Time domain reflectrometry: Calibration techniques for accurate measurement of the dielectric properties of various materials

In this work, an extensive theoretical and experimental analysis has been carried out on the main factors that affect the accurate evaluation of dielectric properties using time domain reflectometry (TDR). Dielectric constant measurements have been performed under different experimental conditions for various types of materials having a wide range of permittivity values. Interpretation of the results on the basis of the transmission-line theory emphasizes the importance of a suitable calibration procedure that takes into account several critical aspects, some of which seem to have been disregarded or underestimated in the literature. Qualitative and quantitative information is given on the kind of corrections needed in order to significantly improve the reliability of the TDR technique for permittivity measurements.