Multi-Loaded Modulated Scatterer Technique for Sensing Applications

Modulated scatterer technique (MST) probes have been commonly used for near-field mapping application in antenna measurements as well as in imaging applications. Although they can be used as a general sensor, they present limitations in the amount of information that can be obtained. The paper proposes a new configuration for MST probes that can be used for sensing applications, which consists in using a set of impedances (at least three different impedances) instead of the conventional two impedance loads. Additional sensitive loads, such as thermistors, can be added to the multi-load MST sensor, in order to remotely sense their variation and perform further sensing of parameters which could not always be sensed by conventional MST. The paper presents the formulation and approaches that can be used to exploit the sensing capabilities of such multi-loaded MST sensor, as well as experimental validations through the measurement of the temperature in the neighborhood of the sensor.