Note: This discussion is about an older version of the COMSOL Multiphysics® software. The information provided may be out of date.

Discussion Closed This discussion was created more than 6 months ago and has been closed. To start a new discussion with a link back to this one, click here.

Can S11 or S21 be less than 0?

Please login with a confirmed email address before reporting spam

Hi,
All

In the module 'Frequency Selective Surface, Periodic Complementary Split Ring Resonators' on the website of COMSOL, we can get analysis of S-Parameter by 1D plot group. The module has already got results of S11dB and S21dB, what I want to analysis are S11 and S21, so I add emw.S11 and emw.S21 in a new 1D plot group without any other operation. After plot, what I got makes me confused: I saw part values of S11 and S21 are LESS THAN 0.
I wornder if I understand this physical significance in a correct way, because when I repeat paper 'oe-21-5-6153,' I got negative value, too.
Please help me out!
THANK YOU!

BEST,
Y,Zou

2 Replies Last Post 22 avr. 2015, 23:55 UTC−4

Please login with a confirmed email address before reporting spam

Posted: 10 years ago 17 avr. 2015, 11:37 UTC−4
Actually, S11dB, S21dB, etc. should by definition always (I think) be negative. Sometimes the negative of actual S parameters in dB are reported in practice (when the negative is understood), but that is not technically correct.

We have seen COMSOL report positive values for S parameters in dB on occasion when there were problems in the simulations. We think we have seen occasions (at least in 4.2) where COMSOL reported incorrect absolute values of S parameters but had the correct value in dB. Haven't checked that in a recent version, but suggest you look at S dB parameters, and suggest you see if 4.3b or 5.1 show similar results (we had many problems with 4.4).
David
Actually, S11dB, S21dB, etc. should by definition always (I think) be negative. Sometimes the negative of actual S parameters in dB are reported in practice (when the negative is understood), but that is not technically correct. We have seen COMSOL report positive values for S parameters in dB on occasion when there were problems in the simulations. We think we have seen occasions (at least in 4.2) where COMSOL reported incorrect absolute values of S parameters but had the correct value in dB. Haven't checked that in a recent version, but suggest you look at S dB parameters, and suggest you see if 4.3b or 5.1 show similar results (we had many problems with 4.4). David

Robert Koslover Certified Consultant

Please login with a confirmed email address before reporting spam

Posted: 10 years ago 22 avr. 2015, 23:55 UTC−4
S11 and S21 are complex numbers. The real and/or imaginary parts of these numbers can easily be positive or negative. In typical real-world engineering problems, these numbers have magnitudes less than 1, since they represent signal couplings from either a port to itself (S11, a reflection) or to another port (S21, a transmission). The phases of these numbers generally depend on the port geometry, mode(s), the media, the terminating impedances involved, etc. Do a search on "S-matrix" on the internet to learn more.
S11 and S21 are complex numbers. The real and/or imaginary parts of these numbers can easily be positive or negative. In typical real-world engineering problems, these numbers have magnitudes less than 1, since they represent signal couplings from either a port to itself (S11, a reflection) or to another port (S21, a transmission). The phases of these numbers generally depend on the port geometry, mode(s), the media, the terminating impedances involved, etc. Do a search on "S-matrix" on the internet to learn more.

Note that while COMSOL employees may participate in the discussion forum, COMSOL® software users who are on-subscription should submit their questions via the Support Center for a more comprehensive response from the Technical Support team.