A free-space method for microwave characterization of materials in aerospace application

Abstract

This paper deals whit characterization of dielectric properties of planar slabs by means of a free space method at microwave frequencies. The technique exploits both transmission and reflection measurements collected at different frequencies in a bistatic configuration. Experimental data are processed by means of the global minimization of error functions accounting for the difference between measurements and theoretical data. Slab dielectric constant and conductivity values resulting by the minimization procedure are discussed and compared with that obtained by direct inspection of the reflection and transmission measured coefficients.