Reduction of the mutual coupling between implanted microstrip antennas on a cylindrical biocompatible metallic ground plane

The effect of mutual coupling between two antennas within a human body model is studied. The multilayer model includes highly lossy materials in which biocompatible metal implant is inserted, that in the present study serves as a ground plane of the conformal radiators. The effect of the mutual coupling between two antennas sharing the same ground plane is numerically studied and quantified. For its reduction a grounded microstrip line configuration is proposed, that can be easily inserted in the considered geometry. Its presence increases the directivity of the 2-element conformal array and reduces the level of the sidelobes.