Rectangular patch antenna on split-ring resonators substrate for THz brain imaging: Modeling and testing

Large biomolecules and proteins associated with brain functions and human diseases, as Alzheimer´s disease, exhibit unique fingerprints in the THz spectrum. As a result, THz biomedical imaging with near-field probes is a promising solution for medical diagnosis and brain study. Ultimately, antennas with significantly enhanced performance are required for in-vivo THz biomedical applications. In this work, a THz rectangular patch antenna on a metamaterial substrate operating at 1 THz is presented. The metamaterial substrate based on split-ring resonators improves the antenna´s gain and directivity. Finally, measurements at the microwave regime of a scaled version of the proposed antenna have been performed to experimentally verify the theoretically estimated metamaterial effect on the antenna performance.