Design, Optimization, and Fabrication of an Advanced Infrared Energy Harvesting System

世界人口不断增长，对能源的需求不断增加，化石燃料储备日益枯竭，这表明迫切需要寻找可替代的可再生能源。太阳是一种丰富的清洁能源，其辐射光谱由紫外线、可见光和红外（IR）区域组成。这个项目是关于收集太阳的红外能量并将其转化为可用的能量。该提案将通过雄心勃勃的纳米天线阵列设计，使用纳米科学材料和包装，提供世界级的纳米系统。该系统的智能在于，它可以通过所开发的算法来感知环境和跟踪红外源，从而优化其性能。该项目资助将为这项长期研究工作奠定基础。***本研究项目的短期目标主要分为三个方面：一是纳米天线的建模与设计。麦克斯韦的微分方程将被更新，以包括色散介电常数和磁导率。对分散材料的伴随灵敏度将被实现。有了这些，无论有多少感兴趣的参数，宽带灵敏度都可以用最小的模拟开销进行调查。第二个流程，使用开发的建模工具，使用它们来研究不同的传统（偶极子、领结和贴片天线）和非传统天线结构（分形和多馈源天线），以及测试不同的封装材料。开发的纳米阵列将在麦克马斯特微纳米系统实验室（MNSL）制造，该实验室是由加拿大创新基金会（CFI）资助的价值2225万美元的最先进设施。不同的制造工艺将被检查。这是为了寻找最优的公差和批量生产的成本。***第三流包括研究纳米系统的元素一起检查跟踪算法，以优化收获能力。系统性能将通过诸如电场的反射和传输光谱、天线的电磁辐射方向图和纳米天线的功率谱等指标进行测量，其中模型的输出以发射率与波长为单位。***该项目的成果将使加拿大受益，为能源收集提供急需的技术。这将对加拿大经济的战略信息技术部门产生重大影响。积极的学生参与和培训是申请人项目的核心。申请人与工业界关系密切。这笔赠款将用于培训HQP，为他们提供职业发展机会。申请人坚信这项研究计划将带来知识产权、知识和潜在的商业应用。

The increasing energy demands of a growing world population and depleting fossil fuel reserves indicate the urgent need of seeking alternative renewable energy resources. The sun is an abundant source of clean energy whose radiation spectrum consists of ultra-voilet, visible and infrared (IR) regions. This program is about harvesting the Sun's IR energy and transforming it into usable power. The proposal will deliver world class nano-systems through ambitious nano-antenna array design built using nano-science materials and packaging. The proposed system is smart in that it can optimize its performance by sensing the environment and tracking the IR sources via the developed algorithms. The program grant will provide the opportunity to build the foundation for this long-term research effort. ***The short-term goals of this research program fall into three main streams: First, modeling and design of nano-antennas. Maxwell's differential equations will be updated to include dispersive permittivity and permeability. Adjoint sensitivities for dispersive materials will be implemented. With these, broadband sensitivities will be available to the investigation with minimal simulation overhead regardless of the number of parameters of interest. The second stream, use the developed modeling tools using them in investigating different conventional (dipoles, bow-tie, and patch antennas) and non-conventional antenna structures (fractal and multi-feed antennas) as well as testing different materials for their packaging. The developed nano-arrays will be fabricated at the McMaster Micro- Nano-Systems Laboratory (MNSL), a $22.25M state-of-the-art facility funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Different fabrication processes will be examined. This is to search for optimized tolerance and cost for mass production. ***The third stream includes investigating the elements of the nano-system together to examine tracking algorithms for optimized harvesting capabilities. The systems performance will be measured in metrics such as the reflection and transmissions spectra of the electric field, the antenna EM radiation pattern(s), and power spectra of the nano-antenna where the output of the model is in units of emissivity vs. wavelength. ***The outcomes of this project will benefit Canada in providing much needed technology for energy harvesting. This will have a significant impact on the strategic information technology sector of the Canadian economy. Active student involvement and training are central to the applicant's program. The applicant has strong ties to industry. This grant will enable the training of HQP offering them advancements in career opportunities. The applicant strongly believes that this research proposal will bring intellectual property, knowledge, and potential commercial deployment.