General analysis of microwave network scattering parameters for characterization of thin film materials

A general solution of the linear passive microwave network is presented for the characterization of thin film materials at high microwave frequencies. The mathematical formulas that correlate scattering parameters S11 and S21 with the distributed circuit parameters of the Z0;Zs;Z0 network are given in closed form. The applicability of the general network model to the characterization of thin film materials is illustrated experimentally for one-port reflectometry in the coaxial configuration and for the two-port transmission reflection method in a coplanar waveguide configuration.