Free Space Methods
These Compass Technology Group products determine electromagnetic material properties using the broad-band free space method. Free space measurements illuminate a material specimen with RF energy transmitted and received by some sort of antenna fixture. It is in contrast with “guided wave” methods such as coaxial airlines or waveguide, in which a specimen must be machined to fit within a conductive structure that guides energy to the specimen. Free space methods have the advantage over guided wave of minimizing specimen preparation/machining. Free space methods, unlike guided wave methods, eliminate measurement uncertainties due to airgaps between the test specimen and the walls of the waveguide or transmission line.
Microwave Focused Beam System
The focused beam system uses microwave lenses to focus microwave energy (2 GHz and up) onto a material specimen. The microwave transmission and reflection are measured, including both amplitude and phase, which then determines the intrinsic dielectric and/or magnetic properties of the specimen. A microwave lens system can also measure diffuse scatter or radar cross section (RCS) of a small target.
Millimeter Wave Focused Beam System
The Millimeter Wave Lens System is like the Microwave Lens System but optimized for use at millimeter wave frequencies with much smaller lenses combined with micrometer stages for aligning the feed antennas.
Tabletop System
The tabletop system is a third of the price and takes up a fraction of the space of the Microwave Lens System. This system uses specially designed dielectric probe antennas to characterize a material specimen with microwave energy and can replace the industry standard laboratory lens system. The microwave transmission and reflection are measured, including both amplitude and phase, which then determines the intrinsic dielectric and/or magnetic properties of a material specimen.
UHF Antenna Lens System
This Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Antenna Lens System combines specially designed metamaterial lenses with linearly polarized wide band antennas to collimate a microwave beam in the 500 to 5 GHz range. The microwave transmission and reflection are measured, including both amplitude and phase, which then determines the intrinsic dielectric and/or magnetic properties of a material specimen.
