficiency
Rris the radiative recombination per unit volume.
19. Why do we prefer laser diodes over LEDs for communication applications?
1. High intensity radiation
2. Narrow spectral width of the laser source is the preferable features of
Laser compared to LED.
20. Mention any four factors which affect the power launched into the fiber.
Numerical aperture
Core size
Refractive index profile
Core and Cladding index difference
Size, Radiance and angular power distribution of the source.
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22. What are the different noises present in the avalanche photodiode?
Shot noise
Dark current noise
Surface leakage current noise
Thermal noise
25. What are the different factors that determine the response time of photo detector?
InGaAs
InAlGaAs
Photo detector
Amplifier and
Signal processing circuitry.
Light detector
Pre amplifier
Equalizer
Signal discriminator circuits
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32. What are the various error sources in the optical receiver?
= q/h
where
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40. Mention the techniques used for determination of fiber numerical aperture.
Farfield angle from fiber using a scanning photo detector and a rotating stage
Farfield pattern by trigonometric fiber
Farfield pattern of NA measurement using a rotating stage.
speed is large
more accuracy
faster diameter measurements
Good accuracy.
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GaAs,
InP,
InGaAs
GaAlAs
60. Explain the radiation pattern from surface emitting laser diode or LED.
The emission pattern is isotropic with a 120 degree half-power beam width, i.e., source is equally
bright when viewed from any direction, but the power diminishes as cos, where is the angle
between the viewing direction and normal to the surface
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To transmit the information which are in the form of coded signals of the telephone
communication.
To transmit the optical images
To act as a light source at inaccessible places.
UNIT V
PART-A
1. Draw the block diagram of fiber optic system.
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the case of graded index fiber (GRIN fiber) the refractive index of the core varies parabolically
from the centre of the core having maximum refractive index to the corecladding interface
having constant minimum refractive index. Here the light propagation is by skew rays.
6. Why do we prefer step index fiber for long distance communication?
Step index single mode fiber has a)low attenuation due to smaller core diameter b) higher
bandwidth and c) very low dispersion.
7. Define WDM.
In fiber-optic communications, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology
which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using
different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light. This technique enables bidirectional
communications over one strand of fiber, as well as multiplication of capacity.
8. What is meant by SONET?
Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
are standardized protocols that transfer multiple digital bit streams synchronously over optical
fiber using lasers or highly coherent light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs). At low
transmission rates data can also be transferred via an electrical interface.
9. Define AON.
An active optical system uses electrically powered switching equipment, such as a router
or a switch aggregator, to manage signal distribution and direct signals to specific customers.
This switch opens and closes in various ways to direct the incoming and outgoing signals to the
proper place. In such a system, a customer may have a dedicated fiber running to his or her
house.
10. Define PON.
A passive optical network, on the other hand, does not include electrically powered
switching equipment and instead uses optical splitters to separate and collect optical signals as
they move through the network. A passive optical network shares fiber optic strands for portions
of the network. Powered equipment is required only at the source and receiving ends of the
signal.
11. What is meant by Rayleigh scattering?
The index variation causes a Rayleigh type of scattering of light. Rayleigh scattering in
glass in the same phenomenon that scatters light from sun in the atmosphere, giving rise to blue
sky.
12. What is the measure of information capacity in optical waveguide?
It is usually specified by bandwidth distance product in MHz. For a step index fiber the
various distortion effects tend to limit the bandwidth distance product to 20MHz.
13. Mention the losses responsible for attenuation in optical fibers.
Absorption losses, Scattering losses and bending losses
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20.
23.
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In the optical power loss model for a pt-to-pt link, the optical power rxed at the photo
detector depends on the amount of light coupled into the fiber & losses occurring in the fiber
at the connectors & splices. The link loss budget is derived from the sequential loss
contribution of each element in the link
28.
The system margin is usually (6-8) dB. A positive system margin ensures proper
operation of the circuit. A negative value indicates that insufficient power will reach the
detector to achieve the required bit error rate, BER.
29.
30.
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Transparency can be defined as the light paths can carry data as a variety of bit rates,
protocols, and so forth, and can, in effect, be made protocol insensitive.
Transparency can be defined as an operator can provide a variety of different services
using a single infrastructure. The infrastructure is future-proof in that if protocols or
bit rates change, the equipment deployed in the network is still likely to be able to
support the new protocols and bit rates without requiring a complete overhaul of the
entire network.
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47. What is an isolator? List the two important key parameter of an isolator?
An isolator is a device used to allow transmission in one direction through it but block all
transmission in the other direction. Isolators are used in systems at the output of optical
amplifiers.
Key Parameter: Insertion Loss
Isolation Loss
48. What is the function of circulators?
A circulator is similar to an isolator, except that it has multiple ports, typically three
or four ports. In a three-port circulator, an input signal on port 1 is sent out on port 2, an input
signal on port 2 is sent out on port 3, and an input signal on port 3 is sent out on port 1.
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Extinction ratio,
Insertion loss,
A latching,
The reliability of the switch is an important factor,
Switches should have a low polarization-dependent loss (PDL).
Line Layer
Path Layer
Section Layer
Photonic Layer
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The main function of the line layer is to provide synchronization and to perform
multiplexing for the path layer.
The main function of the path layer is to map the signals into a format required by the
line layer.
Its functions include reading, interpreting, and modifying the POH for performance
and APS.
The section layer deals with the transport of an STS-N frame across the physical
medium.
Its main functions are framing, scrambling, error monitoring, and section
maintenance.
Its main function is the conversion between STS-N and OC-N signals.
Its functions include wavelength launching, pulse shaping, and modulation of power
levels.
Regenerator
Terminal Multiplexer
Add/Drop Multiplexer
Broadband Digital Cross-Connect
Wideband Digital Cross-Connect
Digital Loop Carrier
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66. What are the different types of Topologies available in SONET architecture?
Hub Topology
Ring Topology
Mesh Topology
Because of the lower bit rates, the distance limit due to chromatic dispersion is much
larger for WDM systems than for equivalent TDM systems.
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(11)
2. Derive the expression of power & efficiency of two cavity klystron oscillators.
Keys & Hint:
The diagram of two cavity klystron
Derivation & expression for the oscillator
Power calculation
Efficiency calculation
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4. Derive the expression of power, modes & efficiency of reflex klystron Oscillators.
Keys & Hint:
The diagram of reflex klystron oscillator
Derivation & expression for the oscillator
Power calculation
Efficiency calculation
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7. Explain how the following microwave transistors are used to generate micro wave.
a) Bipolar microwave transistor.
b) FET microwave transistor
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10. Discuss the operation Avalanche diode Oscillator & TWT in detail
Keys & Hint:
The diagram of Avalanche diode oscillator & TWT
Working principle of system
Applications
Advantages & Disadvantages
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UNIT-II
1. a)Explain the properties of S-parameter.
b) Explain the shifting of reference planes in two port network.
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4. a)Explain the operation & derive the S matrix for any two port network or Isolator.
b) Explain the advantages of multi-port network.
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5. Explain the operation & derive the S matrix for any three port network or E-Plane tee. (11)
Keys & Hint:
Working principle of E-Plane
Derivation S Matrix for E-Plane tee.
6. Explain the operation & derive the S matrix for any three port network or H-Plane tee. (11)
Keys & Hint:
Working principle of H-Plane
Derivation S Matrix for H-Plane tee.
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7. Explain the operation & derive the S matrix for any four port network or magic tee.
Keys & Hint:
Working principle of Magic tee
Derivation S Matrix for Magic tee.
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UNIT-III
1. Explain about the VSWR measurement in detail
Keys & Hint:
VSWR definition
Types of VSWR measurement
Diagrams of types
Description about each and every type
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8. Explain in detail about the dielectric constant measurement of a solid using waveguide. (11)
Keys & Hint:
Description about dielectric constant and its measurement procedure
Diagrams
Details about types
9. Discuss in detail about Polarization Measurements
Keys & Hint:
Definition about Polarization
Diagrams & Types of Polarization
Explanation about each type
Advantages
Disadvantages
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10. Discuss in detail about Gain & Phase measurement with necessary diagrams
Keys & Hint:
Working principle of Gain & Phase measurement procedure
Diagrams
Explanation about each type
Applications
Advantages& Disadvantages
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UNIT-IV
1. Draw the schematic diagram of optical communication system. Explain the function
of each component in that diagram.
Keys & Hint:
Detailed explanation about optical communication system
Block diagrams
Description about block diagram
Advantages & Applications
2. Explain the advantages of optical communication system and what the need is for
fiber communication.
Keys & Hint:
Detailed explanation about optical communication system
Block diagrams
Description about block diagram
Need of fiber communication
3. Explain the different types of optical fiber configuration using refractive index
Profile diagram and light ray propagation.
Keys & Hint:
Detailed explanation about optical communication system
Types of fiber optic index
Refractive index profile diagram
Description about the light ray propagation
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7. Explain about inter modal dispersion. Derive the expression for RMS pulse
Broadening.
Keys & Hint:
Description about the intermodal dispersion
Diagrams
Derivation for RMS pulse broadening
Application and advantages of intermodal dispersion
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10. Explain in detail about the optical windows & PIN diode
Keys & Hint:
Definition about Optical windows & PIN diode
Schematic diagrams
Explanation about the types
Advantages & Applications
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UNIT-V
1. a) What is meant by coherent communication system ? Explain it.
b) Discuss about the function of point to point communication link.
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10. Write a brief notes about DWDM & Point to Point link
Hint & Key:
Description about the DWDM & link estimation
Different types
Diagrams
Applications
Advantages & disadvantages
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