Semi-analytical Modeling of Single Loop Inductive RF Sensors Used to Sense and Locate Inclusions in Dielectric Media

The electromagnetic characterization of dielectric media is a major issue in many industrial fields. Non-contact radiofrequency (RF) inductive techniques are well suited for the non-invasive evaluation and monitoring of dielectric media. In this paper, we investigated the relevance of a semi-analytical modeling technique, so-called distributed point source method (DPSM) to model the interactions of a RF single loop antenna with a dielectric medium containing a dielectric inclusion. The resistance of the antenna, which is related to the conductivity of the investigated media, can be estimated using DPSM. A series of experiments were carried out to validate the computed results. Furthermore, a simple system constituted of two RF single loop antennas is considered to locate the position of an inclusion. The DPSM was used to study the ability of such a system to locate the inclusion.