IMPROVEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION REFLECTION METHOD FOR DIELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC MEASUREMENTS ON LIQUIDS BETWEEN 0.1 AND 20 GHZ

We propose an appropriate calculation method, giving both the complex permittivity epsilon* and permeability mu* of a liquid sample, from transmission/reflection measurements obtained from a network analyser working on a coaxial line between 0.1 and 20 GHz. A 20 mm long specific coaxial cell has been constructed using two polytetrafluoroethylene joints to ensure air tightness. Its small length allows rejection towards the upper frequencies of the measurement anomalies given by the Nicolson-Ross equations. Positions and thickness of the joints are taken into account by the calculus. The whole system has been tested with the empty cell and then on several alcohols and ferrofluids. The results on alcohols are in excellent agreement with all previous results; measurement on one of the magnetic fluids (Fe2MnO4 in CCl4) has shown a Neel relaxation and also a gyromagnetic resonance.