Dielectric constant detection method and device using anomalous phase dispersion

A dielectric constant analyzer device adapted to determine a dielectric property associated with a substrate material by:

• printing an anomalous dispersive circuit on the substrate material;
• connecting a transmission line to the substrate material;
• measuring transmission and reflection parameters for the transmission line connected to said substrate material over a specified frequency range, wherein the transmission line comprises a conductive strip having a first end connected to a transmitter and a second end connected to a receiver;
• determining a transmission phase response based on the transmission and reflection parameters;
• determining an anomalous phase slope characterized by a double slope reversals based on the transmission phase response;
• determining a resonance frequency based on a centre point of the anomalous phase slope reversals, where the center point corresponds to an anomalous phase at the resonance frequency;
• and
• determining the dielectric constant based on the resonance frequency, the anomalous phase at the resonance frequency and the anomalous phase slope, and
• applying the method of determining the dielectric constant based on the resonance frequency, the anomalous phase at the resonance frequency and the anomalous phase slope for calculating dielectric parameters of known dielectric materials;
• wherein the calculated dielectric parameters are within 10% error of actual dielectric parameters of the known dielectric materials;
• wherein the substrate material is tailored mechanically in the form of a rectangular shaped slab which is treated as a microwave substrate and the transmission line is printed on a first face of the rectangular shaped slab, and
• wherein a second face of the rectangular shaped slab is covered with a conducting plane to form a ground plane.

A microcomputer adapted to determine a dielectric property associated with a substrate material by:

• printing an anomalous dispersive circuit on the substrate material;
• connecting a transmission line to the substrate material;
• obtaining transmission and reflection parameters for the transmission line connected to said substrate material over a specified frequency range, wherein the transmission line comprises a conductive strip having a first end connected to a transmitter and a second end connected to a receiver;
• determining a transmission phase response based on the transmission and reflection parameters;
• determining an anomalous phase slope characterized by a double slope reversals based on the transmission phase response;
• determining a resonance frequency based on a centre point of the anomalous phase slope reversals, where the center point corresponds to an anomalous phase at the resonance frequency;
• and
• determining the dielectric constant based on the resonance frequency, the anomalous phase at the resonance frequency and the anomalous phase slope, and
• applying the method of determining the dielectric constant based on the resonance frequency, the anomalous phase at the resonance frequency and the anomalous phase slope for calculating dielectric parameters of known dielectric materials;
• wherein the calculated dielectric parameters are within 10% error of actual dielectric parameters of the known dielectric materials;
• wherein the substrate material is tailored mechanically in the form of a rectangular shaped slab which is treated as a microwave substrate and the transmission line is printed on a first face of the rectangular shaped slab, and
• wherein a second face of the rectangular shaped slab is covered with a conducting plane to form a ground plane.