Simulation and measurement of a Guided Microwave Spectrometry system

Previously a novel microwave measurement device known as the Guided Microwave Spectrometry (GMS) system was developed which proved capable of non-destructively measuring the composition of various mixtures of known constituents [Jean, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 55, No. 1, 180–186, 2006]. It operates by measuring the cut-off and passband responses of a section of rectangular waveguide filled with a homogeneous or composite material which can be solid, liquid, or multiphase. While the system can perform multiple-component analysis and finds broad applications in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical studies, the effects of the structure parameters (e.g., waveguide dimensions, coupling loop size, etc.) on the system behavior remain to be explored. Furthermore, it is desirable to examine and understand the GMS system responses to more complex, non-homogeneous mixtures.