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Mikon 2008 presentation - T-R characterization of microwave absorbing

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Warsaw University of Technology PIT-RADWAR SA
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Characterization of Microwave
Absorbing Materials Using
a Wideband T/R Measurement
Technique
Wojciech Wiatr
Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Electronic Systems, Poland
Ryszard Frender, Micha ebrowski
Telecommunications Research Institute S. A. (PIT), Warszawa, Poland
 Motivation
Absorbers are highly important in designing
and manufacturing radar systems at TRI (PIT)
Technology improvements pursued to cut costs
and provide materials of higher uniformity
Wideband and accurate technique for
measuring complex permittivity and
permeability of absorbers required
Joint research program of TRI & WUT

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 2

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 AGENDA
Introduction
T/R technique
Experimental results
Conclusions

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 3

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 INTRODUCTION
Classification of absorbers
Applications of absorbers
Technology aspects

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 4

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Classification of absorbers
Area of EM energy conversion heat:
volumetric absorbers
surface type absorbers
Dominant absorption mechanism due to:
electric loss (relaxation, conduction)
magnetic loss (rotational current induction,
ferromagnetic resonance)

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 5

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Applications of absorbers
Reducing wave reflections from:
moving objects (warplanes,
warship, vehicles)
buildings
Combating parasitic EM:
radiation (from appliance)
couplings or resonances
(in housings)
EM wave absorption
anechoic chambers
matched loads & attenuators
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 6
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Technology aspects
PIT absorbers using carbonyl iron powder:
EPIFER - epoxy based (volumetric)
SILIFER - silicon varnish (surface type)
Manufacturing problems:
materials prepared in liquid form need to be
hardened (time-consuming process)
sedimentation of iron particles during hardening
high risk of getting inhomogeneous final material
New solution - the use of a dry epoxy bonder
instead of the liquid one to be proved.
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 7
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 T/R TECHNIQUE
Basics of T/R method
Material characterization problems
New solution:
Calibration routine
Measurement accessories
New calculation scheme
Post processing measurements

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 8

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Basics of T/R method
la
Complex material permittivity
and permeability involved in: s

s = c r r r
Zs = Z0 Zs
r
l1 ls l2
and determined from T/R data:

ts =
(
z 1 2 ) Zs Z0
1 z 2 2 =
where Zs + Z0
rs =
(
1 z2 ) z = exp( s l s )
1 z
2 2

with the Nicolson-Ross-Weir (NRW) technique

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 9
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
Material characterization problems
Accurate wideband calibration of VNA
Samples de-embedding
holder characterization (length, loss, transitions)
accounting for the real position of sample (l1, l2)
uneasy roots selection in the NWR method
Singularity (rs 0) at ls /2 for low-loss materials
Air gaps between sample and line conductors
(gap fillers or correcting formulae)

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 10

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Calibration routine
Multiline TRL calibration of VNA
based on several transmission line standards
high accuracy due to measurement redundancy
wide frequency coverage
VNA calibration program - MultiCal (NIST):
automatic 2-port VNA calibration & verification
characterization of the line attenuation constant
measuring samples

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 11

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Measurement accessories
Three sections of 7 mm airline - double use:
transmission line standards in multiline calibration
sample holders in material measurement
Auxiliary tools for sample placement

Broadband frequency range: 0.35 18 GHz

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 12
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 New calculation scheme
Propagation constant (position insensitive):
2 0 l 2 0 l
Se
cosh (l s ) =
e
2 S12 S 21
for l = (la ls)/2 = (l1 + l2)/2
Displacement correction
using LSQ optimization:
N 2 l
2
min wn S11n e 2 l
S 22 n e
0n
0n

l
n =1
where l = l1 l , wn - weighting factor and
constant 0 known from the multiline calibration
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 13
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
Post processing measurements
EpsMI program (in VEE):
reads .S2P data files (from MultiCal)
corrects for:
sample
displacement
air gaps
yields:
complex:
permittivity &
permeability
TM01 cutoff freq.
archives results
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 14
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Verification measurements
Characterization of absorbers
Comparison of results

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 15

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Verification measurements
Specimen: teflon s = 2.050.02 , ls = 10 mm
Real perm ittivity & perm eability
2.04 1.06

2.03 1.04

2.02 1.02

r
2.01 1
r
2 0.98

1.99 0.96

1.98 0.94
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Frequenc y (GHz )
-3
x 10 Loss tangents
10 0.06

5 0.04

tg tg
0 0.02

-5 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Frequenc y (GHz )

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 16

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Characterization of absorbers
Measurements of various absorbing materials:
EPIFER (PIT)
SILIFER (PIT)
based on SiC
Comparison technologies:
traditional using Ingredients of EPIFER samples
liquid epoxy bonder Symbol E5 E5 SE617
(E5 EPIFER)
Carbonyl iron 85% 80%
modernized using Graphite 0% 5%
dry epoxy bonder Epoxy bonder 15% 15%
(E5 SE617 EPIFER) liquid dry
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 17
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Comparison of results
Permittivity and permeability of SiC and E3 EPIFER
Attenuation constant of SiC and E3 EPIFER
14 4
0
12
SiC

Attenuation constant [dB/cm]

-5
3
10
r -10
8
r 2
SiC -15 E3
6
-20 EPIFER
4 1 E3 -25
2 EPIFER -30
0 0
-35
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Frequency [GHz]
Frequency [GHz]

Dielectric and magnetic loss tangent of SiC and E3 EPIFER

0,3 0,8
With almost same r both materials
0,7
0,25
0,6
differ in r
0,2 SiC
0,5 Dielectric loss tangent of SiC
0,15
tg
0,4
E3
absorber and magnetic one of E3
0,3
0,1 tg EPIFER EPIFER are close each other
0,2
0,05
0,1 Similar attenuation dependence on
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0
frequency up to 9 GHz
Frequency [GHz]

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 18

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 Comparison of results (2)
Permittivity and permeability of E5 and E5 SE 617 EPIFER Attenuation constant of E5 and E5 SE 617 EPIFER
50 6
45 r 5
10

Attenuation constant [dB/cm]

40 -10 E5
35 4 -30
30
25 3
E5 -50
E5
20 -70 SE 617
2
15 EPIFER
E5 -90
r
10 1 SE 617
5 -110
EPIFER
0 0 -130
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Frequency [GHz] Frequency [GHz]

Dielectric and magnetic loss tangent of E5 and E5 SE 617 EPIFER

0,6 2
1,8
Similar magnetic properties of both
0,5
tg 1,6 EPIFERs
1,4 E5
0,4
1,2 Higher r, tg and attenuation of E5
0,3
tg
1
0,8 E5 SE617 due to the graphite dose
0,2 SE 617
0,6
0,4
EPIFE Dry epoxy technology under study is
0,1
0,2 capable of providing valid and
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
homogeneous EPIFER materials in
Frequency [GHz]
more repeatable way
Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 19
2008, Wroclaw, May 20
 CONCLUSIONS
Results of the investigation on absorbing
materials presented
Wideband EM material characterization with
T/R technique developed using:
high-accuracy TRL multiline calibration method
several transmission line standards/sample holders
compensation procedure for uncontrolled
displacement of sample in holder
Obtained high repeatability of characterization

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 20

2008, Wroclaw, May 20
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CONCLUSIONS (2)
Validated new technology using dry epoxy
bonder for manufacturing uniform absorbers
Wideband material characterization provides
data necessary for reliable EM simulation and
optimization of absorber-based designs
Further research in this field planned

Statistical VNA Calibration, MIKON 21

2008, Wroclaw, May 20