A Visual Introduction to Scattering Parameters

This video covers the fundamental theory surrounding S-Parameters, and their applications to RF networks.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
0:34 - What is a 'Network'?
1:52 - Power Waves
2:30 - Complex Impedance & Phase Angle
3:06 - S-Matrix & S-Parameters
4:19 - Reflection & Transmission Coefficients
6:03 - Standing Waves
7:00 - Example Networks
12:25 - Designating S-Parameters
13:01 - Reciprocity & Losslessness
13:42 - Reflection Coefficient and VSWR
14:28 - Conclusion

(Note: At 4:07, Sij is equal to (Vi-/Vj+) * sqrt(Zj)/sqrt(Zi), but because we've assumed an equal impedance for all ports, it has been simplified to Vi-/Vj+.)

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Special thanks to Athanasios Kanatas, Dimitrios Rongas, Leonidas Marantis, and Cameron Van Eck for their thorough guidance and consistent support.

[scirip]

man just made the best quality high educational video ever and then quit the platform

[DahliaTrimble]

I can never remember which subscript is input and which is output. Thanks for making this and please make more!

[microharmonics]

This was a fantastic breakdown on S-parameters. Thank you for producing it!

[brunobarajas]

Great video, thank you. Please continue to do more. I notice its been a year and just one video, don't stop, this is great video and great production, continue and you will get many more views and subs.

[damarantes]

Excellent summary on S-parameters. Thanks a million!

[JB-]

Love to see a smith chart video. This was a really good video.

[ElJefe]

This video was absolutely beautiful 😮‍💨

[OwenDuffy]

Congratulations on a very good instructional video. I will make one comment...

At 13:00 you stated that S11 "corresponds" to Return Loss and VSWR, and you expand on the relationship with VSWR but you leave Return Loss hanging. More specifically, the relationship is with |S11|, and Return Loss = -|S11| where both are expressed in dB. The - sign is often omitted, a common error, very common in ham radio. You might consider adding a 'slide' to expand Return Loss (correctly).

Well done to all involved.

[poxilos]

Ευχαριστούμε πατριώτες, πολύ καλή εξήγηση των παράμετρων σκέδασης!

[Rezni]

Great explanation, thanks. If you could also show visually what it looks like in a smith diagram that would be awesome.

[MJ-vtkp]

1st time at the channel, very nice done! Are using Ansys?

[thomasknapp]

That is one great explanatory video. Why no more?

[goodchange]

Thank you for this video, it's very nice.

[elfeituri]

Thanks for the awesome work!, I wish if you can talk about balanced/Mixed-mode S-parameters in another video 🙂

[ned_twitch]

bro did the best video ever and stopped theire

[Astartos]

Hi, thanks for the video. At 1:57, why is the voltage divided by 2 to give ai?

[YoungJackRack]

I actually really like the background music! Its similar to Grants videos. You are using Grants python library for these simulations, correct?

[andreasskaliontas]

Wow damn great videos please make more!! Εξερετική δουλεία παιδιά Μπράβο

[minutephysics]

Very well explained and I'm down with the jazz. My only critique is that you used 'reciprocal' several times before actually defining in terms of the symmetry of the S matrix. It would have been better to make that connection before the example.

[mengxinlin]

An important point to understand about scattering parameters is that the reflection coefficient looking into port n is not equal to Snn unless all other ports are matched. Similarly, the transmission coefficient from port m to port n is not equal to Snm unless all other ports are matched. -- Pozar