| The scope of this thesis is two-fold. (1) To optimize the waveguide exposure system incorporating a cell perfusion apparatus (CPA) so as to provide maximum homogeneity of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) and specific absorption rate (SAR) in the region containing the biological cells. (2) To provide a detailed characterization of the EMF and SAR at the location of the cells. These two goals were achieved via numerical FDTD modeling. Macroscopic modeling was performed where the minimum Yee cell size used in the FDTD model was a fraction of a millimeter, representing accurately the waveguide and CPA physical structures. Preliminary microscopic modeling was also accomplished where the minimum Yee cell size was on the order of 0.1 mum, making it possible to take into account the basic morphological features of bovine adrenal medullar chromaffin cells used in the RF/MW exposure experiments. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
