Modeling and characterization of planar microwave sensor for fault diagnosis using non destructive testing

Abstract

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) is an immensely growing, newlineinterdisciplinary field that deals with the testing of a component or a material newlinewithout damaging its properties. A unique testing method is required for newlineevery type of material to be tested. Several non-destructive testing techniques newlinelike radiography, ultrasonic, eddy current testing and microwave method are newlineavailable in practice. Each technique has its own scope and area of newlineapplication. In particular microwave NDE boasts of less cost, deeper newlinepenetration in dielectric materials and can be used without being in immediate newlinecontact of the Material Under Test (MUT). Work on microwave NDE sensors newlinehave also reported good resolution when testing dielectrics. Most of the newlineexisting microwave sensors used for NDE are either waveguides or horn newlineantennas that are large and heavy. With the advent of planar microwave newlinecomponents that are compact when compared to their waveguide newlinecounterparts, the microwave NDE probes too could be made smaller and newlineefficient.This thesis investigates the use of planar microwave sensors for newlineNDE that addresses threefold applications. The first application is the design newlineof planar microwave sensors for characterizing the properties of dielectrics. newlineThis would throw light on the possibility of fault generation when the material newlineis in use. Secondly, detection of faults newline newline