Characterization of Dielectric Materials Beyond Room Temperature Using the Lab-Developed Temperature Split Cavity (TSC) Method
Research Poster Engineering 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Arafat Hossain
Exhibition Number 57
Abstract
The evolution of 5G telecommunications and the development of future 6G networks demand precise characterization of dielectric materials at high frequencies to enhance filter design and advanced electronic packaging. This paper evaluates essential dielectric parameters like relative permittivity, loss tangent, and temperature coefficient—within the 2–20 GHz range. Traditional measurement techniques, such as Split Post and Split Cavity methods, effectively assess small substrates like polymers, glasses, and ceramics at room temperature. To extend characterization beyond ambient conditions, we introduce the Temperature Split Cavity (TSC) and Temperature Coefficient of Capacitance (TCC) techniques, enabling measurements from –50°C to 100°C with a scale of 50°C and –150°C to 200°C, respectively. The TSC method revealed a linear relationship between relative permittivity and temperature, allowing accurate calculation of temperature coefficients. Validation against capacitor measurements at 1MHz confirmed the consistency and reliability of TSC results. Additionally, the TSC technique successfully characterizes substrate materials with both ionic and covalent bonding. These findings demonstrate that TSC is a robust and reliable method for determining the temperature-dependent dielectric properties of materials essential for high-frequency telecommunications applications beyond room temperature
Importance
The cavity of the lab-developed Temperature Split Cavity (TSC) is made of fused silica with printed silver instead of brass, which enables the characterization of materials beyond room temperature, unlike the regular split cavity. The cavity’s thermal expansion is 0.05%. Furthermore, the exploration of ionic and covalent bonding effects on temperature coefficients represents a novel contribution to the field, paving the way for optimized material design for future wireless networks and Packaging Industry.