Spot-focusing Horn Lens Antennas Research Articles

Microwave Non-Destructive Testing of Coatings and Paints Using Free Space Microwave Measurement

Microwave nondestructive testing (MNDT) techniques are applied to evaluate quality of anti-corrosive protective coatings and paints on metal surfaces. A tree-space microwave measurement (FSMM) system is used for MNDT of protective coatings. The FSMM system consists of transmit and receive spot-focusing horn lens antennas, a vector network analyzer, mode transitions and a computer. Diffraction effects at the edges of the sample are minimized by using spot-focusing horn lens antennas. Errors due to multiple reflections between antennas are corrected by using free-space LRL (line, reflect, line) calibration technique. We have measured complex reflection coefficient of polyurethane based paint which is coated on brass plates.

A free-space bistatic calibration technique for the measurement of parallel and perpendicular reflection coefficients of planar samples

A free-space bistatic measurement system suitable for operation in the frequency range of 5.85-40 GHz is calibrated to measure the parallel and perpendicular reflection coefficients of metal-backed planar samples for obliquely incident waves. The measurement system consists of transmit and receive antennas in the bistatic configuration, mode transitions, precision coaxial cables, and the network analyzer. Diffraction effects of the edges of the sample are minimized by using spot-focusing horn lens antennas, which focus most of the energy on a one-wavelength-diameter circular section of the sample. A new free-space bistatic calibration technique is developed to eliminate errors due to multiple reflections between transmit and receive antennas via the surface of the sample. The effect of defocusing due to the obliquely incident plane wave with focused antennas is minimized by introducing correction factors which modify measured reflection coefficients. Details of the calibration procedure and a discussion of the experimental results obtained for planar samples of Teflon and Eccogel 1365-90 in the frequency range 12.4-18 GHz are presented.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

A free-space method for measurement of dielectric constants and loss tangents at microwave frequencies

For measurements of dielectric properties of planar slabs of ceramic and composite materials, the authors have developed a free-space measurement system in the frequency range of 14.5-17.5 GHz. The key components of the measurement system are a pair of spot-focusing horn lens antennas, a network analyzer, and a computer. Because of the far-field focusing ability of horn lens antennas, the free-space measurements can be made at microwave frequencies in a relatively compact and simple measurement setup. The time-domain gating feature of the network analyzer and the thru, reflect, and line calibration technique were used to eliminate the effects of undesirable multiple reflections. The dielectric constants and loss tangents were measured for standard materials such as fused quartz, Teflon, and polyvinylchloride (PVC). Dielectric properties for Teflon and PVC were also measured in a waveguide medium for purposes of comparison with the free-space method. >