Nondestructive Sub-surface Microwave Imaging of Biomaterials

Microwave imaging is an emerging tool for medical diagnostics, potentially offering unique advantages such as the capability of providing quantitative images of the inspected tissues. However, this involves solving a challenging nonlinear and ill-posed electromagnetic inverse scattering problem. In this paper, design, fabrication, and characterization of a near-field microwave scanning probe for sub-surface imaging is presented. The focus is on an application of microwave biomaterials reflectometry imaging. Operating frequency is fixed at 18.5GHz. In order to obtain a 2D image, a network analyzer system monitors changes in the amplitude of the reflection coefficient (S11), quality factor (ΔQ), and resonant frequency (Δf). Results and findings which are presented here, are expected to have strong implications in a wide range of subsurface detection challenges including detection of biological anomalies in human tissue, and etc