Millimeter Wave Sensor For On-Line Inspection Of Thin Sheet Dielectrics

Patent · Tue Mar 23 04:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:879454

Bakhtiari, Sasan ^[1]; Gopalsami, Nachappa ^[2]; Raptis, Apostolos C ^[3]

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1. Westmont, IL
2. Naperville, IL
3. Downers Grove, IL

A millimeter wave sensor is provided for non-destructive inspection of thin sheet dielectric materials. The millimeter wave sensor includes a Gunn diode oscillator (GDO) source generating a mill meter wave electromagnetic energy signal having a single frequency. A heater is coupled to the GDO source for stabilizing the single frequency. A small size antenna is coupled to the GDO source for transmitting the millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal to a sample material and for receiving a reflected millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal from the sample material. Ferrite circulator isolators coupled between the GDO source and the antenna separate the millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal into transmitted and received electromagnetic energy signal components and a detector detects change in both amplitude and phase of the transmitted and received electromagnetic energy signal components. A millimeter wave sensor is provided for non-destructive inspection of thin sheet dielectric materials. The millimeter wave sensor includes a Gunn diode oscillator (GDO) source generating a mill meter wave electromagnetic energy signal having a single frequency. A heater is coupled to the GDO source for stabilizing the single frequency. A small size antenna is coupled to the GDO source for transmitting the millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal to a sample material and for receiving a reflected millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal from the sample material. Ferrite circulator isolators coupled between the GDO source and the antenna separate the millimeter wave electromagnetic energy signal into transmitted and received electromagnetic energy signal components and a detector detects change in both amplitude and phase of the transmitted and received electromagnetic energy signal components.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: The University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Patent Number(s): US 5886534
• Application Number: 08/927363
• OSTI ID: 879454
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English