Development of a Radar-Frequency Metamaterial Measurement and Characterization Apparatus
Abstract
The overall purpose of this research was to design, build, and test an apparatus for the measurement and characterization of radar-frequency metamaterial performance in the S-band through Ku-band (2-18 GHz). Measurement and characterization is vital to metamaterial taxonomy and ultimately vital to metamaterial definitions. Thus, the current lack of clarity in metamaterial definitions has served as the primary motivation for pursuing a method for taxonomy and thus, this apparatus. The technical goal of this thesis was to aid in the understanding of a metamaterial's radar-frequency response by developing an apparatus that would take simple, yet significant measurements of a metamaterial's S-parameters and electric field distributions in near-field regions. The apparatus under design became a hybridized form of the designs of three existing measurement systems: a focused-beam system housed in a moveable-plate, parallel-plate transmission line. Some of the system components were borrowed directly from the existing designs, other components were designed from the examples of existing designs, and still others were designed altogether new. The final product of this thesis will be a patentable design for a near-field and S-parameter measurement device that can be applied to both metamaterials and traditional radar-frequency materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA557815
Entities
People
- Stephen I. Faris
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology