This article presents a new method of wideband dielectric measurement at microwave frequencies. This method can be used to determine the complex dielectric properties of solid and semisolid materials from 0.9GHz to 4.5GHz, including the ISM bands of 915 MHz and 2450MHz. The new method is based on the scattering parameter measurement of a stepped impedance open circuited micro-strip stub, partly loaded with dielectric test material. Current microwave wideband spectroscopy techniques generally measure dielectric materials over a wide range of frequencies but their accuracy is limited. In contrast, narrowband techniques generally measure dielectric properties to a high accuracy but only at a single frequency. This new technique is capable of measuring dielectric properties over a wide range of frequencies to a high accuracy. The technique has been verified by the empirical characterisation of the dielectric properties of Teflon and Duroid 5880 materials. Empirical results were in good agreement with values in the manufacturer’s data sheets. The complex permittivity data will be useful for further microwave processing of the materials.
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