Abstract: A corrosion sensor (1), adapted to determine the presence of corrosion in a material having at least one layer of a coating material on a surface thereof, is disclosed. The corrosion sensor (1) comprises a microwave transceiver (2); and a waveguide (3), with the waveguide (3) being operably coupled to the microwave transceiver (2). The microwave transceiver (2) transmits a first continuous wave microwave signal incident on the at least one layer and receives a second continuous wave microwave signal reflected from the at least one layer. The first and second continuous wave signals are combined into an intermediate continuous wave microwave signal having a phase difference indicative of corrosion in the material. Both the first and second continuous wave microwave signals are frequency modulated continuous wave signals. A method of sensing corrosion, a system for sensing corrosion and the use of a microwave transceiver to sense corrosion are also disclosed.

Abstract: A materials characteristic sensor system (40), comprising a sensor comprising a waveguide, and a transceiver (2) for transmitting a continuous wave signal (389) to be incident on a material (32) to be characterised, wherein the sensor is operable to receive a reflected continuous wave signal (399) reflected from the material, and wherein a characteristic of the material is determined using at least one of a resonance frequency difference, a magnitude difference, or a Q factor difference due to the material interacting with the transmitted continuous wave signal.

Abstract: A sensor comprising: a dielectric waveguide for guiding a microwave signal; and a dielectric reflector at an end of the dielectric waveguide to cause formation of a sensing field beyond an outer surface of the dielectric reflector.

Abstract: A sensor comprising: a dielectric waveguide for guiding a microwave signal; and a dielectric reflector at an end of the dielectric waveguide to cause formation of a sensing field beyond an outer surface of the dielectric reflector.