Development of a Terahertz Metamaterial Micro-Biosensor for Ultrasensitive Multispectral Detection of Early Stage Cervical Cancer

This research introduces an innovative design for a metamaterial (MTM)-based compact multiband biosensor aimed at early stage cervical cancer detection. The device operates within the terahertz (THz) frequency range, specifically from 0 to 6 THz. The proposed sensor architecture features an MTM layer composed of a patterned aluminum structure deposited on a polyimide substrate. The primary design objective is to optimize the geometry parameters to achieve near-perfect absorption of electromagnetic (EM) waves across the entire operating bandwidth. The design process utilizes full-wave EM simulation tools. This article details all intermediate steps in the sensor’s topology development, guided by an investigation of the absorption characteristics of successive architectural variations. It also analyzes the effects of the substrate and resonator material. The suitability of the proposed sensor for early stage cancer diagnosis is demonstrated using a microwave imaging (MWI) system that incorporates the device. Extensive simulation studies confirm the sensor’s capability to distinguish between healthy and cancerous cervical tissue. For further validation, comprehensive benchmarking is conducted against numerous state-of-the-art sensor designs reported in recent literature. These comparative studies indicate that the proposed sensor offers superior performance in terms of absorbance levels and the width of the operating bandwidth, both of which enhance the sensitivity of cancer detection.