Microwave measurement of electromagnetic properties of materials: 300 MHz to 300 GHz

Microwave electromagnetic characterization techniques have been used in research laboratories and industry for decades. The penetration of these methods in sectors as varied as electronics, aeronautics, civil engineering, chemistry and biology can be explained by the need to accurately characterize materials. These measurements tell us a great deal about a material's health. The electromagnetic characteristics of materials are also essential for designing systems.

This work is intended as a synthesis article, covering the essentials of wave/matter interaction theory, electromagnetic characterization techniques and associated instrumentation. The article is intended as a guide for the reader, enabling him or her to select the technique and associated instrumentation best suited to the application in question.

The electromagnetic properties of materials are presented first. Microwave measurement systems are presented in the second part. Electromagnetic characterization techniques are described in the final section. The formulation of the direct problem and the method for dealing with the inverse problem are developed for each of the measurement techniques.