Dosimetric Characteristics of an EMF Delivery System Based on a Real-Time Impedance Measurement Device

In this paper, the dosimetric characterization of an EMF exposure setup compatible with real-time impedance measurements of adherent biological cells is proposed. The EMF are directly delivered to the 16-well format plate used by the commercial xCELLigence apparatus. Experiments and numerical simulations were carried out for the dosimetric analysis. The reflection coefficient was less than -10 dB up to 180 MHz and this exposure system can be matched at higher frequencies up to 900 and 1800 MHz. The specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution within the wells containing the biological medium was calculated by numerical finite-difference time domain simulations and results were verified by temperature measurements at 13.56 MHz. Numerical SAR values were obtained at the microelectrode level where the biological cells were exposed to EMF including 13.56, 900, and 1800 MHz. At 13.56 MHz, the SAR values, within the cell layer and the 270-μL volume of medium, are 1.9e3 and 3.5 W/kg/incident mW, respectively.