Phase-variation microwave sensor for permittivity measurements based on a high-impedance half-wavelength transmission line

A phase-variation microwave sensor operating in transmission and implemented by means of a high-impedance half-wavelength sensing line is reported in this paper. The sensor is useful for dielectric constant measurements and dielectric characterization of materials. By forcing the electrical length o...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Su, Lijuan|||0000-0002-4753-9340, Muñoz Enano, Jonathan|||0000-0003-1271-3801, Vélez, Paris|||0000-0001-6502-5987, Casacuberta, Pau|||0000-0002-2658-2200, Gil Barba, Marta|||0000-0002-1106-5059, Martín, Ferran|||0000-0002-1494-9167
Format: article
Publication Date:2021
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:283333
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/283333
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1109/JSEN.2021.3063112
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Dielectric characterization
Microstrip technology
Microwave sensors
Permittivity sensors
Phase-variation sensors
Description
Summary:A phase-variation microwave sensor operating in transmission and implemented by means of a high-impedance half-wavelength sensing line is reported in this paper. The sensor is useful for dielectric constant measurements and dielectric characterization of materials. By forcing the electrical length of the sensing line to be a half-wavelength when it is loaded with the so-called reference (REF) material, perfect matching is obtained regardless of the characteristic impedance of the line. This fact can be used to enhance the sensitivity for small perturbations, by merely increasing the characteristic impedance of the sensing line. An exhaustive analysis that supports such conclusion is reported in the paper. Then, two prototype sensors are designed and fabricated for validation purposes. As compared to the ordinary phase-variation permittivity sensor implemented by means of a matched ( 50-Ω) line with identical length, the sensitivity for small perturbations in the proposed sensor is 2.1 times larger. Further advantages of these sensors are low-cost, small size, implementation in planar technology, and very simple design and fabrication, derived from the fact that the sensing region is a half-wavelength transmission line.