Human skin as arrays of helical antennas in the millimeter and submillimeter wave range

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Mar 28;100(12):128102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.128102. Epub 2008 Mar 27.

Abstract

Recent studies of the minute morphology of the skin by optical coherence tomography showed that the sweat ducts in human skin are helically shaped tubes, filled with a conductive aqueous solution. A computer simulation study of these structures in millimeter and submillimeter wave bands show that the human skin functions as an array of low-Q helical antennas. Experimental evidence is presented that the spectral response in the sub-Terahertz region is governed by the level of activity of the perspiration system. It is also correlated to physiological stress as manifested by the pulse rate and the systolic blood pressure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Models, Anatomic*
  • Skin / anatomy & histology*
  • Skin / blood supply
  • Skin Physiological Phenomena*
  • Sweat Glands / anatomy & histology
  • Sweat Glands / physiology