OPEN-ENDED COAXIAL PROBE

Compiled by Electrical Engineering of Telecommunication, University of Mataram

Introduction

NaCl Saline Solutions Probe Calibration

A comparative study of open-ended coaxial probe model which relate the coaxial line end

The choice of saline solutions comes from the fact that their properties are similar to those of

impedance to the complex permittivity of the material under test is presented. There are total

biological tissues. However, the losses of these chosen saline solutions are habitually higher

four models of open-ended coaxial probe are studied, they are: capacitive model, antenna

than those of normal biological tissues. This choice was made to test the accuracy

model, virtual line model, and rational function model. Experimental results taken on saline

of the four models in extreme conditions in order to know their degree of reliability with respect

solutions of NaCl as lossy materials are obtained for the four models.

to the loss factor. Some models require measurements of known media to find the value of

One of the measurements of the complex reflection coefficient used was obtained with a

unknown calibration parameter. Following the validation measurements using known liquids.

network analyzer. The calibration of the network analyzer was done using the OSL technique

The salt content in the distilled water varies. Here is the complex dielectric constant of saline

(open, short, and matched load connected at the end of the analyzer's cable). The probe was

(Xie et al, 2004:10):

fabricated from a semi rigid 50 (1 coaxial line with specific outer and inner diameter). The
coaxial probe's end was immersed in the dielectric under test and the reflection coefficients
were recorded at room temperature. The time gating option of the network analyzer was also
used to remove the effects of the discontinuities between the reference plane (defined at the

Here is the example of 7 salt content in the distilled water varies measured relative
permitivities against frequency :

probe's connector) and the end of the probe.

The commonly used technique to obtain the conductivity and complex dielectric permittivity
(*). There for complex dielectric permittivity (*) consists of measuring the complex reflection
coefficient (*/S11) using a network analyzer. Afterwards, * is obtained through a model that

gives the complex admittance of the probe's tip as a function of the dielectric permittivity of
the surrounding medium, which is considered semi-infinite. After complex dielectric
Fig 6. Real Part ()

part the conductivity can be obtained.

Coaxial Probe Model Experimental Setup

frequency

frequency

permittivity (*) which consists real () and imaginary () part obtain, then from the imaginary

Fig 7. Imaginary Part (Loss factor/)

Dielectric and Conductivity

The model that will describe is coaxial probe model. The measurement system used for the

The dielectric properties that will be discussed here is permittivity. A material is classified as

dielectric measurement consists of a computer controlled vector network analyzer (VNA)

dielectric if it has the ability to store energy when an external electric field is applied. The

and a probing platform, as shown in Fig.2. The coaxial probe as shown in Fig.3 is connected

complex dielectric constant k consists of a real part k which represents the storage and an

to Port 1 of the VNA using SMA connector.

imaginary part k which r The measured loss of material can actually be expressed as a
Dielectric sample under test (* = j)

function of both dielectric loss and conductivity represents the loss. The following notations are
used for the complex dielectric constant interchangeably

Transmission line

k= k*= rr =rr*
One port method measurement would get S 1111 / * (in dB) as measurement result. So to get the

2a

2b

relative permittivity (see Microwave Electronics : Measurement and Material Characterization

L.F.Chen dkk, 2004 : 146) can be use this equation :

Interface
Fig 1. Dielectric Measurement System

Fig 2. Open Ended Circuited Reflection

Measurement and S11 Parameter

The open-ended coaxial probe is a cut off section of transmission line. The material is
measured by immersing the probe into a liquid or touching it to the flat face of a solid (or

The measured loss of material can actually be expressed as a function of both dielectric loss
and conductivity (see Agilent Basics of Measuring the Dielectric Properties of Materials) and
for rdrd (dielectric relative permitivity) = 0 can be seen below :

powder) material. The fields at the probe end fringe into the material and change as they
come into contact with the MUT. The reflected signal (S 1111) can be measured and related to rr*

Bibliography
1. NN, Agilent Basics of Measuring the Dielectric Properties of Materials, Agilent Technology : USA, 2004

2. L.F.Chen et al, Microwave Electronics : Measurement and Material Characterization, John Wiley and
Sons Ltd, 2004
3. A. Boughriet et al, The Measurement of Dielectric Properties of Liquids at Microwave Frequencies Using
Open-ended Coaxial Probes, Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics University of Manchester
Institute of Science and Technology UK, 1999.
4. Xie et al, Methods And Apparatus for Estimating On Line Water Conductivity of Multiphase Mixtures,
United States Patent US006831470B2, 2004
5. D. Berube et al, A Comparative Study of Four Open-Ended Coaxial Probe Models for Permittivity
Measurements of Lossy Dielectric/Biological Materials at Microwave Frequencies, IEEE transaction
microwave theory and techniques vol. 44, 1996.

Fig 4. Measurement and S11 parameter

Fig 5. Three dielectric probe configurations

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