Analysis of the electromagnetic field in a controlled enclosure for biological dosimetry - Part 1. Design and validation of the numerical model

A numerical and experimental study of the electromagnetic field (EMF) is presented in the paper. It is focused on the investigation of the electric field quality inside a transversal electromagnetic cell (TEM cell), used as a controlled enclosure for biological dosimetry assessment. Inside the cell,the target sample is exposed to EMF in the range of radiofrequency (RF) or microwaves (MW), in conditions that are currently assumed to simulate free-space exposure. The identification and control of some proper exposure conditions are primarily required for the design of the dosimetric experiment. COMSOL Multiphysics is the numerical tool used for finite element (FEM) modeling of the EMF inside the TEM cell. Part I presents the design of the numerical model and its validation, both by experimental and theoretical methods. Some characteristics of the TEM cell are also determined, with the main goal of assessing the uniformity of the electric field in the region where the biological sample is exposed to microwaves. Part 2 directs the FEM analysis of the model to the evaluation of some dosimetric quantities relative to the exposed biological material and analyses the stability of the exposure conditions at small variations of the EMF frequency.