A finite element aided tool for the design of microwave resonant sensors

Microwave sensors are very attractive for industrial applications. They offer several advantages, deriving from the penetration capability of such a radiation and the absence of friction. However, generally it is not possible to develop a sort of universal device, but an application specific design is required in order to take into account specific needs and constraints. The aim of this work is the development of a framework based on finite element simulations to aid the design phase of this kind of sensors. In particular, resonant sensors have been considered; typical applications include displacement, position and material properties evaluation. Theoretical analysis and model implementation have been addressed for both scenarios. These results have been confirmed by experimental evaluation, showing the soundness of the proposed approach.