Shorted-end probes for accurate permittivity measurements with time-domain reflectometry

An investigation is presented on the use of short-circuit terminations in two-wire transmission lines employed as probes in standard time-domain-reflectometry (TDR) setups. Experimental permittivity results are given for different configurations and materials, and these data are compared with those achievable using conventional open-type terminations. The possibility of both improving the accuracy and simplifying the procedures of TDR measurements using shorted-end probes is illustrated