Electromagnetic coupling mechanism in a layered human tissue model as reference for 434 MHz RF medical therapy applicators

In order to minimize exposure to human tissue, electromagnetic interaction with antennas has benefited from a lot of research since hand-held communication transceivers became widely used consumer products. On the other hand, medical applications have been exploiting the ISM (industrial scientific and medical standard) 434 MHz frequency band for therapeutic applications such as hyperthermia. Various antennas have been used in hyperthermia applicators but advanced designs depend on improved knowledge of the radiated antenna modes and interacting influence of human tissue. As a preliminary step towards analyzing antennas interacting with tissues in the near- and far-fields, this study reports on the coupling mechanism of a half-wavelength dipole at 434 MHz. This will provide an experimental method for researching more suitable and efficient antennas for medical applications.