EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON A FLANGED PARALLEL-PLATE DIELECTRIC WAVEGUIDE PROBE FOR DETECTION OF BURIED INCLUSIONS

This paper presents an experimental study of a flanged parallel-plate dielectric waveguide (PPDW) probe for detecting dielectric inclusions in a dielectric host medium, with different electrical properties from the inclusions. The S-parameter signals from an inclusion (modelled as a conducting sphere) are shown to have resonant characteristics, from which the size and location of the inclusion can be deduced. As an example of a possible application for this technique, we use parameters of host medium and inclusions relevant for detection of tumors in body tissues. An experimental study was performed on solid tissue-simulating phantoms with embedded conducting dielectric inclusions. The measurements show promising results.