For miniaturization, rectangular waveguides with a reduced height are often required, along with a coaxial transition for signal launching. We present a simulation-based design of a broadband transition from a coaxial cable to a rectangular waveguide with the height(b)-to-width(a) ratio b/a ranging from 0.125 to 0.375. The proposed transition consists of a coaxial probe with a cylindrical head or a disk and two symmetrically placed tuning posts. To extend the operating frequency range, three sections of the rectangular waveguide are employed with properly chosen dimensions. Design examples are presented for the WR75 waveguide transition with a b/a of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.375, having a bandwidth of 83.4%, 92.7%, and 84.4%, respectively. Compared with previous works, our design offers the largest bandwidth in a right-angle coaxial-to-rectangular waveguide transition employing the aforementioned structure.

This paper presents a computer-simulation-based design of an in-line, coaxial-to-circular waveguide adapter for converting the coaxial transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode to the circular waveguide TE₁₁ mode over more than a one-octave bandwidth. The proposed adapter consists of a coaxial-to-rectangular waveguide transformer employing a stepped-ridge converter and a rectangular-to-circular waveguide transformer employing a curved transition. The proposed adapter has been optimized using a commercial simulation tool. The dimensions of the designed adapter are given so that it can be verified by anyone who is interested. The designed adapter operates from 8.00 GHz to 22.95 GHz (2.87:1 bandwidth) with a reflection coefficient of less than −20 dB and a higher-order mode level of less than −25.0 dB.

The circular waveguide aperture or open-end radiator, one of the canonical antenna elements, can be filled with a dielectric material for miniaturization. With dielectric filling, the aperture reflection increases and impedance matching is necessary. This paper presents a simple but innovative simulation-based approach to the aperture matching of a dielectric-filled circular waveguide aperture. By properly loading the aperture with two- or three-section dielectric rings, the impedance matching is possible over a wide frequency range starting slightly above the TE₁₁-mode cutoff and continuing upward. The material for the aperture matching is the same as that filling the waveguide. The proposed matching structure is analyzed and optimized using a simulation tool for the dielectric constant ε_r of the filling material ranging from 1.8 to 10. For ε_r ≥ 5, the unmatched reflection coefficient ranges from −6.0 dB to −0.9 dB while the matched reflection coefficient is from −20.4 dB to −10.0 dB. The impedance matching has been achieved over more than an octave bandwidth.

The maximum reflection at an open end of a standard rectangular waveguide is about −10 dB in its operating frequency range. It is often used without matching. For critical applications, it is desirable to further reduce the reflection coefficient. In this paper, a new technique is presented for the broadband impedance matching of an open-ended rectangular waveguide. The proposed technique employs three thin capacitive matching elements placed at proper intervals via a low-loss dielectric material. The capacitance of, and distance between, the matching elements are optimized for broadband impedance matching using a simulation tool. Based on the proposed technique, two design examples are presented for the matching of a WR75 waveguide radiator. A reflection coefficient of less than −16 dB and −20 dB has been achieved over a ratio bandwidth of 2.13:1 and 1.62:1, respectively.

This Communication presents a computational design approach for a broadband in-line coaxial-to-rectangular waveguide transition having a 2.83:1 bandwidth. Existing designs have a bandwidth ranging from 1.36:1 to 2:1. The proposed transition consists of a four-step ridge transformer and three sections of the rectangular waveguide. The proposed design approach extends the bandwidth of the transition by a theory-based design of the width and height of the three-section waveguides and by a computer-aided optimization of the stepped-ridge transformer. The dimensions of the three waveguide sections are determined such that the transition operates from very close to the TE₁₀-mode cutoff to slightly less than the TE₃₀-mode cutoff. A four-step ridge transformer was computer-optimized for a low reflection coefficient over a broad bandwidth. The proposed design approach was applied to the design of a coaxial-to-WR75 transition whose reflection coefficient is less than −22.6 dB at 8.14–23.00 GHz (2.83:1 bandwidth). The dimensions of the proposed transition were obtained using an electromagnetic simulation tool. The increased bandwidth of the transition can be very useful, especially in measurement applications.

The design of new waveguide components is often verified by back-to-back measurements of two identically fabricated units without extracting the characteristics of a single device. This paper presents a simple method of extracting the scattering parameters of waveguide components from back-to-back measurements. The proposed method requires only three waveguide mating connections: one for reflection measurement with an offset SHORT and two for transmission measurement with a THRU configuration. A singular condition in the S-parameter extraction equations is derived, and the optimum length of an offset SHORT standard or a reflecting load is determined based on the singularity condition. The numerical simulation of a broadband coax-to-waveguide transition is employed to show the workings of the proposed method.