Flexible Microstrip Antenna for Skin Contact Application

Microstrip antennas are finding a growing medical application in imaging, diagnosis, and treatment. This paper presents a flexible microstrip antenna that can be placed in contact with the human skin. The developed antenna is only 0.25 mm thick, has 32 mm × 31 mm dimensions, and −19 dB measured <svg style="vertical-align:-3.13504pt;width:28.1px;" id="M1" height="14.6" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 28.1 14.6" width="28.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,14.6)"> <g transform="translate(72,-60.32)"> <text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,63.5)"> <tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">|</tspan> <tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="2.5006001" y="0">𝑆</tspan> </text> <text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-61.32,60.37)"> <tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="0" y="0">1</tspan> <tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="4.3759999" y="0">1</tspan> </text> <text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-52.07,63.5)"> <tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">|</tspan> </text> </g> </g> </svg> parameter at 2.45 GHz. A specific application of the antenna in microwave breast imaging is considered. Analytical results using simulation models and experimental results using skin phantoms are presented and discussed.