EBG antenna for GPR co-located with a metal detector for landmine detection

Electromagnetic band gap (EBG) antennas may be suitable for handheld sensing applications, like ground penetrating radar (GPR) for landmine detection, because of their small size, efficiency, and directivity. Increased detection performance has been shown when a GPR is combined with a metal detector, but a typical EBG antenna would cause a response in the metal detector because of the large amount of metal in the structure. An EBG composed of very thin metal is proposed in this paper for application as a GPR co-located with a metal detector without causing a significant response in the metal detector. Manufacturing methods are discussed and GPR measurements are shown using the thin-metal EBG antennas. The metal detector response from a thin metal sheet is discussed and measurements of the EBG ground planes are shown using a laboratory wideband electromagnetic induction system.