IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES,

636

VOL.

MTT-35>

Two Methods for the Measurement

Substrate Dielectric Constant
NIROD

,Ostruct Two methods for

K. DAS, SUSANNE

the accurate

M. VODA,

and convenient

measurement

Both
methods use the precision measurementcapability of the HP-851O Net-

of the dielectric
work

Analyzer

transmission

constant

system

of a microwave

and a rigorous

substrate

theoretical

analysis

of multilayer

lines [6], and hence can also be used for the measurement

the frequency

dependence

of the relative

the

1.0 percent

can be obtained

order

are propused.

of

Measurements

were

done

for

dielectric

various

constant.

Accuracy

by use of these

substrates

and

of
on

techniques.

gave

results

as

predicted.

AND

DAVID

ment

is done.

used

for

HE

MEASUREMENT

microwave

made using
[1]-[6].
The

of the dielectric

integrated
various
method

circuit

(MIC)

constant

substrates

of

can be

resonant methods,
as described in
described in [1] and its modified

version using stripline techniques instead of microstrip

line
have been used to measure the dielectric
constant
of
RT/DUROID

(e, = 2.2) substrates.

strate, with copper

resonant

In microstrip
ing

fields

[2]-[5],

the sub-

on both sides, is treated as a cavity and

the average dielectric

different

In

constant

is determined

frequencies

and stripline

of the dipole

account empirically,
resonance
method,

by measuring

and substrate
are usually

dielectric

constant.

constant

Both

of these techniques

tions

have enough

with

them

ment.

measure

reactance

and/or

to cause significant

In addition,

suffer from

transitions,

constant

associated

in a phase measure-

none of these methods

the dielectric

errors intro-

since these transimismatch

error

In both

can be flexibly
constant

of any

sion line structure.

dielec-

line is the

(or inferred

constant

by working

for the rigorous

the effective

transmission

measured

The dielectric

then determined
program

methods,

ceff of a particular

that is actually

from

mea-

of the substrate,

backwards,

c,, is

using a computer

analysis of the specific

The value of e, input

transmis-

to the program

is

varied until the resulting

ceff agrees with the measured
value. The corresponding
value of c, is then the dielectric
constant

of the substrate.

to connector
suring
methods

In both methods,

reactance/mismatch

the differences

into

and lead to uncertainty.

In the cavity
coupling
from the substrate
to the

duced by coax-to-rnicrostrip

together

of the dielectric

will

the errors due

is canceled

in phase between

out by mea-

two lines. The two

now be discussed separately.

the fringtaken

coaxial line is often a problem since it may be weak, and is

a source of error, [4]. In [6], two methods for measuring
substrate
permittlvlty
using microstrip
lines were described.

The two methods

IEEE

dimensions.

resonance techniques,
resonator

MEMBER,

deviation
of the dielectric constant from sample to sample
in a large number of substrates of approximately
the same

surement).

of

of any thickness, and can be very useful in an

environment
where one needs to measure the

quantity

INTRODUCTION

POZAR,

measurement

substrate
industrial

tric
I.

M.

7, JULY 1987

NO

can conveniently

as it varies with

frequency

and position.

II.

THE

TWO-MICROSTRIP-LINE

METHOD

This method
is capable of accurately
measuring
the
dielectric
constant of a substrate with an accuracy of the
order of 0.5 1.0 percent, and also can be used to measure
the dielectric
constant
of a substrate as it varies with
frequency.
Besides taking into account other possible errors affecting
sures that
method

the measurement

error

is suggested

effective

dielectric

accuracy,

due to the connectors

for the accurate

constant

measurement

of the standard

be used in the second measurement

Section

this method
is canceled.

technique,

enThis

of the

substrate

to

discussed in

111.

In this paper, two measurement methods are suggested

using the HP-85 10 Network Analyzer and rigorous analyses

A.

of multilayer
transmission
lines [7]. Because of the nature
of the analysis, the technique can be used for the measurement of the variation
of dielectric
constant
through
a

On the test substrate, two 50-!il microstrip

lines are
etched, one of them being much longer than the other (see
Fig. 1). The difference between their lengths should be as

range of frequencies

large

by changing

without

the frequency

much effort
range

and, in fact, just

over which

the experi-

Manuscript
received November 7, 1986; revised February 9, 1987. This
work was supported
in part by the National
Science Foundation
under
Grant ECS 8352325.
The authors
are with the Department
of Electrical
and Computer
Engineering,
University
of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA 01003.
IEEE Log Number
8715005,

0018 -9480/87/0700-0636

The Test Procedure

as possible

launchers
probe
probe

to get the most

are used for most reliable

accurate

results.

results, in contrast

End
to

(surface launch) connectors, since the position of a

connection
is generally more uncertain than that of

an end-launch
connection.
The difference
between the
electrical lengths is measured using the HP-851O Network
Analyzer
system. Assuming
the four connectors
to be
identical,
the electrical length difference Al, between the
$01.00

01987 IEEE

DAS

et al.:

METHODS

FOR THE

MEASUREh4ENT

OF SUBSTRATE

DIELECTRJC

CONSTANT

637

TABLE

MEASUREMENT
lp~

OF A+

METHOD
END

FOR RT\DUROID

5880

THE
(c,

IWO-MICROSTRIP-LINE
=

2.20)

SUBSTRATE

eff (calculated)

A@(measured)

f(GHz)

[ -

USING

LAUNCH

w
k-

1.0

58.5

1.896

1.5

88.0

1.907

2.0

117.0

1.896

2.5

146.0

1.890

3.0

175.5

1.896

3.5

205.0

1.901

4.0

234.0

1.896

[ -+-----

Ipq

GRMJND

(DEGREES)

PLANE

I
Fig.

1.

Experimental

setup forthetwo-microstrip-linemethod,

two lines can be expressed as A 1, =&.

d = 0.0787 cm= 30 roils, w = 0.25 cm, and A!

frequency
range 104.0 GHz. The substrate dielectric
lated from the average value of Ceff M 2.196.

AIP, where c.ff is

the effective dielectric constant of the microstrip

lines, and
AIP = lP1 Ipz is the difference between the physical lengths
of

the lines.

dielectric

From

constant

this,

we can determine

of the microstrip

dielectric

constant

frequency

using ,an analysis

gation

constant

of

the

here). The microstrip

line

substrate

around

analysis

solution

the

to be canceled

microstrip
identical,

transitions
and cancel

- ceff

test

propavalues of

all four

where

8 implies

Improved

measurement

of c,ff, and consequently

be obtained

by measuring

the transfer

~,, can

phase difference

A+

the two lines at a set of frequencies in the band of

c.ff can be deSince A+ = 2 mf( Alp ). ~/c,
from

the measurement

statistical
to obtain

B. Error

average

can be used to find

an

analysis can then be used

cr.

lengths of the lines).

The measured effective

two

Al,

difference

in electrical

In a typical
Hence,
order

lengths

case, c.,, is approximately

as the dielectric

the percentage

of the substrate

microstrip

lines

lengths

of the

constant

error introduced

of the two lines.

the same order of

c. of the substrate.
in determining

of

lPI and

dielectric

IP2 (the

constant

physical

c~ff of the

microstrip
line is related to the measured difference
in
electric lengths Al, and physical lengths AIP = lP1 IPZ as

(1)

c-,

by using the value of c,,, is of the same

as that of eeff. Thus,

:=%=2(%+%)
(3)

It can now
the dielectric

-0.1

match effects cancel because of the use of two lines with

identical
transitions.
This leaves the effect of error due to
measurement

the

(lPl 1P2) in physical

error

Analysis

physical

of

( lPI > 1P2),

be noted
constant

that the error in measurement

C. is proportional

in the measurement

of

to the percentage

of AIP and hence can be im-

proved by using a large value of AIP.

For example, if il(AzP) -0.1 mm, AIP -10.0

The use of the HP-851O Network

Analyzer
with its
error-correcting
software results in negligible
error in the
measurement
of Ale. As discussed above, connector mis-

the

lengths

difference
two lines,

of Alp and A+ at differ-

of these data

value of (,ff; microstrip

and

AIP

ent frequencies.
Table I shows some measured values of
calculated
C.ff. A
A+ versus f, and the corresponding
accurate

2)

error in measurement,

respectively

magnitude

termined

L
=2(%+3)

Ipl, 1P2 physical

coax-to-

(and any associated reactance)

are
upon subtraction
when computing

Al,.

through
interest.

f3&

&eff

could be used

is run for various

out because

error in c~f, is then

the

c, until the measured ceff is obtained. The use of two lines

of different
lengths allows the corrupting
effect of the
connectors

The normalized

the effective
and hence

[7] of the microstrip

(any good full-wave

= 3.54 cm in the
constant c, calcu-

mm, and Al, - 15.0 cm (for c,=

cm, 8(A1J

2.2), we would

have

S~,/~, ==0.4 percent. This accuracy can still be improved

by increasing the difference between the lengths of the two
microstrip
lines.
C. Discussion
The error in the measurement of the dielectric constant
by the two-microstrip-line
method is mainly due to the
error in measuring
the difference
between the physical
lengths

AIP of the two lines. The accuracy

of measuring

AIP is limited
by the uncertainty
in the position of the
connector,
as well as the accuracy of measuring the line
lengths. Thus, end-launch connectors are found to be more
reliable than probe connectors. Also, the assumption
that

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. MTT-35, NO. 7, JULY 1987

638

the four

connectors

end launchers

are identical

For this measurement

method,

to be etched on the substrate

before

the substrate

method

for
I

two microstrip

constant
The

fastened

of the dielectric

constant

method

overcomes

\
1310UND
PLANE

disad-

countered

in it. Instead

different

lengths,

substrates
referred

of using the two microstrip

with

sides of the conductor.

to as the standard
is accurately

referred

/gCLA:/

to as the test

-+.+

++
STRIPLINE

MICROSTRIPLINE

(a)

twoen-

S21
REF

lines of

two different

1.001

Units

200.3

mUn

it=/

hp

whose dielectric

beforehand;

substrate,

One of them is

substrate,

known

1P

MmmipLINE

over
the
the difficulties

it uses one stripline

on both

constant

THE TWO-LAYER STRIPLINE METHOD

This
method
is an improvement
microstrip-line
method and overcomes

TEST

of

vantages.
111.

%rmmmd

on a large

these

d-=o
w

GROUND
PLANES

of measuring

as it varies with position

next

END LAUNCH

lines have

and four connectors

and does not have the flexibility

the dielectric
substrate.

valid

can be tested. Thus, this is not a quick

for the measurement

substrates

may be more

than for probe connectors.

the

whose dielectric

ELECTR

is

con-

other

stant is to be determined. The standard substrate is permanently connected to the test setup, but the test substrate
can be very easily removed
be

tested,

and

measurement

hence

and replaced

can

be very

of a large number

As in the previous

method,

by another

flexible

to

of substrates.
this technique

involves

measurement

of the change in phase between

stripline

or without

with

tor mismatch
A.

one to
use for

a cover substrate),

the

,<

,1

/--/

two lines (a

and so connec-

effects are again canceled.

The Test Procedure

This method

uses a 50-0 microstrip

substrate,
whose dielectric
constant
some other accurate measurement
gested

method

scribed

earlier

interested
sample

is
in

the

two-microstrip-line

Section

in the deviation
to sample

line on a standard

rather

II.

In

method,

the case where

of the dielectric
than

START

is determined
using
technique.
One sug-

constant

in the absolute

STOP

S21

one is

REF

from

dielectric

z
1.001

Units

200.3

mUn

its/

hp

substrate
must be measured
accurately.
This
substrate is connected to the HP-851O Network
system by two connectors at the ends of the 50-0

line (see Fig. 2(a)). The substrate under test (the test
substrate) is etched to remove the copper on one side, and
is cut into a rectangular
shape. The dimensions
piece need not be of any specific size, and

of the test
hence the

START
STGP

the test piece.

standard

test

tom to form

2.500000000
3.500000000

GHz
i3+z

(c)

substrate

microstrip

method can be flexibly used for measurement of the dielectric constant of any size substrate. It should, however, be
greater than about two wavelengths wide, but can be of
any suitable length. The length, of course, will be constrained by the dimensions of the clamping structure (discussed below). It can be noted here that the final result is
not very sensitive to the measurement of the dimensions of
The

GHZ
GHz

(b)

de-

constant, the rigorous determination

of the dielectric constant of the standard substrate is not very important.
The width of the microstrip line and the thickness of the
standard
standard
Analyzer

2. !500000000
3.500000000

is used to cover
line and is clamped

a stripline

structure.

a portion
from

of the

top to bot-

The two plates (Fig. 2(a))

Fig.

2.

(a) Experimental

setup for the two-layer

stripline

cal Smith chart plot of SZl (b) with and (c) without
obtained
from the HP-851O Network Analyzer.

method.

Typi-

the test cover

DAS

et al.:

MSTHODS

used on both

FOR THE MSASUREMSNT

sides to clamp

OF SUBSTRATE

it should

not extend

the area of the test piece, and the clamping

be enough
structure

and

the test substrate.

again microstrip
line.
The impedance
of the stripline

beyond

the standard

The entire

is then a cascade of microstrip

639

CONSTANT

pressure should

to get rid of any air gap between

substrate

DIELECTRIC

transmission

line, stripline,

(Z,)

is different

and
from

that of the microstrip

line. In the Appendix,
it is shown
that for 25 Q < Z,< 100 Q, the locus of Szl looks like a
small circle on the right-hand
side of the Smith chart if a
suitable
electrical
delay is introduced
on the reference
plane. This can be very conveniently
and accurately done
using the HP-851O Network

Analyzer,

and the value of the

electrical delay should be noted.

Now remove the clamp and the test substrate,
the bare microstrip
from

the previous

line. The electrical

dielectric

constants

and

of the layered

of the bare

stripline

with

line

the standard

sub-

cally

in both

solely

in the connectors
dielectric

point

line

13

dJTE8T)mib
.
m
>
%
=
o
40

identi-

length

is due

of the stripline

the electrical

of the bare microstrip

on the right-hand

@ 7
v

m
/

11

under the test piece.

Now readjust (decrease)
S21 locus

constant

14

any error

appears

cases. The change in electrical

to the effective

15

on the other. The

are not changed and do not introduce

since the discontinuity

(a)

of the

microstrip

strate on one side and the test substrate

connectors

leaving

is different

value, because of the difference

effective
that

length

delay so that the

looks

side of the Smith

like
chart

10

a small
(1.0~).

Note the new electrical reference.

The difference in electrical delay Al,

is given as
8

%2 (TEST)

(4)

(b)

where

Fig. 3. Calibration
graph for (a) c.l(standard)
= 2.2, dl (standard)=
0.1575 cm= 62 roils, W= 0.5 cm, c,2(test) = 2.0-3.0, dz(test) = 10-60

1,

change in electrical

1P

physical

length

~,ff,

effective

dielectric

c~ff~

standard
effective

and test substrates),

dielectric
constant

(standard
Then,

from

length,

roils,
and frequency = 3.0 GHz
and for (b) C,l (standard) = 10.2,
dl (standard)=
0.127 cm= 50 roils, W= 0.12 cm, C,2(test)= 5.0-15.0,
d2 (test) = 10-60 roils, and frequency=
3.0 GHz.

of the test piece,

constant

substrate

of the stripline
of

(with

microstrip

Now

line

from

(5) and (6),

only).
=8

8(W

(4),

)(
(5)

G=G+:.
From

the

value

of

Al,

and

1P (measured)

and

and

(b).

These

curves

of the stripline

were generated
structure

with

using

=
Of the two factors

()

iYAl,
81P
.
AI, + ~
(7)

in (7), the first one is dominant,

while

the second one is of second order. SOI,

(8)

a full-wave

two dielectric

slabs

[7] for various thicknesses of the test substrate. Thus, given

a value of E.ff, as inferred
from measurement,
the test
substrate dielectric constant 6,2 can easily be found.
B. Error

NP.AI,
+ 12

(theory),
C.ff, can be calculated from (5), and hence the
unknown
c ,2(test) can be determined
from ~~ff,, c,l(standard), W, d2(test), and dl(standard)
by calculation
[7] or
by using a set of calibration
graphs, as shown in Fig. 3(a)
analysis

81,

Al,
1P

or
&
=eff.
Cefff

z 8G

6Ale
(9)

c effs

= 2 Ip. ceff,

It may be noted here that the inaccuracy in measuring the

physical length (lP) does not contribute
significantly
to the

Analysis

In this method, it is assumed that we know c,l(standard),

and c .ff~ for the standard substrate, accurately. Hence,
ti(ceffm)

= o.

(6)

error in c.ff~ and hence in c,z(test).

When ceff~ is used to calculate c,2(test), the error introduced in c...
the same as the error in c.,...
c,. .
r,c. (testl , is not

640

IEEE TRANSACTIONS

However,

the contribution

is about the same as that of the

the dielectric
constants of test

rough

effs

estimate

-1/2&,2

TECHNIQUES,

TABLE

VOL.

MTT-35,

NO. 7, JULY

1987

II

MSASUREMSNT OF DIELECTRIC CONSTANTS OF DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES

USING METHOD I (TWO-MICROSTRFP-LINE METHOD) AND
METHOD II (TWO-LAYER STRIPLINE METHOD) AT 3.0 GHz

can be checked

Substrate
tested

(lo)

(test).
from

Fig.

3.(a) and

(b). Finally,

6,2 (test)
example,

if

iheff~
=2=
~effs

1P-5.0

cm,

Ceff,

ceff~ -2.0,

method
used

measured
r

62mils

2.2

2.189

ST/DUROID

2.19

31mils

2.2

50mils

10.2

10.80

60m11s

2.55

11

2.54

(11)

588o
RT/DUROID
6DI0.2
OAK

OAK

30m11s

2.55

11

2.53

8A1, - ().1

RT/DUROID
588o
KT/OUROIO

62mi1s

2.2

11

2.2D

20m11s

2.2

11

2.19

50mils

10.2

II

10.15

and

E?

5880

8AI,
4
lP.

manufacture!,

thickness

RT/DUROID

iic,z(test)

For

AND

are about equal. In this case,

&
This

THEORY

of the top cover (test substrate)

to the Ceff, of the stripline

standard
substrate when
and standard

ON MICROWAVE

mm, we have

588o
RT /DUROI O
6010.2

&,2(test)
(12)

= 0.4 percent.
c,z(test)

the test and standard

C. Discussion

ent.

A few important

points

can be mentioned

regarding

the

The

calibration

standard

substrate.

substrates
graphs

Similar

are not markedly

were obtained

for

differ-

a specific

graphs for other standards

can

above measurement
technique.
i) One side of the test substrate can quickly be etched
free of copper and made ready for test. The size of the

be obtained.
ix) The variation
of the dielectric
constant
over a
frequency
range can be easily measured. This is done by

substrate need not be of any particular

need not be measured very accurately

changing the frequency of the test and using the theoretical

data corresponding
to that frequency. The analysis of [7]

ordinary
ii)
small

is good enough).

method

measures

can
the dielectric

area and can be used to measure

dielectric
just

ruler

This

dimensions
and
(accuracy of an

by

constant
shifting

from
it

constant

None

of

ently

the variation

one place to another

sidewise

of a

or turning

it in

of substrates

types

of substrates

of approximately

stants and different

v) The error
the tolerances

of different

the

dielectric

to
of

con-

thicknesses.

introduced

in the measurement

of dimensions

of the substrate

because of
is negligible

(see error analysis) and also is insensitive to discontinuities

in connectors and microsttip-stripline
junctions.
vi) The method requires the accurate determination
of
the dielectric constant of the standard substrate, but needs
to be done only once; hence it is possible to characterize it
very accurately using a variety of methods. The two-microstrip-line
method is a suggested method.
vii) The main problem with this method
air gap between

the standard

is avoiding

and test substrates,

the

IV.

of the standard

to minimize

the temperature

uncertainties
larly, better

which

RESULTS

methods

accurately.

can so conveni-

AND

CONCLUSIONS

electric constants of a few different

dielectric
substrates.
The air gaps between two substrates were avoided by
applying
in Table

sufficient clamping pressure. The results are given

II. It was observed that the RT/DUROID
6010.2

substrates
from

have

sample

single

a large

variation

piece of substrate.

samples

of

dielectric

constant

to sample, and even from place to place on a

Dielectric

of these substrates

constants

in different

have been measured

from

as

high as 10.80 to as low as 9.87.

Using an optimized
measurement
setup, it is concluded
that the two-layer
stripline method, along with the twomicrostrip-line

method,

measurement

can be used for

of the dielectric

strates in a very flexible

constant

quick,

reliable

of microwave

sub-

way.
APPENDIX

&l

OF A CASCADE

introduces

(not error) in the measurement process. Simiresults will be obtained if the thicknesses of

OF THREE

TRANSMISSION

LINE

SECTIONS

for very

errors due to large discontinujunction,

dependence

reported

and this

accurate results, as was done in [1].

vii) To suit a specific application,
the system can be
optimized
for best results, since it is preferable to have the
dielectric constant of the substrate under test close to that
ities in the microstfip-stripline

frequency

Two methods, the two-microstrip-line

method and the
two-layer
stripline
method, were used to measure the di-

may determine the final accuracy of the result. An air gap

is avoided by using sufficient uniform pressure from both
sides and, if necessary, controlling

of this

take care of this aspect of measurement.

a different

same dielectric
constant,
the deviation
from sample
sample can quickly be determined using this method.
iv) A fixed test setup can be used for a number
different

care

of the previously

on a sample

direction.
iii) In a large number

take

A signal

of unit

amplitude

incident

on port

1 (see Fig.

4(a)) on the forward path reaches plane pz with an amplitude Te-JfO+olJ. Part of it gets transmitted
to the third
section and to port 2 ( = TT. eJ(e +I +2) ); the other part
gets reflected
and undergoes
reflection
partly

back to the second section ( = Tre J(e+ol))

an electrical

at plane

delay equivalent

to 28 and a

p I( = I) back at p2 again. This wave

gets transmitted

to the third

section

and to port

2,

DAS

et al.:

METHODS

FOR THE MEASUREMENT

OF SUBSTRATE

CONSTANT

J-+

-r+xi

[2]

5
d

d.~

DIELECTRIC

mm 2

mm q

Zm

z~

50.0

7:

SO.fl

MICROSTRIP

=RlpLiNE

[3]

.r

Zm

MICROSTRIP

641

L. S. Napoli and
determination
of
integrated
circuit
pp. 664-665,
July

J. J. Hughes A simple technique for the accurate

the microwave
dielectric
constant
for microwave
substrates, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech.,
1971.
J. Q. Howell,
A quick accurate method to measure the dielectric
constant
of microwave
integrated
circuit substrates,
IEEE
Trans.
Microwave

[4]

Zm

Theoiy

Tech., pp. 142-143,

\
\
\/
/\
\
\
/
-.\
/,
\/
\
,\
/
\:\
f
\
/\\
.
\\
\
(
)/
(
[5]

(a)

1.0

[6]

X%-%

,/

substrates:
IEEE Trans.
383-386,
Apr. 1981.

[7]

[8]

,,

..

..

s-

._~5.

;&...____.._~-.:- -:Z-.
----

______

I
\

//

,,

\,-/
\/

/~.

-1.0

TT

(b)
Fig. 4. (a) Cascade of three transmission
lines, i.e., microstrip
line,
stripline,
and microstrip
line. (b) SZl of the cascade for smafl mismatch.

[9].
Thus,

gets reflected

to the second section,

the generalized

Nirod
K. Das and D. M. Pozar, A generalized
spectral-domain
Greens function
for muftilayer
dielectric
substrates with applications to mnkilayer
transmission
lines.
IEEE
Trans. Microwave
Theory Tech., vol. MTT-35, pp. 326-335, Mar. 1987.
S. Hubbel
and D. J. Angelakos,
A technique
for measuring
the
effective
dielectric
constant
of a rnicroswip
line,
IEEE
Tram.
Microwave
Theoty Tech., vol. MTT-31, pp. 687-688, Aug. 1983.
R. E. Collin,
Foundations
of Microwave
Engineering.
New York:
McGraw-Hill,
ch, 5.8.

and partly

pp.

,1,

~:

Theory Tech., vol. MTT-29,

.-.

Microwave

;2

1
//

A\

7/

\/

,\

[9]

<

1973.

Y!

Mar.

P. H. Ladbrooke,
M. H. N. Potok, and E. H. England, Comments
on A quick accurate method to measure the dielectric constant of
microwave
integrated
circuit substrates,
IEEE
Trans. Microwave
Theoiy Tech., pp. 570-5712, Aug. 1973.
P. H. Ladbrooke,
M. H. N. Potok, and E, H. England,
Coupling
error in cavity resonance measurement
of MIC dielectrics,
IEEE
Trans. Microwave
Theory Tech., pp. 560-561, Aug. 1973.
R. M. Prrnnel and B. W. Jervk, Two
simple methods
for the
measurement
of the dielectric
permittivi~y
of low-loss microstrip

expression

and so on

Nirod K. Das was bom in Pun, Orissa state,

India, on February 27, 1963. He received the
B. Tech. degree(with honors) in electronics and
electrical communication engineering from the
Indiag Institute of Technology (IITj, Kharagpur,
India, in 1985. He joined, as a graduate
research-assistant,the IDepartment of Electrical
and Computer Engineering at the tJniversity of
Massachusetts,Amherst, in 1985 and since then
has been working for the M.S. rmd Ph.D. demees.

His research interests ~e in the areas of printed antennas, in particular,

the analytical
and experimental
study of multiple-layer
integrated-circuit
antenna structures for phased-array
applications.

for S21 can be written

as
Szl =

7777~-X@+%+@2)(l+

r2e-2j0

1 _

rq~-qjo

For small mismatches

can be approximated

(Al)

between

such that 250<2,<100

the microstrip

Q, or Irl <1/3,

and stripline
lr12 <0.1,

small

Thus,

r,

we have T=l+

S21 looks

side of the Smith

if an electrical

(Al)

as

s 21z TT~e-J(O+@l +%) (1+ I2e-2~o).

For

. . . )

+6,)

TT1e-j(6+e,

rz~-zjo

r,

like a small circle

and T=1
toward

r;

TT =1.

the right-hand

to (f3 + (3I + 62), that is, the

sum of the electrical lengths of the three sections, is added

on the reference (Fig. 4(b)).
REFERENCES

[1] ASTM

She joined
the Raytheon
Company,
Missile
Systems Division, in 19S6, where she is currently
working on numericaf antenna analysis.

(A2)

chart with center at TT and radius = r 2

delay equivalent

Susanne M. Voda was born in St. Louis, MO, in

1958. She received the B. S., degree in electrical
engineering in 1984 from the University
of Missouri, Rolls, and the M.S. degree, also in electncaf engineering,
in 1987 from the University
of
Massachusetts,
Amherst.

D 3380-75 standard test method for permittivity

(dielectric
constant)
and dispersion
factor of plastic based microwave
circuit
in A nnaal Book of Standards,
American
Society of
substrates,
Testing and Materials, part 39, 1980.

David M. Pozar (S74 M80) was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on January 25, 1952. He received the
B.S. degree in 1975 and the M.S. degree in 1976,
both in electrical engineering,
from the Universit y of Akron. He received the Ph.D. degree in
electrical engineering from Ohio State University
in 1980.
During
the course clf his undergraduate
degree, he spent one year as an Engineering
Assistant at the National
Security
Agency,
Fort
Meade, MD. He was a Graduate
Research As-

642

IEEE TRANSACTIONS

sistant in the ElectroScience

Lab at Ohio State University
while pursuing
the Ph.D. degree, and became a Research Assistant upon completion
of
the Ph.D. degree. He joined the faculty at the University
of Massachusetts in 1980, and in 1985 he became an Associate Professor of Electrical
and Computer
Engineering.
Dr. Pozar belongs to the Antennas
and Propagation
Society and the
Microwave
Theory and Techniques
Society of the Institute
of Electrical
and Electronics

Engineers

(IEEE).

He is also an Associate

Member

of the

ON MICROWAVE

THEORY

AND

TECHNIQUES,

VOL.

MTT-35, NO. 7, JULY 1987

International
Union
of Radio Science (URSI),
Commission
B. He has
served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS
AND PROPAGATION and as an Associate Editor of the IEEE ANTENNAS
AND PROPAGATION SOCIETY NEWSLETTER. In 1984, he received an NSF
Presidential
Young
Investigator
Award,
as well as the Keys
to the
Future
Award,
from the IEEE Antennas
and Propagation
Society. In
1986, he received the R.W.P. King Best Paper Award from the IEEE
Antennas
and Propagation
Society.