A REVIEW OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC PROPERTIES AND THE FULL-WAVE ANALYSIS OF THE GUIDING STRUCTURES IN MMIC

A general overview of the basic electromagnetic phenomena that govern the behavior of the guilding structures in microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) is presented in this paper. With emphasis on the microstrip lines, we discuss the general characteristics exhibited by these guiding structures, including the effect of dispersion and discontinuities. Since modeling constitutes a major effort in the analysis of these structures, we also include brief discussions on one of the most versatile analytical methods available. As we hope to convey in this paper, the role of electromagnetics is strongly intertwined with the optimal design of microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuitry. Only through accurate modeling of the field behavior can the circuit response be properly predicted.