These are some notes on calculating the characteristic impedance of a coaxial line with a square cross section outer conductor and a circular inner conductor. They were written in response to comments by Zack Lau, KH6CP, in May 1995 QEX that some handbooks had a ``theoretically determined'' formula for the characteristic impedance of coaxial cable with a square outer conductor that did not agree with the empirically determined result 138log10(1.08D/a) where D is the side of the square, and a is the diameter of the inner conductor. These are some notes that I sent Zack in September 1996 showing that transmission line theory predicts the 1.08 factor. Apparently, some handbooks suffered from a propagation of misprints.
The TEM mode characteristic impedance of coaxial lines is given by
Z0 = , | (1) |
c = , | (2) |
Z0 = . | (3) |
One way to calculate the capacitance per unit length of a cylindrical structure is to realize that since there is no charge between the inner and outer conductors, the potential must be a solution of Laplace's equation
= 0. | (4) |
For the coaxial case, the DC field does not change along the length of the coax. Laplaces equation therefore reduces to the two-dimensional equation,
+ = 0, | (5) |
= b1ln(r) + (bm + 1r 4m + am + 1r - 4m)cos(4m), | (6) |
I take the case where the radius of the inner conductor is 1, and half the side length of the outer conductor is D . Enforcing the boundary condition of zero volts on the inner conductor makes = 0 at r = 1 , which means ai = - bi . The solution for is then
= b1ln(r) + bm + 1cos(4m)(r 4m - r - 4m). | (7) |
b1ln(ri) + bm + 1cos(4m)(ri4m - ri- 4m) = 1, | (8) |
= , | |||
ri = . | (9) |
Once the bi values are solved, I need to calculate the charge per unit length. The charge density on a conductor is the normal electric field times the dielectric constant. In our case this is . The normal electric field is most easily calculated for the inner conductor. Integrating around the circular inner conductor immediately gives zero contribution for all but the b1 term. The b1 term give a charge per unit length of
q = 2b1, | (10) |
Z0 = = . | (11) |
b1ln 1, | (12) |
= 1.08, | (13) |
Z0 = 60ln (1.08 D), | (14) |
Z0 = 60ln((D) D). | (15) |
Z0 can only depend on the ratio of D/a where D is the outer conductor halfside and a is the inner conductor radius. This ratio is the same as the outer conductor side divided by the inner conductor diameter, so that can be substituted as well. Substituting D/a for D gives the final result.
The table shows the calculated and Z0 with N=10, for D/a from 1.1 to 6.0. The value starts at 1.06 at D/a = 1.1 where Z0 = 9 Ohms. becomes 1.08 for D/a = 1.275 where Z0 = 19 Ohms. It remains at 1.08 thereafter. The asymptotic value of is actually 1.0787. I have repeated the calculation with N=20, with no change in the results indicating good convergence.
The empirical value of 1.08 should work fine.
A final note for the compulsive nitpickers. The value 60 is really two times the numerical value of the speed of light times the appropriate power of ten. That is it is really 2 x 29.9792458 or 59.9584916.
The calculated characteristic impedance Z0 , for a coaxial
air line with a square cross section outer conductor of side D and a
circular cross section inner conductor of diameter a, as a function
of D/a. The value of where
Z0 = 60ln(D/a)
is also shown.
Z0 | Z0 | Z0 | ||||||
1.10000 | 1.06422 | 9.45326 | 2.40000 | 1.07868 | 57.07262 | 3.70000 | 1.07870 | 83.04562 |
1.12500 | 1.06724 | 10.97142 | 2.42500 | 1.07869 | 57.69448 | 3.72500 | 1.07870 | 83.44966 |
1.15000 | 1.06947 | 12.41565 | 2.45000 | 1.07869 | 58.30996 | 3.75000 | 1.07870 | 83.85100 |
1.17500 | 1.07118 | 13.80151 | 2.47500 | 1.07869 | 58.91918 | 3.77500 | 1.07870 | 84.24968 |
1.20000 | 1.07250 | 15.13895 | 2.50000 | 1.07869 | 59.52227 | 3.80000 | 1.07870 | 84.64572 |
1.22500 | 1.07355 | 16.43478 | 2.52500 | 1.07869 | 60.11936 | 3.82500 | 1.07870 | 85.03917 |
1.25000 | 1.07439 | 17.69392 | 2.55000 | 1.07869 | 60.71056 | 3.85000 | 1.07870 | 85.43005 |
1.27500 | 1.07507 | 18.92012 | 2.57500 | 1.07869 | 61.29598 | 3.87500 | 1.07870 | 85.81840 |
1.30000 | 1.07563 | 20.11629 | 2.60000 | 1.07869 | 61.87575 | 3.90000 | 1.07870 | 86.20425 |
1.32500 | 1.07609 | 21.28477 | 2.62500 | 1.07869 | 62.44996 | 3.92500 | 1.07870 | 86.58764 |
1.35000 | 1.07647 | 22.42752 | 2.65000 | 1.07870 | 63.01873 | 3.95000 | 1.07870 | 86.96860 |
1.37500 | 1.07679 | 23.54617 | 2.67500 | 1.07870 | 63.58215 | 3.97500 | 1.07870 | 87.34715 |
1.40000 | 1.07705 | 24.64213 | 2.70000 | 1.07870 | 64.14033 | 4.00000 | 1.07870 | 87.72333 |
1.42500 | 1.07728 | 25.71661 | 2.72500 | 1.07870 | 64.69336 | 4.02500 | 1.07870 | 88.09716 |
1.45000 | 1.07747 | 26.77070 | 2.75000 | 1.07870 | 65.24134 | 4.05000 | 1.07870 | 88.46868 |
1.47500 | 1.07763 | 27.80537 | 2.77500 | 1.07870 | 65.78436 | 4.07500 | 1.07870 | 88.83791 |
1.50000 | 1.07777 | 28.82147 | 2.80000 | 1.07870 | 66.32250 | 4.10000 | 1.07870 | 89.20489 |
1.52500 | 1.07789 | 29.81980 | 2.82500 | 1.07870 | 66.85587 | 4.12500 | 1.07870 | 89.56963 |
1.55000 | 1.07799 | 30.80108 | 2.85000 | 1.07870 | 67.38452 | 4.15000 | 1.07870 | 89.93217 |
1.57500 | 1.07808 | 31.76596 | 2.87500 | 1.07870 | 67.90857 | 4.17500 | 1.07870 | 90.29253 |
1.60000 | 1.07815 | 32.71506 | 2.90000 | 1.07870 | 68.42807 | 4.20000 | 1.07870 | 90.65074 |
1.62500 | 1.07822 | 33.64894 | 2.92500 | 1.07870 | 68.94311 | 4.22500 | 1.07870 | 91.00683 |
1.65000 | 1.07827 | 34.56815 | 2.95000 | 1.07870 | 69.45377 | 4.25000 | 1.07870 | 91.36081 |
1.67500 | 1.07832 | 35.47317 | 2.97500 | 1.07870 | 69.96012 | 4.27500 | 1.07870 | 91.71272 |
1.70000 | 1.07837 | 36.36448 | 3.00000 | 1.07870 | 70.46222 | 4.30000 | 1.07871 | 92.06258 |
1.72500 | 1.07840 | 37.24250 | 3.02500 | 1.07870 | 70.96016 | 4.32500 | 1.07871 | 92.41040 |
1.75000 | 1.07844 | 38.10766 | 3.05000 | 1.07870 | 71.45401 | 4.35000 | 1.07871 | 92.75623 |
1.77500 | 1.07847 | 38.96036 | 3.07500 | 1.07870 | 71.94382 | 4.37500 | 1.07871 | 93.10007 |
1.80000 | 1.07849 | 39.80095 | 3.10000 | 1.07870 | 72.42966 | 4.40000 | 1.07871 | 93.44195 |
1.82500 | 1.07851 | 40.62980 | 3.12500 | 1.07870 | 72.91160 | 4.42500 | 1.07871 | 93.78189 |
1.85000 | 1.07853 | 41.44725 | 3.15000 | 1.07870 | 73.38970 | 4.45000 | 1.07871 | 94.11992 |
1.87500 | 1.07855 | 42.25361 | 3.17500 | 1.07870 | 73.86402 | 4.47500 | 1.07871 | 94.45606 |
1.90000 | 1.07857 | 43.04919 | 3.20000 | 1.07870 | 74.33462 | 4.50000 | 1.07871 | 94.79032 |
1.92500 | 1.07858 | 43.83428 | 3.22500 | 1.07870 | 74.80155 | 4.52500 | 1.07871 | 95.12273 |
1.95000 | 1.07859 | 44.60917 | 3.25000 | 1.07870 | 75.26488 | 4.55000 | 1.07871 | 95.45331 |
1.97500 | 1.07860 | 45.37412 | 3.27500 | 1.07870 | 75.72466 | 4.57500 | 1.07871 | 95.78208 |
2.00000 | 1.07861 | 46.12939 | 3.30000 | 1.07870 | 76.18094 | 4.60000 | 1.07871 | 96.10906 |
2.02500 | 1.07862 | 46.87523 | 3.32500 | 1.07870 | 76.63378 | 4.62500 | 1.07871 | 96.43426 |
2.05000 | 1.07863 | 47.61187 | 3.35000 | 1.07870 | 77.08322 | 4.65000 | 1.07871 | 96.75771 |
2.07500 | 1.07864 | 48.33954 | 3.37500 | 1.07870 | 77.52933 | 4.67500 | 1.07871 | 97.07943 |
2.10000 | 1.07864 | 49.05846 | 3.40000 | 1.07870 | 77.97214 | 4.70000 | 1.07871 | 97.39943 |
2.12500 | 1.07865 | 49.76884 | 3.42500 | 1.07870 | 78.41171 | 4.72500 | 1.07871 | 97.71773 |
2.15000 | 1.07865 | 50.47089 | 3.45000 | 1.07870 | 78.84807 | 4.75000 | 1.07871 | 98.03436 |
2.17500 | 1.07866 | 51.16479 | 3.47500 | 1.07870 | 79.28129 | 4.77500 | 1.07871 | 98.34932 |
2.20000 | 1.07866 | 51.85074 | 3.50000 | 1.07870 | 79.71141 | 4.80000 | 1.07871 | 98.66264 |
2.22500 | 1.07867 | 52.52892 | 3.52500 | 1.07870 | 80.13846 | 4.82500 | 1.07871 | 98.97433 |
2.25000 | 1.07867 | 53.19950 | 3.55000 | 1.07870 | 80.56249 | 4.85000 | 1.07871 | 99.28440 |
2.27500 | 1.07867 | 53.86266 | 3.57500 | 1.07870 | 80.98355 | 4.87500 | 1.07871 | 99.59289 |
2.30000 | 1.07868 | 54.51856 | 3.60000 | 1.07870 | 81.40167 | 4.90000 | 1.07871 | 99.89979 |
2.32500 | 1.07868 | 55.16735 | 3.62500 | 1.07870 | 81.81690 | 4.92500 | 1.07871 | 100.20514 |
2.35000 | 1.07868 | 55.80920 | 3.65000 | 1.07870 | 82.22927 | 4.95000 | 1.07871 | 100.50894 |
2.37500 | 1.07868 | 56.44424 | 3.67500 | 1.07870 | 82.63883 | 4.97500 | 1.07871 | 100.81120 |
5.00000 | 1.07871 | 101.11196 |