Destructive interference is common when measuring the reflection from a sample. When the microwave...

1
Destructive interference is common when measuring the reflection from a sample. When the microwave radiation encounters the dielectric sample under test, some is reflected from the surface and some is transmitted into the material, reflects back again from the rear of the sample and destructively interferes with the return reflection. The measured reflection from a 5.4mm thick sample of Teflon is shown in the upper left figure. When the permittivity is calculated using the formulas above using both reflected and transmitted data, the trace shows spikes at destructive interference frequencies, seen on the lower left figure. However since the permeability is known be equal to that of free space, the formulas above can be rearranged to remove S 11 and use only the transmitted signal to extract permittivity. The equation used to extract permittivity is shown below, note that an iterative technique is used to extract the solution. The effect of using transmission data alone can be seen in the graphs on the right. The real permittivity of Teflon is 2.04 ± 0.02 with the imaginary component being very close to zero. The transmission only technique is very effective in removing the sharp spikes. Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering Postgraduate Student Research Forum 2001 Postgraduate Student Research Forum 2001 Improved free space microwave permittivity Improved free space microwave permittivity measurements measurements Andrew Amiet Andrew Amiet Supervisor: Dr. Greg Cambrell Associate supervisor: Dr Peter Jewsbury (DSTO Supervisor: Dr. Greg Cambrell Associate supervisor: Dr Peter Jewsbury (DSTO The technique involves measuring the reflection and/or transmission from a sample over the frequency range 1 to 40 GHz. The sample is placed between two microwave horn antennas as shown on the left. A vector network analyzer controls the frequency generation and data collection, the information is then sent to a PC for analysis. The network analyzer measures S-parameters, which are related to the permittivity () and permeability () by the formulas below. Reflection Transmission where and d = thickness of sample, c = speed of light, = 2 2 2 11 1 ) 1 ( S 2 2 2 21 1 ) 1 ( S 1 1 r r r r r r d c i T . exp R eflection m agnitude from 5.4m m thick Teflon tested in free space -50 -45 -40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 Frequency (G H z) M agnitude (dB ) P erm ittivity of5.4m m thick Teflon tested in free space R eflection and transm ission used in calculations -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 Frequency (G H z) R elative units 2-18 G Hz 7.5-18 G Hz 16-40 G Hz c d i c d S sin ) 1 ( 4 cos 21 Receive horn Sample Send/receive horn Vector Network Analyzer Im aginary perm ittivity of5.4m m thick Teflon tested in free space Transm ission only used in calculations -0.04 -0.03 -0.02 -0.01 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Frequency (G Hz) Permittiv 2 -18 G Hz 7.5 -18 G Hz 16 -40 G Hz Measurement of permittivity and permeability of materials in the microwave band can be performed in free space. It is a very effective non destructive method but the absence of an enclosed waveguide leads to some serious errors if the measurement is not carefully performed. Researchers have been using the technique for many years but a thorough investigation of the sources of errors, together with their resolution has not been performed. It is more difficult to calibrate a free space system because of the absence of appropriate standards. Errors can occur from stray reflections, diffraction if the sample is not sufficiently large, near-field effects, sample positioning and flatness, and destructive interference effects. Reflection effects Reflection effects P erm ittivity of perspex m easured on w all w ith silverhorns E ffect of tim e gating the signal, 500 avg, 0.5ns span -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Frequency (G Hz) R elative perm ittivity W ith gating U ngated Tim e dom ain response ofS 21 through perspex sheet -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Tim e (ns) Magnitude (d Gated N otgated Im aginary perm ittivity ofS tandard D -A tested on w allin transm ission m ode G old horns,500 avg,1ns span,w ith diffraction rem oved. Effectofm oving the receive horn keeping the send horn far aw ay. -100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Frequency (G Hz) Imaginary permitti Config 3 Config 6 Config 9 Im aginary perm ittivity ofS tandard D -A tested on w allin transm ission m ode G old horns,500 avg,1ns span. Effectofm oving the receive horn keeping the send horn far aw ay. -1000 -800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Frequency (GHz) Imaginary permitti Config 3 Config 6 Config 9 Stray reflections will always occur when measuring in free space, no matter how well the area is shielded or covered in absorbing foam. Reflections from inside the horns, the specimen holder and walls, together with multiple reflection paths from the sample to horns all add to the signal received by the horns. However some of these reflections can be removed using time gating, which involves performing a Chirp-Z transform on the frequency data, isolating the peak of interest in the time domain then converting back to the frequency domain having effectively removed all the stray peaks. The time domain trace can be seen on the upper left figure showing the effect of gating, the effect on permittivity is seen on The technique assumes the sample is infinite in size ie. the only signal received by the horns travels through the sample. However real samples have a finite size, and if the horns have a wide enough spread or are a sufficient distance away from the sample then some of the wave can diffract around it and be collected by the receive horn. The diffracted wave can be measured by placing a metal plate with the same size and shape as the sample under test between the horns. The diffracted signal can be removed easily on the computer, the results of this shown in the figures to the right. Measurements of imaginary permittivity of a lossy sample with the receive horn at three locations are shown, with distance increasing as the Time gating Time gating Diffraction removal Diffraction removal Removing errors involved with the technique Removing errors involved with the technique Unwanted reflectio ns Real Imaginary Introduction Introduction Time Gate R eal perm ittivity of5.4m m thick Teflon tested in free space Transm ission only used in calculations 2 2.02 2.04 2.06 2.08 2.1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Frequency (G Hz) Permittiv 2 -18 G Hz 7.5 -18 G Hz 16 -40 G Hz

Transcript of Destructive interference is common when measuring the reflection from a sample. When the microwave...

Page 1: Destructive interference is common when measuring the reflection from a sample. When the microwave radiation encounters the dielectric sample under test,

Destructive interference is common when measuring the reflection from a sample. When the microwave radiation encounters the dielectric sample under test, some is reflected from the surface and some is transmitted into the material, reflects back again from the rear of the sample and destructively interferes with the return reflection. The measured reflection from a 5.4mm thick sample of Teflon is shown in the upper left figure. When the permittivity is calculated using the formulas above using both reflected and transmitted data, the trace shows spikes at destructive interference frequencies, seen on the lower left figure. However since the permeability is known be equal to that of free space, the formulas above can be rearranged to remove S11 and use only the transmitted signal to extract permittivity. The equation used to extract permittivity is shown below, note that an iterative technique is used to extract the solution.

The effect of using transmission data alone can be seen in the graphs on the right. The real permittivity of Teflon is 2.04 ± 0.02 with the imaginary component being very close to zero. The transmission only technique is very effective in removing the sharp spikes.

Electrical and Computer Systems EngineeringElectrical and Computer Systems EngineeringPostgraduate Student Research Forum 2001Postgraduate Student Research Forum 2001

Improved free space microwave permittivity Improved free space microwave permittivity measurementsmeasurements

Andrew AmietAndrew AmietSupervisor: Dr. Greg Cambrell Associate supervisor: Dr Peter Jewsbury (DSTO)Supervisor: Dr. Greg Cambrell Associate supervisor: Dr Peter Jewsbury (DSTO)

The technique involves measuring the reflection and/or transmission from a sample over the frequency range 1 to 40 GHz. The sample is placed between two microwave horn antennas as shown on the left. A vector network analyzer controls the frequency generation and data collection, the information is then sent to a PC for analysis. The network analyzer measures S-parameters, which are related to the permittivity () and permeability () by the formulas below.

Reflection Transmission

where and

d = thickness of sample, c = speed of light, = angular frequency

22

2

11 1

)1(

S22

2

21 1

)1(

S

1

1

r

r

r

r

rrdc

iT .exp

Reflection magnitude from 5.4mm thick Teflon tested in free space

-50

-45

-40

-35

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40

Frequency (GHz)

Ma

gn

itud

e (

dB

)

Permittivity of 5.4mm thick Teflon tested in free spaceReflection and transmission used in calculations

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40

Frequency (GHz)

Re

lativ

e u

nits

2-18 GHz

7.5-18 GHz

16-40 GHz

c

di

c

dS

sin)1(4

cos21

Receive horn

Sample

Send/receivehorn

Vector NetworkAnalyzer

Imaginary permittivity of 5.4mm thick Teflon tested in free spaceTransmission only used in calculations

-0.04

-0.03

-0.02

-0.01

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Frequency (GHz)

Per

mitt

ivity

2 - 18 GHz

7.5 - 18 GHz

16 - 40 GHz

Measurement of permittivity and permeability of materials in the microwave band can be performed in free space. It is a very effective non destructive method but the absence of an enclosed waveguide leads to some serious errors if the measurement is not carefully performed. Researchers have been using the technique for many years but a thorough investigation of the sources of errors, together with their resolution has not been performed. It is more difficult to calibrate a free space system because of the absence of appropriate standards. Errors can occur from stray reflections, diffraction if the sample is not sufficiently large, near-field effects, sample positioning and flatness, and destructive interference effects.

Reflection effectsReflection effects

Permittivity of perspex measured on wall with silver hornsEffect of time gating the signal, 500 avg, 0.5ns span

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Frequency (GHz)

Re

lativ

e p

erm

ittiv

ity

With gating

Ungated

Time domain response of S21 through perspex sheet

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

Time (ns)

Ma

gn

itud

e (

dB

)

Gated

Not gated

Imaginary permittivity of Standard D-A tested on wall in transmission modeGold horns, 500 avg, 1ns span, with diffraction removed.

Effect of moving the receive horn keeping the send horn far away.

-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Frequency (GHz)

Imag

inar

y p

erm

itti

vity

Config 3

Config 6

Config 9

Imaginary permittivity of Standard D-A tested on wall in transmission modeGold horns, 500 avg, 1ns span.

Effect of moving the receive horn keeping the send horn far away.

-1000

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Frequency (GHz)

Ima

gin

ary

pe

rmit

tiv

ity

Config 3

Config 6

Config 9

Stray reflections will always occur when measuring in free space, no matter how well the area is shielded or covered in absorbing foam. Reflections from inside the horns, the specimen holder and walls, together with multiple reflection paths from the sample to horns all add to the signal received by the horns. However some of these reflections can be removed using time gating, which involves performing a Chirp-Z transform on the frequency data, isolating the peak of interest in the time domain then converting back to the frequency domain having effectively removed all the stray peaks. The time domain trace can be seen on the upper left figure showing the effect of gating, the effect on permittivity is seen on the lower figure.

The technique assumes the sample is infinite in size ie. the only signal received by the horns travels through the sample. However real samples have a finite size, and if the horns have a wide enough spread or are a sufficient distance away from the sample then some of the wave can diffract around it and be collected by the receive horn. The diffracted wave can be measured by placing a metal plate with the same size and shape as the sample under test between the horns. The diffracted signal can be removed easily on the computer, the results of this shown in the figures to the right. Measurements of imaginary permittivity of a lossy sample with the receive horn at three locations are shown, with distance increasing as the configuration number. The lower figure shows result with diffraction removed.

Time gatingTime gating Diffraction removalDiffraction removal

Removing errors involved with the techniqueRemoving errors involved with the technique

Unwanted reflections

Real

Imaginary

IntroductionIntroduction

TimeGate

Real permittivity of 5.4mm thick Teflon tested in free spaceTransmission only used in calculations

2

2.02

2.04

2.06

2.08

2.1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Frequency (GHz)

Per

mitt

ivity

2 - 18 GHz

7.5 - 18 GHz

16 - 40 GHz