Flexible Multi-wideband Wearable Antenna for Preliminary Evaluation of Tumour Detection in Breast Phantom Model
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Abstract
The growing demand for non-invasive and wearable breast cancer diagnostic tools has driven the development of flexible and wearable antennas for microwave imaging. This study presents a flexible multi-wideband wearable antenna designed for breast tumour detection, with targeted operation at the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band which fabricated on a breathable cotton substrate with a 0.035 mm copper layer, the antenna measures 83 × 60 × 1.52 mm³ and is backed by a 2×3 Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) array to enhance the gain whilst suppressing back radiation. Simulations and measurements are conducted in free space and on a realistic three-layer breast phantom consisting of skin, fat and glandular which is properly characterise in terms of electrical parameter has successfully, demonstrate a directional radiation, strong resonance at 2.4 GHz and wideband performance above 5.04 GHz. The antenna exhibits insensitivity to bending angle up to 60° and exhibits a low Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value of 0.23 W/kg (10 g), ensuring safety compliance for wearable use to human skin proximity. While the current design supports tumour detection with varying sizes between 2–10 mm, future work will focus on extending the bandwidth below 5 GHz and miniaturizing the structure for enhanced early-stage diagnosis.
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