Compact closed-form mathematical expressions are presented for the effective permittivity, characteristic impedance and attenuation constant of coplanar waveguides with thick electrodes and high-frequency dispersion. Excellent agreements, for a wide range of frequencies, up to 100 GHz and for conductor thicknesses up to 40 m are found with full-wave finite-element results from commercial software (HFSS) in a margin of geometric parameter values and frequencies of interest for the design and optimisation of high-speed electro-optical modulators. The formulae are simple and specially tailored to the narrow gap widths and thick electrodes typical of electro-optical modulator applications. Other approaches to closed-form formulae for CPW parameters are also compared and analysed.

Peer Reviewed