Monopole patch antenna for in vivo exposure to nanosecond pulsed electric fields

To explore the promising therapeutic applications of short nanosecond electric pulses, in vitro and in vivo experiments are highly required. In this paper, an exposure system based on monopole patch antenna is reported to perform in vivo experiments on newborn mice with both monopolar and bipolar nanosecond signals. Analytical design and numerical simulations of the antenna in air were carried out as well as experimental characterizations in term of scattering parameter (S ₁₁) and spatial electric field distribution. Numerical dosimetry of the setup with four newborn mice properly placed in proximity of the antenna patch was carried out, exploiting a matching technique to decrease the reflections due to dielectric discontinuities (i.e., from air to mouse tissues). Such technique consists in the use of a matching dielectric box with dielectric permittivity similar to those of the mice. The average computed electric field inside single mice was homogeneous (better than 68 %) with an efficiency higher than 20 V m^-1 V^-1 for the four exposed mice. These results demonstrate the possibility of a multiple (four) exposure of small animals to short nanosecond pulses (both monopolar and bipolar) in a controlled and efficient way.