Terahertz free‐space dielectric property measurements using time‐ and frequency‐domain setups

Abstract

Funding information Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China, Grant/Award Number: T42-103/16-N Abstract Based on a simple and effective calculation method, two free-space measurement setups are employed to investigate the dielectric properties of various materials at terahertz (THz) frequencies. One setup involves THZ time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) at a frequency range of 0.4 to 1 THz. The other setup comprises a vector network analyzer (VNA) with pairs of VAN extenders (VNAXs) and diagonal standard gain horns (SGHs) at a frequency range of 0.22 to 1.1 THz. The calculation method is verified for the THz-TDS system and employed in the VNA system for the first time. Dielectric properties, including refractive indices, power absorption coefficients, relative permittivities, and loss tangents, are calculated from measured transmission data. Several materials, including printed circuit boards and 3D printing materials, are characterized to verify the calculation method and compare the measurement setups.