Estimation of dielectric material properties in THz-frequency range using effective medium theory

The number of current applications in the THz-frequency range (0.1-10 THz), e.g. full-body scanners or WLAN communication technologies, is rapidly rising. Accordingly, the need for methods to determine the risk for the general public and for employees due to electromagnetic exposure from such sources is growing. The currently available literature provides only information about dielectric material properties of biological tissues for frequencies below 100 GHz. For higher frequencies, the knowledge is sparse. The “effective medium theory” is applied here to estimate the required material data above 100 GHz, which are obviously needed for numerical dosimetry purposes in the THz range. These data are used subsequently for numerical computations of electromagnetic THz-fields in human tissues and resulting heat elevations.