TLM techniques in microwave ovens analysis: numerical and experimental results

Since, from an electric point of view, food can be modelled as an inhomogeneous complex dielectric body of irregular shape, an accurate analytical method is required to predict the electromagnetic field distribution inside it. To that purpose, the TLM method proves to be the most efficient; in the present contribution the method has been used to evaluate resonant frequencies of a commercial microwave oven, empty and filled with a phantom simulating the dielectric characteristics of a biological tissue; moreover the electric field distribution inside the phantom has been obtained. Theoretical results have been compared with experimental measurements performed by a vector network analyzer and infrared thermography obtaining a good agreement