Systems and methods for non-invasive microwave testing of bottles of wine

A system for non-invasive microwave testing a bottle of wine, comprising:

• an emission probe for emitting a microwave signal through a wall of the bottle into the wine;
• and
• a detection probe for receiving at least a portion of the microwave signal from the wine via the wall;
• the emission probe and the detection probe being identical and interchangeable;
• each of the emission probe and the detection probe being a coaxial probe that includes:
• a curved end face;
• and
• a tapered coaxial transmission line leading to the curved end face, diameter of the tapered coaxial transmission line increasing in direction toward the curved end face;
• the emission probe and the detection probe being integrated in a common dual-coaxial probe assembly including:
• a conductive block having a cylindrical surface and forming two conical channels between the cylindrical surface and a back surface opposite the cylindrical surface, diameter of each of the channels increasing from the back surface to the cylindrical surface;
• in a first one of the conical channels, a first center conductor and a first insulator separating the first center conductor from the conductive block, the first center conductor and the first insulator cooperating with the conductive block and its cylindrical surface to form the emission probe;
• and
• in a second one of the conical channels, a second center conductor and a second insulator separating the second center conductor from the conductive block, the second center conductor and the second insulator cooperating with the conductive block and its cylindrical surface to form the detection probe.

A method for non-invasive microwave testing a bottle of wine, comprising:

• emitting, from an emission probe coupled to a wall of the bottle, a microwave signal through the wall and into the wine;
• receiving, from the wine via the wall, at least a portion of the microwave signal into a detection probe coupled to the wall;
• scanning frequency of the microwave signal emitted in the step of emitting;
• and
• recording a spectrum of at least one of magnitude and phase of the at least a portion of the microwave signal received in the step of receiving, from the wine via the wall, the at least a portion of the microwave signal into the detection probe coupled to the wall.