Validation of C-Band Permittivity of Fresh Water using Periodic Jets

This letter presents the results of a free space experiment that validated the Meissner and Wentz model of fresh water permittivity at 13°C in C-Band. The experiment consisted of creating a periodic water jet array inside a focused beam measurement system. The focused beam system measures the radio frequency (RF) response to a finite array of free flowing water jets. The results of the experiment are compared to a one-dimensional Rigorous Coupled-Wave Analysis (RCWA) prediction for infinitely periodic cylinders of water. The consistency between the measured and predicted values appears to validate the permittivity of fresh water at 13°C in C-Band as predicted by the Meissner and Wentz model. This method for measuring and predicting the one-dimensional RCWA solver could be used to characterize properties of other liquids.