An Experimental Technique for Characterizing Slow-Wave Characteristics of MIS-Like Transmission Lines Using Aqueous Dielectrics

This work is a study of the dielectric propagation properties of laminar substrates, which are known to support low dispersion modes with very small phase velocities. Slow modes are linked to a polarization mode supported by the insulator-semiconductor interface. The mode spectrum of metal-insulator-semiconductor lines is controlled by the substrate resistivity and the ratio of the semiconductor to insulator layer thicknesses. An experimental investigation of substrate modes normally requires the laborious fabrication of many specimens to cover a useful range of parameter variation. In this paper, we present an experimental platform that supports slow-wave propagation and allows easy adjustment of the parameters affecting the interfacial polarization mechanism.