Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for the measurement of, for example, the moisture in a material or, more generally, for the measurement of any material parameter which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation. The electromagnetic properties of use in the present invention are complex electrical permittivity or the magnetic permeability of the material. The meter apparatus of the present invention comprises a controllable source of electromagnetic energy having stable selectable frequency. The controllable source of electromagnetic energy is coupled to a material measurement chamber by means of probes, loops, antennas, apertures or other structures so as to establish an electromagnetic wave inside the measurement chamber thereby causing the wave to interact with the material contained in the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the measurement of, for example, the moisture in a material or, more generally, for the measurement of any material parameter which may be inferred by measuring the electromagnetic properties of the material under investigation. The meter apparatus comprises a controllable source of electromagnetic energy having stable selectable frequency. The controllable source of electromagnetic energy is coupled to a material measurement chamber by means of probes, loops, antennas, apertures or other structures so as to establish an electromagnetic field inside the measurement chamber thereby causing the field to interact with the material contained in the chamber. The method includes passing the process material through a frequency sensitive measurement cell. Exposing the process material to electromagnetic energy produced by a multi-frequency source. Generating an output signal having a distinctive frequency response characteristic.