The **h-parameters**, or **hybrid parameters**, are one of the several ways to model and describe a **two-port network**, which is a system with two sets of terminals: input and output. These parameters express the relationship between the voltage and current at the input and output terminals of the network. Two-port networks are widely used in electrical engineering to analyze components like amplifiers, filters, and transmission lines.
### Why "h-parameters"?
The term **hybrid** comes from the fact that the h-parameters mix both voltage and current variables in a specific way. Unlike other parameter sets (like Z-parameters or Y-parameters), which deal solely with impedances or admittances, the h-parameters combine them in a "hybrid" form. Specifically, the input voltage and output current are chosen as dependent variables, making this method particularly useful for transistor modeling and circuits involving amplifiers.
### Defining the h-parameters
The h-parameters describe the relationship between the input voltage, input current, output voltage, and output current through the following two linear equations:
1. **Input equation:**
\[
V_1 = h_{11}I_1 + h_{12}V_2
\]
2. **Output equation:**
\[
I_2 = h_{21}I_1 + h_{22}V_2
\]
Where:
- \(V_1\) = input voltage
- \(I_1\) = input current
- \(V_2\) = output voltage
- \(I_2\) = output current
- \(h_{11}\), \(h_{12}\), \(h_{21}\), \(h_{22}\) are the four h-parameters
### The Meaning of Each h-parameter
Each h-parameter has a physical interpretation and a unit:
1. **\(h_{11}\) (Input impedance):**
\[
h_{11} = \left( \frac{V_1}{I_1} \right)_{V_2=0}
\]
- This represents the **input impedance** of the two-port network when the output is short-circuited (\(V_2 = 0\)).
- Units: **Ohms** (\(\Omega\)).
2. **\(h_{12}\) (Reverse voltage gain):**
\[
h_{12} = \left( \frac{V_1}{V_2} \right)_{I_1=0}
\]
- This represents the **reverse voltage gain**, showing how much of the output voltage \(V_2\) appears at the input when there is no input current (\(I_1 = 0\)).
- It is **dimensionless** because it is a ratio of two voltages.
3. **\(h_{21}\) (Forward current gain):**
\[
h_{21} = \left( \frac{I_2}{I_1} \right)_{V_2=0}
\]
- This represents the **forward current gain** when the output is short-circuited (\(V_2 = 0\)).
- It is also **dimensionless** because it is a ratio of two currents.
- This parameter is particularly important in transistor amplifiers, as it shows the current gain from input to output.
4. **\(h_{22}\) (Output admittance):**
\[
h_{22} = \left( \frac{I_2}{V_2} \right)_{I_1=0}
\]
- This represents the **output admittance** when there is no input current (\(I_1 = 0\)).
- It measures how much the output current changes with respect to the output voltage under open-circuit input conditions.
- Units: **Siemens** (S), which is the unit of admittance (reciprocal of impedance).
### Matrix Representation of h-parameters
For convenience, the two-port network using h-parameters can also be represented in matrix form:
\[
\begin{bmatrix}
V_1 \\
I_2
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix}
h_{11} & h_{12} \\
h_{21} & h_{22}
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
I_1 \\
V_2
\end{bmatrix}
\]
This matrix form is useful for performing calculations in circuit analysis and understanding how changes in input current and output voltage affect the system.
### Applications of h-parameters
1. **Transistor modeling**: H-parameters are commonly used to model **transistors**, especially **BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor)** amplifiers, where input impedance, output admittance, and current gains are important.
2. **Amplifier design**: They help in characterizing and designing amplifier circuits, making it easier to determine how an amplifier responds to changes in input signal and how much amplification it provides.
3. **Hybrid-pi model**: The small-signal model of BJTs (used in AC analysis) also uses h-parameters to represent its performance.
### Advantages of h-parameters
- **Ease of measurement**: They can be measured easily using common test equipment.
- **Flexibility**: They are useful for analyzing both low and high-frequency circuits.
- **Practical for transistors**: Especially useful for transistor modeling and amplifier circuits where currents and voltages are the main factors of interest.
### Disadvantages of h-parameters
- **Non-reciprocal systems**: H-parameters are not as suitable for networks that are **reciprocal** (where input and output can be reversed, like transmission lines), where Z- or Y-parameters might be more appropriate.
- **Limited for passive components**: Other parameters such as Z-parameters are often better suited for purely passive networks (like RLC circuits).
### Conclusion
The **h-parameter** model is a powerful and flexible tool in the analysis of two-port networks, especially for active components like transistors. By breaking down the relationships between input/output currents and voltages into hybrid parameters, this approach simplifies the design and analysis of amplifiers and other circuit elements used in electrical engineering.