Assessment of random and systematic errors in millimeter wave dielectric measurement - open resonator system, Fourier Transform Spectroscopy, W-band spectrometer and broadband free-space measurements

Assessment of random and systematic error is done on the real part of permittivity (/spl epsi/') and loss tangent tan /spl delta/) of ceramics and polymers such as alumina, polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon and TPX at millimeter wave frequencies by comparing four different measurement systems namely the open resonator system (using both the cavity length and the frequency variation techniques), the Dispersive Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DFTS), the W-band spectrometer with Backward Wave Oscillator (BWO) and the broadband free-space measurement system. The data obtained from DFTS and W-band spectrometer were also compared over W-band frequencies (68-118 GHz) by generating /spl epsi/' and tan /spl delta/ plots of acrylic, fiberglass resin and nylon. Systematic error assessment of the data shows excellent agreement for /spl epsi/' of the specimens measured by the four systems. It is observed that /spl epsi/' of the specimens measured with DFTS and broadband free-space measurement system agree well with a standard deviation as highest as 0.009.