An enhanced algorithm for complex permittivity extraction at microwave frequencies

An efficient technique of complex permittivity extraction is employed to characterize low-loss conventional dielectric materials at microwave Ku-band. The computational approach eliminates mathematically the systematic errors of the experimental setup. This method needs two uncalibrated S-parameter measurements. The first is performed with a sample under test and the second is done with an empty rectangular waveguide. Three low-loss dielectric materials (Celotex, Plexiglas and Teflon) are characterized to validate experimentally the extraction method over the Ku-band frequencies [12-18] GHz. The average relative errors between the calibrated and uncalibrated results are then calculated and compared. The proposed method has been improved using the mobile average to the experimental results obtained from the uncalibrated measurements, therefore, the stability is then enhanced

Peculiar Bi-ion dynamics in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3 from terahertz and microwave dielectric spectroscopy

Dynamics of the main dielectric anomaly in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3 (NBT) was studied by time-domain THz and microwave spectroscopy, using also previously published data and their new overall fits. Above the dielectric maximum temperature Tm ~ 600 K, the response consists of coupled sub-THz oscillator and a relaxation mode, assigned to strongly anharmonic Bi-ion vibrations and hopping, whose slowing down explains the paraelectric-like permittivity increase to Tm. Below Tm, the main relaxation continues slowing down and additional relaxation, assigned to quasi-Debye losses, appears in the 10^11 Hz range. The oscillator hardens on cooling and takes over the whole oscillator strength. The permittivity decrease below Tm is caused by the reduced strength of the relaxations due to dominance of the rhombohedral phase within the coexistence region with the tetragonal phase. The anharmonic dynamics of Bi is supported by previous structural studies. NBT represents a hybrid between standard and relaxor ferroelectric behaviour

Parameter Retrieval of Samples on a Substrate From Reflection-Only Waveguide Measurements

A microwave method has been proposed for constitutive parameters' extraction of samples on a known substrate. The advantage of this method is that it relies on noniterative reflection-only (air- and metal-backed) scattering (S-) parameters so that it is a good candidate for the characterization of samples when only one-port measurements are available. It is validated by the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) waveguide S-parameter measurements. A sensitivity analysis is followed to evaluate and improve the performance of our method. IEE

Multiport sensor RFIDs for wireless passive sensing of objects - Basic theory and early results

A new family of passive sensor radio-frequency identification devices is here proposed for applications in the context of wireless sensor networks. The new tags, working in the ultra-high frequency band, are able to detect the value or the change of some features of the tagged body without using any specific sensor. Such tags are provided with multiple chips embedded either within a cluster of cooperating antennas or in a single multiport antenna, and exploit the natural mismatch of the antenna input impedance caused by the change of the tagged object. A basic theory of multiport sensor tags is formulated with the purpose to describe the possible classification and detection performances in a unitary context. Some numerical examples and a first experiment corroborate the feasibility of the idea

Accurate determination of terahertz optical constants by vector network analyzer of Fabry-Perot response

This paper was published in Optics Letters and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OL.38.005438. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.We present a method based on a Fabry-Perot model to efficiently and accurately estimate optical constants of wafer samples in transmission-only measurements performed by a vector network analyzer (VNA). The method is demonstrated on two separate wafer samples: one of silicon and the other of polymethylmethacrylate. Results show that the method can not only acquire optical constants accurately and simply over a broad frequency domain but also overcome the limitations of calculation for dispersive and lossy materials to which existing methods are susceptible, such as those based on VNA-driven quasi-optical transmissometers and terahertz time-domain spectrometry

Broadband, Stable, and Non-Iterative Dielectric Constant Measurement of Low-Loss Dielectric Slabs Using a Frequency-Domain Free-Space Method

A broadband, stable, and non-iterative free-space method is proposed for dielectric constant ε′r determination of low-loss dielectric slabs from reflection-only measurements through simple calibration standards (reflect and air). It is applicable for dispersive samples and does not require thickness information. Simulations of non-disperive and dispersive samples are performed to validate our method. Dielectric constant measurements of polyethylene and Polyoxymethylene samples (9–11 GHz) are carried out to examine the accuracy of our method. IEE

The WISDOM Radar: Unveiling the Subsurface Beneath the ExoMars Rover and Identifying the Best Locations for Drilling

The search for evidence of past or present life on Mars is the principal objective of the 2020 ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Rover mission. If such evidence is to be found anywhere, it will most likely be in the subsurface, where organic molecules are shielded from the destructive effects of ionizing radiation and atmospheric oxidants. For this reason, the ExoMars Rover mission has been optimized to investigate the subsurface to identify, understand, and sample those locations where conditions for the preservation of evidence of past life are most likely to be found. The Water Ice Subsurface Deposit Observation on Mars (WISDOM) ground-penetrating radar has been designed to provide information about the nature of the shallow subsurface over depth ranging from 3 to 10 m (with a vertical resolution of up to 3 cm), depending on the dielectric properties of the regolith. This depth range is critical to understanding the geologic evolution stratigraphy and distribution and state of subsurface H2O, which provide important clues in the search for life and the identification of optimal drilling sites for investigation and sampling by the Rover's 2-m drill. WISDOM will help ensure the safety and success of drilling operations by identification of potential hazards that might interfere with retrieval of subsurface samples

Low Loss Plasmon-Assisted Integrated Photonics

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs), semiconductor chips with both photonic and electronic elements, are seeing rapid development and have the potential to transform several industries, such as autonomous driving, computing, telecommunication and quantum networks. However, realization and wide adoption of PICs across the various fields faces a key challenge – soze disparity between electronic (~0.01 um) and photonic components (~100’s of um). Plasmonics, a technology which confines light to the interface of metals and dielectrics, has a potential to address challenges. In particular, it has been shown to led to smaller devices (~10 um or less), enabling higher density optical circuits and devices on-chip. However, the technology is limited by quite extraordinarily high off-state transmission, wherein ~10% of an input signal makes it out of the device. This is simply too high to be practical. This thesis addresses this size disparity, while maintaining high speeds (100’s of GHz), low losses (\u3c 1dB) and high energy efficiency (~ 100 fJ/bit), through the concept of plasmon-assisted devices. The plasmon-assisted design philosophy is based on engaging and disengaging the lossy plasmonic component based on when active modulation is needed. As will be shown, the use of the plasmon-assisted approach generates proposed devices that have the potential to exhibit record performance, significantly elevating the capabilities of integrated photonic devices while greatly reducing the size disparity. For example, the all-oxide modulator can exhibit resistive-capacitive (RC) limited speeds of up to 333 GHz with a sub 0.2 dB insertion loss (IL), while the hybrid polymer-based modulator can exhibit RC limited speeds of 700 GHz but with narrow linewidth. The NOEM based devices can operate with record low energy consumption, down to a few 100 aJ/bit. In addition, this record-breaking performance can be achieved with device that are less than 40 um2 in size