The physical meaning of transmission-line parameters in a full-wave theory

Abstract

In the potential-current representation, transmission-line parameters in the Transmission-Line Super Theory (TLST) do not have a direct physical meaning – they are gauge dependent, i.e.: they are different in the Lorenz and Coulomb gauge. However, they retain traces of their classical origin: They are constituted of capacitances and inductances for forward and backward running waves along the lines. Therefore their corresponding matrices are not symmetrical as in the case of classical transmission-line theory. In the charge-current representation the parameter matrices have a physical meaning: their elements consist of damping functions due to the non-uniformities of the lines and of the propagation functions along the lines, incorporating conductor and radiation losses. The transmission line parameters also contribute to the total radiated power of the lines. The attempt to quantize radiation locally, fails because radiation describes a long-range (integral) interaction, and therefore affects all conductor parts of all lines. However, it can be stated that at stronger inhomogeneities the local contributions to radiation increase, and are particularly recognizable along the risers.