Perturbation of dielectric resonator for material measurement

A novel method for rapid measurement of the permittivity of a small object has been developed. Based on the perturbation of a semi-open resonant structure with a dielectric resonator excited in the TE₀₁₁ mode, the apparatus allows samples to be introduced freely and exhibits substantial mode stability. Results of permittivity measurement on low-loss dielectric samples in the form of thin plates and disks were in good agreement with values given by alternative methods employing much larger samples. The method can be extended to account for dielectric loss and permeability. In addition to being applied to material characterisation in the laboratory, the resonant structure can be developed into a transportable dielectrometer for small objects