Effect of Incidence Angle on the Spatial-Average of Incident Power Density Definition to Correlate Skin Temperature Rise for Millimeter Wave Exposures

Abstract

This article reports on an intercomparison study on the effect of the incidence angle on the spatial average of incident power density (PD) and resultant temperature rise using computational and thermographic measurement approaches. Two definitions of the spatial average of incident PD—the peak spatial-average normal component of the Poynting vector and peak spatial-average norm of the Poynting vector—were compared. First, an intercomparison of incident PD and temperature rise in a layered skin model was conducted for a 4 × 4 dipole array antenna. The variations caused by antenna type, antenna-body distance, and skin model to these definitions were then discussed. The results revealed that both definitions are in good agreement and correlate with the peak temperature rise for small or moderate incidence angles. The heating factor was enhanced for transverse-magnetic-like polarized waves for peak spatial-average normal component of the Poynting vector for large-angle incidences because of the Brewster effect. The normal incidence scenario was confirmed to be essential for considering the peak skin temperature rise.