EBG Antenna for GPR Colocated With a Metal Detector for Landmine Detection

Electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) antennas are ideal for handheld sensing applications, such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for landmine detection, because of their small size, efficiency, and directivity. Increased detection performance has been shown when a GPR is combined with a metal detector, but a typical EBG antenna would preclude the sensors from being colocated because of the large amount of metal in the EBG structure. An EBG composed of very thin metal is proposed in this letter for application as a GPR colocated with a metal detector, without causing a significant self-response in the metal detector. Manufacturing methods are discussed, and GPR measurements are shown from the thin-metal EBG antennas. The metal detector response from a thin metal sheet is discussed, and measurements of the EBG ground planes are shown using a laboratory wideband electromagnetic induction system. The response from the thin metal is shown to be as low as three orders of magnitude less than from a copper sheet at typical metal detector frequencies.