Spectral-domain analysis of microstrip transmission line covered with lossy dielectric

Microstrip transmission lines show many properties which make them suitable as a medium for contact measurement of complex dielectric permittivity. Such a system could be based on determining the effective permittivity of a microstrip line covered by an unknown dielectric substance. To achieve this an analysis of a microstrip transmission line covered with a lossy dielectric is presented which is based on the well known spectral domain Galerkin method. A comparison of the analysis with experimental measurements is presented, which shows that the theory is accurate for a range of material permittivities