Coplanar waveguide scanning microwave profiler

A robust near-field microwave profiler is constructed from a micromachined coplanar waveguide probe coupled to a half wavelength coaxial cavity. This microwave profiler can perform both high resolution scanning microwave measurements and more robust, contactable, in-situ handheld measurements. High resolution measurements are undertaken with the sensor on an X-Y-Z scanning table and results for the investigation of metallic strips on dielectric are compared with measurements using a previously reported tapered conical cavity open-ended coaxial probe. The new micromachined probe is considerably more robust than the fine tipped coaxial probe and yet has been shown to yield higher sensitivity for S₁₁ and Q measurements when scanning metallic tracks on a dielectric substrate.