Dielectric property measurement using a resonant nonradiative dielectric waveguide structure

Abstract

This letter describes a new dielectric characterization technique, based on the resonant nonradiative waveguide structure described by Yoneyama and Nishida , for permittivity measurements at microwave and mm-wave frequencies. The measurement system is modeled as a resonator comprised of two parallel conducting plates with a rectangular dielectric slab sandwiched in-between. Resonant frequencies of the longitudinal section electric (LSE) modes and the unloaded Q of the cavity are used to determine the permittivity of the dielectric and its loss tangent, respectively. The technique is shown to be accurate for measuring the dielectric properties of a wide array of polymer and oxide materials. For materials with small dielectric loss tangents, an accuracy of better than /spl plusmn/0.4% is attained in the measurement of the relative dielectric constant of the material.