A Free-Space Measurement Technique of Terahertz Dielectric Properties

The free-space method for material dielectric characterization in the microwave band is extended to terahertz frequencies. By analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the relative permittivity of the transmission/reflection method for non-magnetic materials, a fast calculation method using a transmission-only method is proposed. Based on the convergence analysis of the algorithm, a method to estimate the initial value is also proposed. Finally, through measurements of the permittivity of high-density polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polymethyl methacrylate in the 325–500 GHz band, we verify the rationality of the algorithm and demonstrate its applicability. Through the combination of the two methods, the terahertz dielectric properties of a majority of flat non-conducting solid materials and non-polar liquid materials can be measured.