Patent ID: 8461851

Claim:
A soil probe for use in determining permittivity and permeability of a soil sample, comprising: a slotted transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM) transmission line having opposite first and second ends and a pair of slot walls extending longitudinally in parallel between said first and second ends and spaced apart by a slot in between the slot walls; a first port interconnected to the first end of said slotted TEM transmission line; a second port interconnected to the second end of said slotted TEM transmission line; and a soil sample receiver of a selected length and configured to be fitted in an intermediate segment of the slot of said slotted TEM transmission line, said soil sample receiver being adapted to receive a soil sample packed therein, said first and second ports being adapted to be connected to a network analyzer that provides electromagnetic signals thereto and receives electromagnetic signals reflected and radiated from the soil held in the soil sample receiver fitted in the intermediate segment of the slot of said slotted TEM transmission line.