Textile Antenna Sensor in SIW Technology for Liquid Characterization

This study showcases the creation of an innovative textile antenna sensor that utilizes a resonant cavity for the purpose of liquid characterization. The cavity is based on circular substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. A hole is created in the middle of the structure where a pipe is used to inject the liquid under test. The pipe is covered by a metal sheath to enhance the electromagnetic field’s penetration of the tube, thus increasing the device’s sensitivity. The resonance frequency of the proposed system is altered when the liquid under test is inserted into the sensitive area of the structure. The sensing of the liquid is achieved by the measurement of its dielectric properties via the perturbation of the electric fields in the SIW configuration. The S(11) measurement enables the extraction of the electromagnetic properties of the liquid injected into the pipe. Specifically, the dielectric constant of the liquid is determined by observing the resonance frequency shift relative to that of an air-filled pipe. The loss tangent of the liquid is extracted by comparing the variation in the quality factor with that of an air-filled pipe after eliminating the inherent losses of the structure. The proposed SIW antenna sensor demonstrates a high sensitivity of 0.7 GHz/Δε(r) corresponding to a dielectric constant range from 4 to 72. To the best of our knowledge, this article presents for the first time the ability of a fully textile SIW cavity antenna-based sensor to characterize the dielectric properties of a liquid under test and emphasizes its differentiating features compared to PCB-based designs. The unique attributes of the textile-based antenna stem from its flexibility, conformability, and compatibility with various liquids.