Dielectric response of material media using the detuning of a resonant microwave cavity

The technique of dielectric response of a medium loading a resonant cavity has been used successfully to monitor all phases of matter. In this work results will be given on the dielectric response of bound (vicinal) water in germinating wheat seeds (Fig. 1, 2), the dielectric response of select fluids as they change phase from solid↔liquid (Fig. 3, 4) a discussion will be given of how the technique may be used to monitor phase changes in liquid crystals and other polyphase systems.