Convert Between Loss Tangent and Conductivity

It is possible to convert between the loss tangent and conductivity description of the material losses at a single frequency. This application macro performs the calculation and can be used in CADFEKO and POSTFEKO.

Given the frequency, relative permittivity and either the loss tangent or the conductivity of a material, the remaining parameter can be calculated through the relationship

(1) tanδ=σωε0εr

where tan δ is the loss tangent, σ is the conductivity, ω = 2 π f is the angular frequency, ε 0 is the free space permittivity and, ε r is the real part of the relative complex permittivity of the medium.

It is often required to convert between these parameters when using the FDTD solver, since frequency-dependent materials are not supported for FDTD.