Optically control tissue-independent reconfigurable antenna for body-centric communications at 2.4 GHz ISM band

Abstract

The objective of this article is to design a tissue-independent reconfigurable antenna that operates at the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical band (ISM band: 2.4 − 2.485 GHz) for body-centric wireless communications. The primary radiator of the proposed antenna consists of three concentric split-ring resonators (SRRs) and a photodiode appropriately placed between the rings. In addition, a hook-shaped slot in the ground plane, and a shorting pin between the radiator and the ground plane are employed to improve the impedance matching and adjust the resonance frequency, respectively. The optically controlled implantable antenna (OCIA) with the novel configuration operates in the respective frequency band in the skin and muscle tissue in the OFF state and the fat tissue in the ON state of the diode. The numerical design and analysis of the OCIA were carried out using CST Microwave Studio and the obtained results were verified by the in-vivo, ex-vivo, and in-vitro measurements of the fabricated antenna. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first optically reconfigurable antenna capable of covering the 2.4 GHz ISM band within three different body tissues.