Return loss and Reflection Coefficient

Vivek Kamble

What is the difference between return loss and reflection coefficient?

nchode

Return loss (RL) quantifies the effectiveness of delivering power from a source or transmission line to a load. If Pi is the incident power and Pref denotes the power reflected back to the source, then return loss is defined as RL(dB)=10log(Pin/Pref). Thus, RL is a positive quantity and indicates the degree of mismatch between incident and reflected powers. it means that the larger the RL, the smaller the reflection. Also, return loss can be expressed in terms of the reflection coefficient, Г, as RL(dB)=-20log(Г), which is the negative of the reflection coefficient expressed in dB scale. Conceptually, they both signify same but in different ways.