Test the idea that \"at sufficiently high frequencies, copper behaves like a die

Question

Test the idea that "at sufficiently high frequencies, copper behaves like a dielectric." Set sigma = omega epsilon, set epsilon = epsilon0; and calculate omega. Then use the inverse of the imaginary component of the propagation constant to find the skin depth. Next, set omega epsilon sigma: use a ratio of your choice, greater than ten. possibly a lot greater than ten. and repeat the above procedure. Explain your findings carefully. Does your result seem to make sense? Does anything seem weird? Should you rethink setting epsilon = epsilon0?

Explanation / Answer

Skin depth is a measure of how far electrical conduction takes place in a conductor, and is a function of frequency. At DC (0 Hz) the entire conductor is used, no matter how thick it is. As you double the cross-sectional area of a wire, the DC resistance per unit length decreases by half, as you'd expect according to Ohm's law. At RF frequencies, the effect that conductor thickness has on its conductance is nonlinear (actually, a negative exponential.) There is a limitation on the conductance that you can achieve, and increasing the thickness of precious metals to reduce losses RF can be a waste of money if you don't know what you are doing.

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