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DIRECTED
ENERGY
PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETY
Abstract: 24-Systems-225
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UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE
Elimination of pathogens using optimized high-power electromagnetic waveforms
Conventional means of virus inactivation are predominantly chemical agents, but such means are highly toxic, preventing their applicability to many surfaces. Recent research suggests that High Power Electromagnetic (HPEM) radiation may provide an alternative means of virus inactivation. HPEM waveforms were reported to induce electro-mechanical resonances that lead to pathogen destruction and/or inactivation. However, the inactivation percentage has varied significantly from one study to another. To resolve some of these inconsistencies, we performed pathogen microwave spectroscopy by measuring the S-parameters from high-concentration samples of viruses and bacteria. The scattering parameters were then processed to calculate the normalized microwave absorption of the pathogens to determine the absorption resonance frequencies of pathogens, particularly tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and norovirus (NV) samples. This step is important to identify the optimum frequencies instead of performing unguided HPEM testing over a wide range of frequencies. To illuminate the virus sample with the HPEM waveforms, we designed and fabricated a coplanar waveguide stripline (CPW) applicator capable of delivering high electric fields in close proximity of the applicator. At the conference, a comparison between the resonance frequencies of different pathogens and the HPEM frequencies that cause maximum inactivation will be presented and the pros and cons of the technique will be highlighted.
UNCLASSIFIED, PUBLIC RELEASE
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