Solving Transmission-Line (TL) Problems Using Simple Coupled Integral Equations and the Method of Moments (MM) for Undergraduate Education

Abstract

Integral equations (IEs) have been commonly used in solving electromagnetic problems. Thus, it is important to expose undergraduate students to IEs by illustrating with familiar, simple and intuitive examples. Using uncoupled IEs to solve transmission line (TL) problems as an example for undergraduate students was proposed in the literature, but a mathematical complexity still remains, which should be avoided for the introductory course on IEs. In this paper, solving TL problems using coupled IEs and the method of moments (MM) is proposed instead to further reduce the mathematical complexity and gain better understanding of the coupled nature of associated voltage and current distributed along TLs. Several numerical examples for different load terminations are given to illustrate that the coupled IEs with the MM can provide accurate results indeed.