Electromagnetic Wireless Power Transfer and Harvesting in the Microwaves and Infrared Frequency Regimes

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

***The proposal primary goal is to develop a technology that provides electromagnetic (EM) energy harvesting in two important frequency bands: The microwaves spectrum and the infrared spectrum. In the microwaves spectrum, the proposed EM energy harvesters will be based on cost-effective printed circuit board technology. The technology will enable far-field wireless power transfer which is a natural consequence to wireless communications. In stark contrast to near-field energy transfer, the technology proposed will enable remote charging of electronic devices which would enhances mobility significantly in a wide range of applications. Considering the importance of land to energy in general, key elements of the proposal focus on increasing the harvesting efficiency using advanced metasurface concepts. This will help reduce the real-estate needed for panel collectors. Additionally, the technology will enable effective and efficient tapping of the unlimited supply of energy from outer space as in satellite-based wireless power transfer; a modality that is being increasingly pursued by leading industrial nations. ***In the THz regime, nano-fabrication will be used to develop nano-scale electromagnetic energy collectors. This technology will enable charging ubiquitous personal wireless devices from the human body's thermal radiation leading to reduced dependence on the power grid and enhanced mobility. Harvesting infrared energy from the atmosphere provides an alternative to efficiency-limited photo-voltaic based solar panels. Such technology has advantage over photo-voltaic panels in countries with least amount of sunlight since infrared energy is available throughout the day. ***For modern technologically advanced societies, where technology has become the solution to a host of problems, energy has become not only critical for growth but more importantly, critical for survival. The cleanliness of renewable energy should not be the primary driving force behind the interest in these new clean energy alternatives. Our survival and adaptation techniques have, for better or worse, become highly technology dependent. Thus not only clean but more energy sources would be needed. This application provides an important step towards minimizing depends on fossil fuels and achieving a cleaner environment. Specific to Canada, the proposal is expected to generate knowledge and intellectual property that gives Canadian researchers and companies a significant lead in a very important technology.