CTG’s SP324 RF Spot Probes – Lab Quality Materials Measurements in a Small Package
By Compass Technology GroupIn a laboratory, microwave characterisation of materials is often accomplished with a free-space focused beam, which uses either lenses or shaped reflectors to focus RF energy onto a specimen.
For the 2-20GHz band, 60cm diameter lenses can be spaced 77cm from the specimen to form a Gaussian beam, simulating a plane-wave at the specimen location. An alternative method uses dielectrically loaded antennas near a specimen, which is a more compact and lower cost fixture.
That said, the probe method has the disadvantage of slightly reduced accuracy. This free white paper directly compares a laboratory-focused beam system to an alternative measurement system based on recently developed RF spot probes.