Ricerc@Sapienza

This chapter deals with the vector network analyzer systems used for the study of the electromagnetic properties of materials. The focus of the chapter is not the device itself, about which plenty of literature is available, but its application in materials characterization at the microwave and millimeter wave levels. Some interesting measurement techniques are presented and discussed in detail with the help of numerous experimental results. Moreover, the measurement criteria are commented on as a function of the materials under test.

Scintillations affect the propagated signal with an unwanted aleatory oscillation at the receiver. A first analysis of data acquired from Alphasat Q-band receiver station, located in Spino d'Adda (Italy), is performed. Correlation between meteorological measurements at the ground and measured scintillation from the Q-band beacon receiver (i.e., fluctuation of the received electromagnetic field) is investigated. Radiosounding data from north Italy station of "Milano Linate" have been collected for the entire year 2015 and used to calculate the refractive index structure constant.

Purpose: Developing a predictive model of the shrinkage of liver tissues in microwave ablation.

Microwave Thermal Ablation (MTA) is a minimally invasive therapeutic technique aimed at destroying pathologic tissues through a very high temperature increase induced by the absorption of an electromagnetic field at microwave (MW) frequencies. Open problems, which are delaying MTA applications in clinical practice, are mainly linked to the extremely high temperatures, up to 120 °C, reached by the tissue close to the antenna applicator, as well as to the ability of foreseeing and controlling the shape and dimension of the thermally ablated area.

Millimetre-wave radiometers will be on board of the future operational Eumetsat Polar System Second Generation (EPS-SG) satellites with the primary objective to support weather and climate models. These radiometers, and in particular the Ice Cloud Imager (ICI), will provide channels from 183 up to 664 GHz at a spatial sampling of 16 km, greatly enhancing ice cloud retrieval capability at global scale to validate and improve microphysics parameterization.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to review the current literature on electromagnetic radiation (EMR): physical, biophysical, and telecommunication. The widespread application of EMR in modern technologies requires telecommunication and healthcare professionals to possess some knowledge of its physical and biological properties. In this review article, we will discuss biophysical principles of EMR, its interactions with living organisms and its application in clinical practices. We will discuss here beneficial as well as hazardous effects of EMR.

Nondestructive techniques to measure dielectric properties of aqueous samples have become a crucial research topic for their impact on emerging biomedical applications. Accurate modeling of the dielectric behavior of biological tissues is fundamental to properly assess biomedical microwave imaging techniques. But it is also highly demanded to enable more reliable pretreatment planning for therapeutic technologies using electromagnetic fields such as hyperthermia and thermal ablation.

High frequencies in the microwave spectrum are nowadays no more just con ned to telemetry and remote sensing applications. Electromagnetic propagation at frequencies above 6 GHz for ICT end-user application is quickly becoming a reality opening the door to the world of millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths. Due to the high frequencies and large bandwidths requested for new devices, the design of the communication links to grant the appropriate service is now critical, especially for Satellite to Earth links.