A PC package for the teaching of propagation effects in multiconductor transmission lines

Abstract

This paper describes a computer-aided teaching package for use in a microwave or electromagnetic courses. It analyzes the pulse propagation in uniform multiconductor transmission lines loaded with arbitrary linear networks. This package is an useful tool which enable the students the comprehension of complex effects that occurs within signal propagation (delays, crosstalks, distortion, losses) and how they affect the signal waveforms. The package is based on the resolution of telegrapher equations and it include a set of independent voltage sources and stimulus (trapezoidal, gaussian, frequency-modulated waveform, DC voltage). When analysis is finished, we can use the graphics simulator included in the package to visualize all the waveforms presented in the interconnection nodes. Although the analysis is made in frequency domain the responses are presented in time domain, so the package may improve and clarify essentials concepts like DFT or sampling in frequency domain. The package in menu-driven, versatile, flexible and user-friendly.