Ultra-wide band TEM horn antenna for microwave imaging of the breast

A novel TEM horn antenna enclosed in a dielectric medium is proposed for microwave imaging of the breast. The outer surface of the dielectric enclosure is covered partially by copper sheets and a microwave absorbing sheet in order to electromagnetically isolate the antenna from surrounding interferences and to couple most of the microwave energy to the tissue. The results show that the antenna operates well in the whole UWB frequency band without the need for a coupling medium.