Vector network analysis equipment to support microwave plasmonics and metamaterials research

该提案是在多项目设备计划下提交的，专门用于购买微波矢量网络分析仪，该分析仪将在埃克塞特大学电磁材料研究小组的大量正在进行和未来的研究项目中发挥至关重要的基础作用。近年来，该小组在微波等离子体和超材料的高度活跃领域建立了国际先锋地位，最近的成功导致了需要使用更先进的微波实验方法的项目数量的显着增加。我们一直依赖老化的标量分析设备和微波源，除了为我们现有的设施提供急需的升级外，收购微波矢量网络分析仪将扩大和提高我们目前的研究计划的能力。具体来说，与现有的标量系统相比，微波矢量网络分析仪在我们的研究项目中的优势有三个方面：它将允许(1)确定相位和群延迟，以及表面模式的色散，(2)提高标量特性的测量精度，(3)将允许在介电常数，渗透率和损耗切线方面对材料进行表征。这些改进将使我们的研究人员和学生能够在具有国际竞争力的研究领域做出贡献，并保持与工业伙伴的合作。

This proposal is submitted under the Equipment for Multiple Projects scheme, and is made specifically to purchase a microwave vector network analyser that will play a vital and underpinning role in a large number of ongoing and future research projects in the Electromagentci Materials Research Group at the University of Exeter. Over recent years, the group has established an internationally pioneering role in the highly active field of microwave plasmonics and metamaterials, and this recent success has lead to a significant increase in the number of projects requiring the use of more advanced microwave experimentation methods. We have been reliant on aging scalar analysis equipment and microwave sources, and besides providing a much-needed upgrade to one of our existing facilities, the acquisition of the microwave vector network analyser will broaden and enhance the current capability of our research programme. Specifically, the advantages of a microwave vector network analyser for our research projects, over our existing scalar systems are three-fold: it will permit (1) determination of phase and group delay, and the dispersion of surface modes, (2) improvement in measurement accuracy of scalar properties, and (3) will permit material characterisation in terms of permittivity, permeability and loss tangents. These improvements will enable our researchers and students to extend their contribution to an internationally competitive research field, and maintain collaborations with industrial partners.