Time-domain method of lines applied to the uniform microstrip line and its step discontinuity

The general formulation and the procedure of the time-domain method of lines for the analysis of wave scattering and propagation in planar circuits are described. The time-domain results and the derived frequency-domain characteristics for the uniform microstrip line and its step discontinuity are presented. The results demonstrate that the method is a reliable and efficient way of dealing with pulse propagation and discontinuity problems in planar transmission lines. The frequency-domain characteristics obtained from the time-domain data have been made more stable by applying the QR algorithm in the eigenmode determination and by using integrated field quantities in the extraction of frequency-domain parameters.<>