Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around the behavior of copper at high frequencies, particularly whether it can act as a dielectric. Participants explore concepts such as relative permittivity, skin depth, and practical applications in communication technologies.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant questions whether copper behaves as a dielectric at high frequencies, referencing the loss tangent and relative permittivity of metals.
- Another participant asks for clarification on the definition of "high frequencies" and notes that copper performs well up to at least 100 GHz.
- A different participant suggests that metals can act like dielectrics above the plasma frequency, which is in the PHz range, referencing plasma oscillation.
- One participant challenges the interpretation of the Wikipedia link regarding copper's dielectric properties and specifies their interest in frequencies used for communication.
- Another participant discusses the use of copper in communication technologies, mentioning that frequencies above 40 GHz are common in applications like microwave links and vehicular radar.
- A participant requests information on the relative permittivity of metals and seeks reliable sources for further reading.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing views on the behavior of copper at high frequencies, particularly regarding its dielectric properties and the definition of high frequencies. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.
Contextual Notes
There are limitations in the discussion regarding the definitions of high frequencies and the relative permittivity of metals, which are not fully clarified. The implications of skin depth at high frequencies are also not thoroughly explored.