Free space experimental scattering database continuation: experimental set-up and measurement precision

Abstract

In the present paper, the experimental set-up of Institut Fresnel used to measure the scattered fields of different elongated objects is precisely described. Since the special issue on ‘Testing inversion algorithms against experimental data’, the modifications of this system, outlined here, have mostly been done to improve the synchronization of the apparatuses and the precision of our measurements. Due to a large number of requests from the inverse problem community, it has been decided to add new measurements to the Institut Fresnel's database. All the new targets presented here are two-dimensional inhomogeneous ones. They are made of different dielectrics or are mixing metal and dielectric parts. Both TE and TM polarizations are measured for each target, from 2 to 10 GHz and even 18 GHz for the most complex target. In the first part of this paper the set-up is described precisely. The second part is devoted to the presentation of the targets. Finally, some TE and TM comparisons of measurements and direct problem simulations are shown to accredit our experimental method and to give an idea of the accuracy of these measurements.