An agar-agar chamber for study of electromagnetic waves in an inhomogeneous medium

A medium for the propagation of electromagnetic waves whose dielectric constant or loss tangent has a prescribed profile was fabricated by using a large quantity of agar-agar in simulation chambers. The dielectric constant of the agar-agar could be changed continuously by means of a controlled diffusion of ethyl alcohol. The loss tangent of the same medium could be changed continuously by means of a controlled diffusion of NaCl. This paper is concerned with the design and characteristics of the simulation chamber. Topics to be considered include the properties of agar-agar in a wide frequency spectrum, the diffusion profiles, a reexamination of the principle of simulation, and the construction of various types of probes and simulation chambers.