DAK-TL2 » SPEAG, Schmid & Partner Engineering AG

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DAK

DAK-TL2

Fast and Precise Dielectric Measurements of Thin Layers

The Dielectric Assessment Kit for Thin Layers (DAK-TL) allows characterization of the dielectric properties of solid and semi-solid materials with limited thickness (0.1 – 10 mm) that are available in sheet form, and of liquid samples with volumes of 10 – 50 mL. The system, like DAK, is based on open coaxial probes and is equipped with electronics for automatic measurement of thickness and force. The dielectric parameters of the material under test are calculated from the reflection coefficient measured at the probe flange, the probe dimensions (diameters, bead permittivity), and the sample thickness.

DAK TL2 01

System	DAK-TL2 is composed of the probe beam mounted on the base unit. It is fully automated and software controlled. The sample platform brings the material under test to the probe and measures the sample thickness with micrometer accuracy. The applied force can be precisely controlled to enable high measurement repeatability for soft samples such as leather or soft plastic.
Application	Examples of applications include: Evaluation of raw printed circuit board materials Characterization of microwave substrates, antenna and casing materials Analysis of dielectric materials for electronic components (e.g., capacitors, coils, resonators) Characterization of liquids available in only small quantities (e.g., precious pharmaceutical or biochemical samples) Evaluation of small biological samples (e.g., human skin, tumor tissue)
Base Unit	The DAK-TL2 base unit accommodates the automated sample platform with built-in thickness measurement, the force sensor, and the controlling electronics. The base system is connected to the PC via USB and is fully automated and software controlled. The sample is placed on the sample platform, which brings it to the probe for measurement of the sample thickness with micrometer precision. The base unit is designed for use with all three DAK-TL2 probes. Thickness measurement range: 0.1 – 10 mm Force measurement range: 0 – 1000 N USB connector: Type B Weight: ~16 kg Operating temperature range: 10 – 50 °C Thickness measurement precision: <3 µm
DAK12-TL2 (4 - 600 MHz)	Probe connector type: 3.5 mm male Outer conductor inside diameter: 12 mm Inner conductor diameter: 3.18 mm Flange diameter: 68 mm Dielectric bead material: Eccostock Flange: Stainless steel Beam dimensions: 40 × 30 × 350 mm Robustness: High resistance to corrosive materials High measurement repeatability (typ. within ± 1%) Accuracy: Uncertainty tables based on material properties, frequency and sample thickness are available upon request
DAK3.5-TL2 (200 MHz - 20 GHz)	Probe connector type: 3.5 mm male Outer conductor inside diameter: 3.5 mm Inner conductor diameter: 0.93 mm Flange diameter: 48 mm Dielectric bead material: Eccostock Flange: Stainless steel Beam dimensions: 40 × 30 × 350 mm Robustness: High resistance to corrosive materials High measurement repeatability (typ. within ± 1%) Accuracy: Uncertainty tables based on material properties, frequency and sample thickness are available upon request
DAK1.2E-TL2 (5 - 67 GHz)	Probe connector type: 1.85 mm male Outer conductor inside diameter: 1.2 mm Inner conductor diameter: 0.28 mm Flange diameter: 48 mm Dielectric bead material: Epoxy Flange: Stainless steel Beam dimensions: 40 × 30 × 350 mm Robustness: High resistance to corrosive materials High measurement repeatability (typ. within ± 1%) Accuracy: Uncertainty tables based on material properties, frequency and sample thickness are available upon request
Calibration	Calibration according to SPEAG's high-quality standards; DAK probe calibration included within the scope of SPEAG's ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation; suitable for measurements with small and known tolerances.
Accessories	SPEAG provides all DAK-TL accessories necessary for high-precision measurements: DAK-TL2 calibration set Stand for VNA Metal shorting plate Metal petri-dish and top plate for liquid measurement High precision cables to connect the probe beam to the VNA port
VNA Compatibility	DAK-TL2 is compatible with the most popular VNAs on the market (please see our list of currently supported VNAs). For further information about our attractive system packages with the VNA from Rohde & Schwarz contact us at info@speag.swiss.
Software	The software provides the following functionalities: Modern intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) Choice of complex permittivity parameters (ε', ε", σ, tan δ) reported in a variety of data formats: linear plots, logarithmic plots, Smith charts, Cole-Cole plots, and tabular Robust data analysis suite enables data to be fitted to analytical curves and to be compared with target parameters with tolerance and uncertainty ranges Streamlines the workflow for dielectric measurements Fast and robust VNA control, data acquisition, and calculation of dielectric parameters Includes averaging function and numerical noise filtering Flexible scripting for measurement automation and hardware customization
Computer Requirements	The following computer requirements must be met: Software must run on an external computer, not on the VNA Intel Core2 Duo 2.3 GHz CPU (or AMD equivalent) 4 GB of RAM Dedicated 3D accelerated graphics display adapter card with at least 128 MB of on-board memory that supports the latest OpenGL drivers (v3.2 or higher); note: graphics cards of the AMD Radeon™ HD 7500M/7600M Series must run on the latest driver version Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 8 and 8.1, or Windows 7; Windows 8.1 is recommended; software is running only on 64 bit Windows operating system A display with 32-bit color depth and a resolution of 1280 × 1024 pixels or better (optimum size: 1920 × 1200 pixels)
Unique Features
Direct Solver Multilayer Algorithm Python Interface Built-in Thickness Measurement Force Sensor Infinity Ring and Platform Wide range of Dielectric Properties	Fast and accurate conversion of S11 to dielectric properties using the direct solver which reduces the calculation uncertainties Novel multilayer algorithm to compensate for the air-gap formation between the sample and the probe for both calibration and measurements Built-in Python interface for powerful extended control of equipment and data analysis Automatic thickness measurement with μm accuracy to remove timely inefficient set up process Up to 1000 N Made of a well-characterized lossy material to minimize the unwanted flange resonance effects ε_r: 1 – 800 tan δ: 0.02/ε_r – >10
Benefits
Broad Band Easy to Use Accurate, Repeatable, and Reliable Pressure Dependent Measurements	Outstanding performance from 4 MHz to 67 GHz over a wide permittivity range Enhanced user experience with improved GUI and software reduce the training time and operational costs, fast semi-automated measurements at a push of a button Measurement uncertainty as a function of frequency, material properties and thickness suitable for measurements with small and known tolerances, improved probe alignment repeatability with new mechanics Optimized probe-sample contact is established with user defined pressure during calibration and measurement; pressure dependent dielectric measurement is possible using DAK-TL2
Compatibility	The DAK-TL2 upgrade kit is compatible with DAK-TL base units with P/N: SM DAK 4P1 DA Note that if your hardware on-site has an older P/N version, upgrades must be performed by SPEAG; in this case please contact info@speag.swiss for further instructions.
Product History	DAK-TL is discontinued on August 2020 and succeeded by DAK-TL2
Release Date	2020Q4