Magnetically Tunable Nanocomposites for Microwave Applications

In this work, tunability of the microwave properties of Magneto-Dielectric Polymer Nanocomposites (MDPNCs) has been demonstrated for the first time. Particularly, permeability, permittivity and loss factor were tuned by an externally applied DC magnetic field with strength achievable by commercial permanent magnets. The considerable tunability, ease of manufacturing, compatibility with multilayer RF laminates and substrate implementation make this material well-suited for use in tunable microwave circuits. Two custom-built microstrip test fixtures using multi-layer substrates were employed to extract the permeability, permittivity and loss tangent of MDPNCs using S-parameter measurements.