Doped polymer for low-loss dielectric material in the terahertz range

The dielectric properties of an elastomeric polymer are modified with the inclusion of dopants, with the aim of reducing dielectric loss in the terahertz range. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is selected as the host polymer, and micro/nano-particle powders of either alumina or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are employed as dopants. Composite samples are prepared, and characterised with terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The samples exhibit significantly reduced dielectric loss, with a maximum reduction of 15.3% in loss tangent reported for a sample that is 40% PTFE by mass. Results are found to have reasonable agreement with the Lichtenecker logarithmic mixture formula, and any deviation can be accounted for by agglomeration of dopant micro/nano-particles. The new dielectric composites are promising for devising efficient micro-structure components at terahertz frequencies. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America