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

该提案的主要目标是开发一种在两个重要频段（微波频谱和红外频谱）提供电磁能量收集的技术。在微波频谱中，提出的电磁能量采集器将基于具有成本效益的印刷电路板技术。该技术将实现远场无线电力传输，这是无线通信的自然结果。与近场能量传输形成鲜明对比的是，该技术将实现电子设备的远程充电，从而在广泛的应用中显著提高移动性。考虑到土地对能源的重要性，该提案的关键要素集中在使用先进的超表面概念来提高收获效率。这将有助于减少面板收集器所需的空间。此外，该技术将能够有效和高效地利用来自外层空间的无限能源供应，如基于卫星的无线电力传输；这种模式正越来越多地被主要工业国家所追求。

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.