Study of the coupling between human head and cellular phone helical antennas

The interaction between normal-mode helical antennas and human head models is analyzed, using both a novel accurate semi-analytical method and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. The semi-analytical method is based on the combination of Green´s functions theory with the method of moments (Green/MoM) and is able to model arbitrarily shaped wire antennas radiating in the close proximity of layered lossy dielectric spheres representing simplified models of the human head. The purpose of the development of the Green/MoM technique is to provide a reliable tool for preliminary (worst case) estimation of human head exposure to the field generated by different antenna configurations with emphasis on the helical antenna, representing the most diffused antenna type used in modern cellular handsets. Furthermore, the accurate semi-analytical character of the Green/MoM technique permits the accuracy assessment of purely numerical techniques, such as the FDTD, which is currently the most widely used computational method in mobile communication dosimetric problems, since it allows modeling of anatomically based head models. After appropriate benchmarking, FDTD simulations are used to study the interaction between a heterogeneous anatomically correct model of the human head exposed to a normal-mode helix monopole operating at 1710 MHz mounted on the top of a metal box representing a realistic mobile communication terminal. The study of both canonical and realistic exposure problems includes computations of specific absorption rates (SARs) inside the human head, total power absorbed by the head and assessment of antenna performance. Emphasis is placed on the comparative dosimetric assessment between adults and children head models.