A probe antenna for in situ measurement of the complex dielectric constant of materials

A new probe for the in situ measurement of the complex dielectric constant of materials in the microwave frequency region is described. The probe uses two stub antennas mounted on a cylinder. The cylinder is inserted in the material and the transmission coefficient between the two antennas is measured. By comparing this signal with that predicted from a numerical model of the probe obtained by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method we can determine the dielectric constant of the material. The measurement setup and numerical model of the probe are described and several measurement examples in natural and artificial media are presented.

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