Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Analisa-se no presente trabalho o problema das medidas de relaxação dielétrica a U.B.F. (Ultra Baixa Frequência). Propõe-se um modelo de ponte para tais medidas capaz de varrer o intervalo 10-3 Hz-10Hz, baseada na medida de fase conforme a discussão original de Van Turnhout e colaboradores. Analisa-se também os principais problemas experimentais com tal equipamento de U.B.F. e descreve-se a sua construção e funcionamento. Analisa-se também o modelo teórico de correlação entre medidas de U.B.F. e descarga de eletreto com correntes termo-estimulado. Em particular calculamos uma correção para a expressão integral dado por Van Turnhout e colaboradores que leva em conta a influência da energia de ativação na correlação entre as duas técnicas. Tal conversão é significante para valores da energia de ativação menor que 0,5eV e que ocorrem experimentalmente com frequência / In the present work we investigate the problem of U.L.F. (Ultra Low Frequency) dielectric relaxation. An experimental model is proposed for a bridge covering the range of 10-3Hz-10Hz, based on phase shift measurements originally proposed by Van Turhout and collaborators. We also analyze the main experimental problems with such U.L. F. measurements and describe its construction and performance. We have also investigated the theoretical correlation between U.L.F. dielectric relaxation and electret thermal stimulated currents. We calculate in particular, a correction for the integral expression given by Turnhout and collaborators that takes into account the value of the activation energy in the relation between the two techniques. The correction is important for values of the activation energy below 0,5eV, which occur frequently in dielectric relaxation processes

A study of procedures and techniques of measuring dielectric constant and dipole moment of liquids.

An expression for the dielectric susceptibility tensor of a cubic ionic crystal has been derived using the classical Liouville operator. The effect of cubic anharmonic forces is included as a perturbation on the harmonic crystal solution, and a series expansion for the dielectric susceptibility is developed. The most important terms in the series are identified and summed, yielding an expression for the complex susceptibility with an anharmonic contribution which is linearly dependent on temperature. A numerical example shows that both the real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility are continuous, finite functions of frequency.

No description available.

No description available.

Several methods for evaluating the permittivity of soil samples using measurements in the time domain were studied. A number of algorithms for inverting the measured data to obtain epsilon were investigated and three different types of sampling devices were examined. The investigation examined the positive and negative aspects of three different types of sample holders to determine a method of obtaining dielectric information from in-situ time domain measurements. A scheme using a twin lead balun driven ground probe was proposed and analysed with regard to accuracy and sensitivity to measurement error. / Ph. D.

One of the most important electrical requirements in high performance electronic systems or high speed integrated circuits, is to process larger numbers of electrical signals at much higher speeds. Signal propagation delay must be minimized in order to maximize signal velocities. Therefore, material with low dielectric constant and low dissipation factor is being sought. In this thesis research measurements of dielectric constant and dissipation factor were performed on commercially available polyimides that are used in multilayer interconnect structures. Capacitor structures with a polyimide dielectric were measured up to a 1GHz frequency and 220°C temperature. Polyimides were concluded to be compatible for use in high performance systems such as multilayer interconnect structures.

This thesis discusses the investigation and utilization of a new promising thin-film material, liquid crystal polymer (LCP), for microwave and millimeter-wave (mm-wave [>30 GHz]) components and packages. The contribution of this research is in the determination of LCP's electrical and mechanical properties as they pertain to use in radio frequency (RF) systems up to mm-wave frequencies, and in evaluating LCP as a low-cost substrate and packaging material alternative to the hermetic materials traditionally desired for microwave circuits at frequencies above a few gigahertz (GHz). A study of LCP's mm-wave material properties was performed. Resonant circuit structures were designed to find the dielectric constant and loss tangent from 2-110 GHz under both ambient and elevated temperature conditions. Several unique processes were developed for the realization of novel multilayer LCP-based RF circuits. These processes include thermocompression bonding with tight temperature control (within a few degrees Celsius), precise multilayer alignment and patterning, and LCP laser processing with three different types of lasers. A proof-of-concept design that resulted from this research was a dual-frequency dual-polarization antenna array operating at 14 and 35 GHz. Device characterization such as mechanical flexibility testing of antennas and seal testing of packages were also performed. A low-loss interconnect was developed for laser-machined system-level thin-film LCP packages. These packages were designed for and measured with both RF micro-electromechanical (MEM) switches and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). These research findings have shown LCP to be a material with uniquely attractive properties/capabilities for vertically integrated, compact multilayer LCP circuits and modules.