Study of SAR Reduction with Split Ring Resonators

Jiunn-Nan Hwang* and Fu-Chiarng Chen

Department of Communication Engineering
National Chiao Tung University
1001 Tahsueh Rd., Hsinchu 300 Taiwan
TEL: +886-3-571-2121 ext. 54562, Fax: +886-3-571-0116,
E-mail: emig[na.cm91g nctu.edu.tw* fchen@mail.nctu.edu.tw
Abstract
In this paper, we use the split ring resonators (SRRs) to reduce the EM
interaction between a dipole antenna and a muscle cube. With properly choosing
the geometry parameters of SRRs, the permeability can be negative at 900MHz
and 1.8GHz. It is found that the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the muscle cube
can be reduced by placing the designed SRRs between the dipole antenna and the
muscle cube. The performances of the antenna with SRRs are also studied.
Numerical results are demonstrated to validate the effect of SAR reduction.

I. Introduction
The penetration rate of the cellular phones has been growing rapidly in the
global communities. The influence of EM waves from cellular phones has been
widely discussed recently. The specific absorbing rate (SAR) is a defined
parameter for evaluating power deposition in human tissue. For the cellular phone
compliance, the SAR must be below the limits recommended by international
safety guidelines [1,2]. Some results have implied that the peak 1 g averaged SAR
value (SAR1I) may exceed the safety limits when a portable telephone is placed
extremely closed to the head [3]. Therefore, many researchers are working on
reducing the SAR distribution in human head [4].
Recently, metamaterials have inspired great interests in their unique physical
properties and novel application. Two important parameters, electric permittivity
and magnetic permeability determine the response of the materials to the
electromagnetic propagation. A negative permittivity can be obtained by
arranging the thin metallic wires periodically [5]. On the other hand, an array of
split ring resonators (SRRs) can exhibit negative effective permeability [6].
When one of the effective medium parameters is negative and the other is positive,
the medium will display a stop band.
In this paper, the SRRs are used to reduce the EM interaction between a
dipole antenna and a muscle cube. With properly choosing geometry parameters
of SRRs, the permeability can be negative at 900MIHz and 1.8GHz, respectively.
The SAR distribution in a muscle tissue with the presence of SRRs is studied. To
investigate the influence of SRRs to the antenna, the radiated power and radiation
impedance of the antenna are also analyzed. Numerical results are demonstrated
to validate the effect of SAR reduction.

0-7803-8883-6/05/$20.00 2005 IEEE

780

II. SRR geometry and simulation

The metamaterials with negative permeability medium can be obtained by

arranging split ring resonators (SRRs) periodically. The SRRs considered here
consisted of two concentric square rings, each with gaps appearing on the
opposite sides. Fig. 1 shows the details of SRRs. The resonant frequency ois very
sensitive to small changes in the structure parameters of SRR. The frequency
response can be scaled to higher or lower frequency depends on properly
choosing these geometry parameters [6]

31co'3
62 2c2=

xln d-r
d

(1)

Numerical simulations could predict the transmission properties depend on

various structure parameters of this system. Simulations of this complex structure
are performed with FDTD method. To construct the SRRs for SAR reduction, the
SRRs lie in the xz plane are considered, as shown in Fig. 2. The EM wave
propagates along they direction. The electric field polarization is kept along the z
axis, and magnetic field polarization is kept along x axis. Periodic boundary
conditions are used to reduce the computational domain and absorbing boundary
condition is used at the propagation regions. The total-field/scatter-field
formulation is used to inject plane wave at the left side.
The stop bands of SRRs are designed to be 900MHz and 1.8GHz. To obtain a
stop band at 900MHz, the parameters of SRR are chosen as c=1.8mm, d=0.6mm,
g=0.6mm, and r=17.7mm. The periodicity along x, y, z, axes are L,=63mm, Ly=
1.5mm, and Lz =63mm, respectively. On the other hand, to obtain a stop band at
1.8GHz, the parameters of SRR are chosen as c=1.8mm, d=0.6mm, g-0.6mm,
and r=12.9mm. The periodicity along x, y, z, axes are L,=50mm, Ly= 1.5mm, and
Lz =50mm, respectively. Both the thickness and dielectric constant of the circuit
boards for 900MHz and 1.8GHz are 0.508mm and 3.38, respectively. Fig. 3
shows the modeled transmission coefficient. After properly choosing geometry
parameters, the SRRs medium can display a stop band around 900MHz and
1.8GHz, respectively.
III. SAR calculation in a muscle cube

The SAR distribution with the designed SRRs is studied. Since a 3-D model
of the whole head with the presence of SRRs structure requires a great amount of
memory, a simplified muscle cube is used to validate the effect of SAR reduction.
Fig. 4 shows the muscle cube used in SAR simulation. It is formed by muscle
tissue with e = 51.8, a= 1.11 , and p= 1040 for 900MHz and e = 49.4,
o= 1.53, and p= 1040 for 1.8GHz. A AJ2 dipole antenna is placed near the
muscle tissue. The distance between the antenna and the muscle cube is 25mm.
The radiated power from the antenna is assumed to be 0.6W for 900MHz and
0.125W for 1.8GHz, respectively. The designed SRRs are placed between the
antenna and the muscle cube. The medium with parameters NX = 1, Ny = 10, and

781

N, =1 unit elements along each direction are used. The sizes of the muscle cube

are chosen to be the length of the A/2 dipole antenna.

To investigate the SAR distribution and antenna performance with SRRs, the
power radiated from the antenna, the radiation impedance of the antenna, and the
peak 1 g averaged SAR values (SARIg) are analyzed. The free space radiation
impedance of the antenna, in the absence of the SRRs and the muscle cube, is ZRO.
As in [7], to evaluate the power radiated from the antenna, the source impedance
(Zs) has been assumed equal to the complex conjugate of the free space radiation
impedance (ZS=ZRo*). The source voltage (Vs) is chosen to obtain a radiated
power PR in free space (Vs = P 8 RRO ). When analyzing the influence of the
metamaterials to the radiated power from the antenna, the source impedance and
the source voltage are considered fixed at the Zs and Vs values. The power
radiated from the antenna is evaluated by computing the radiation impedance in
this situation (ZR--RR+jXR) and using the following equations
IlV2 ZRRR+ZS2
2
PR =2
(2)

The peak SARig and performance of the antenna are studied. The results are
given in TABLE I and compared with the results without SRRs placed between
the antenna and the muscle cube. In the condition without SRRs, the peak SARig
is 8.85 at 900MHz and 0.97 at 1.8GHz, respectively.
The free space radiation impedance is 81.94+j38.83 Q at 900M4Hz. The source
impedance is set to be 81.94-j38.83 Q and the amplitude of source voltage 19.83V
has been assumed to obtain a radiated power 600mW in free space. The radiation
impedance ZR changes to 40.77+j49.04 Q with the presence of SRRs. From (2),
the radiated power from the antenna with SRRs changes to 528.8mW. The peak
SARIg becomes 5.59 W/kg, a reduction of 36.8% with respect to the condition
without SRRs. The antenna operated at 1.8GHz is considered. The free space
radiation impedance is 87.3 1+j54.83 Q. The source impedance is set to be 87.31j54.83 Q and the amplitude of source voltage 9.34V has been assumed to obtain a
radiated power 125mW in free space. The radiated power with SRRs changes to
119.2mW and the peak SARIg is equal to 0.54, a reduction of 44.3% with respect
to the condition without SRRs. The radiated power is less affected while the peak
SARig is reduced more significantly. As a consequence, the designed SRRs can be
used to reduce the EM interaction between the antenna and the muscle cube.
IV. Conclusion
In this paper, we construct metamaterials from periodical arrangement of split
ring resonators (SRRs). With properly choosing geometry parameters of SRRs,
the stop band can be shifted around GSM 900MHz and 1.8GHz of the cellular
phone. The SAR distribution in a simplified muscle tissue with the presence of
SRRs is studied and a significant reduction can be obtained. Numerical results can
provide useful information in designing communication equipments for safety
compliance.
V. References:

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[I] IEEE C95.1-1991, "IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to
Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, 3kHz to 300GHz," Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, Inc. New York, 1992.Guidelines.
[2] Intemational Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee of the Intemational Radiation Protection
Association, "Guidelines on limits of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in the
frequency range from OOKHz to 300GHz," Health Physics, vol. 54: 1, pp. 115-123, 1988.
[3] J. Wang and 0. Fujiwara, "FDTD computation of temperature rise in the human head for
vol. 47, no. 8, pp. 1528portable telephones," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech.,
1534, Aug. 1999.
[4] J. Wang and 0. Fujiwara, "Reduction of electromagnetic absorption in the human head for
portable telephones by a ferrite sheet attachment," IEICE Trans. Communicat., vol. E80B,
no.12, pp.1810-1815, 1997.
[5] M. M. Sigalas, C. T. Chan, K. M. Ho, and C. M. Soukoulis, "Metalic photonic band gap
materials," Phys. Rev. B, vol. 52, no. 11744, Oct. 1995.
[6] J. B. Pendry, A. J. Holen, D. J. Robbins, and W. J. Stewart, "Magnetism from conductors and
enhanced nonlinear phenomena," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 47, pp. 20752084, Nov. 1999.
[7] P. Bemardi, M. Cavagnaro, and S. Pisa, "Evaluation of the SAR distribution in the human
head for cellular phones used in a partially closed environment," IEEE Trans. Electromagn.
Compat., vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 357-366, Aug. 1996.

Fig. I Diagrani of spit

Fig. 2. Top viem of a plane wave incident on periodic

IC,reoatr (SRRs)

SRRs.

....

.....

Fig. 3. Modeled trnssmission coefficient of the desgned

SRRs.

Fig. 4. Stoume used in SAne calcination

TABLE 1.
EFFECTS OF SRRts ON THE ANTENNA PERFORMANCE AND SAR REDUCTION
No SRR

SRRs

No SRR

ZR

49.48+j48.81

40.77j49.04

Pr

60mW
5.55

528.1mW

63.30+j`83.26
t25mW

5.59

0.97

SAR,,

783

SRRs

83.127+j9l.88
1 19.2mW
0.54