Animal Skin Attenuation in the Millimeter Wave Spectrum

We quantify the transmission and absorption of 75–110 GHz radiation through ex vivo porcine skin. Millimeter waves are currently used in a range of technologies, including communication systems, fog-penetrating radar, and the detection of hidden weapons or drugs. They have also been proposed for use in non-lethal weaponry and, more recently, in targeted cancer therapies. Since pigs are often used as biological models for humans, determining how deeply millimeter waves penetrate a pig’s skin and influence the underlying tissues is essential for understanding their potential effects on humans. This experimental study aims to quantify that penetration and associated energy loss. The results show significant absorption in the skin and fat layer. Attenuation of over three orders of magnitude can be expected in penetration through a layer with a thickness of about 12 mm (−30 dB). The reflectance from the skin is similar at all frequencies. The values range from −10 to −20 dB, which probably depends on the texture of the skin. Therefore, most skin transfer loss is caused by absorption.