Apparatus and Method for Generating Propulsion Forces

A method for propelling a vehicle (100) comprising a propulsion arrangement, wherein the method includes:

• (i) arranging for the propulsion arrangement to include a chamber arrangement;
• (ii) configuring the chamber arrangement to store antimatter therein by using magnetic and/or electrostatic fields;
• and
• (iii) arranging for the chamber arrangement and a centre of gravity of the vehicle to be positioned at a relative distance from each other to form a matter-antimatter dipole when in operation, wherein the matter-antimatter dipole provides a propulsion force to the vehicle,
• wherein the chamber arrangement includes an apparatus (1100) for generating a propulsion force, wherein the apparatus (1100) includes:
• a laser arrangement (1110) for generating photons;
• an optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) including an optical region for spatially separating at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons;
• a coupling arrangement for coupling the positrons and electrons into respective corresponding coils of optical fibre (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) and the coils (1410A, 1410B) preserve a coherence of photons as they propagate in use around the coils (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the coils (1410A;
• 1410B) are disposed to be spatially mutually spaced apart or only partially spatially overlapping, for the electrons and positrons to generate a matter-antimatter dipole for generating the propulsion force;
• and
• wherein the optical region of the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) is configured to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.

An apparatus (1100) for generating a propulsion force, wherein the apparatus (1100) includes:

• a laser arrangement (1110) for generating photons;
• an optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) including an optical region for spatially separating at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons;
• a coupling arrangement for coupling the positrons and electrons into respective corresponding coils of optical fibre (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) and the coils (1410A, 1410B) preserve a coherence of photons as they propagate in use around the coils (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the coils (1410A;
• 1410B) are disposed to be spatially mutually spaced apart or only partially spatially overlapping, for the electrons and positrons to generate a matter-antimatter dipole for generating the propulsion force;
• and
• wherein the optical region of the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) is configured to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.

A method (1700) for operating an apparatus (1100) for generating a propulsion force, wherein the method (1700) includes:

• configuring a laser arrangement (1110) of the apparatus (1100) to generate photons;
• configuring an optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) of the apparatus (1100) to include an optical region to spatially separate at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons;
• configuring a coupling arrangement of the apparatus (1100) to couple the at least a portion of positrons and electrons into respective corresponding coils of optical fibre (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the method (1700) further includes:
• configuring the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) and the coils (1410A, 1410B) to preserve a coherence of the photons as they propagate in use around the coils (1410A, 1410B);
• configuring the coils (1410A;
• 1410B) to be disposed to be spatially mutually spaced apart or only partially spatially overlapping, for the electrons and positrons to generate a matter-antimatter dipole for generating the propulsion force;
• and
• configuring the optical region of the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.

A software product stored on a machine-readable data carrier, wherein the software product is executable on computing hardware (1750) and is configured to:

• configuring a laser arrangement (1110) of the apparatus (1100) to generate photons;
• configuring an optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) of the apparatus (1100) to include an optical region to spatially separate at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons;
• configuring a coupling arrangement of the apparatus (1100) to couple the at least a portion of positrons and electrons into respective corresponding coils of optical fibre (1410A, 1410B);
• wherein the method (1700) further includes:
• configuring the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) and the coils (1410A, 1410B) to preserve a coherence of the photons as they propagate in use around the coils (1410A, 1410B);
• configuring the coils (1410A;
• 1410B) to be disposed to be spatially mutually spaced apart or only partially spatially overlapping, for the electrons and positrons to generate a matter-antimatter dipole for generating the propulsion force;
• and
• configuring the optical region of the optical device (1120;
• 1200, 1210A, 1210B) to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.

An energy converter (1110, 1120, 1200) for generating an output signal, wherein the energy converter includes:

• a laser arrangement (1110) for generating photons;
• an optical device (1200) including an optical region for spatially separating at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons, to generate matter-antimatter dipoles in the optical region;
• an energy collection arrangement (1270, 1320) for coupling to the matter-antimatter dipoles to generate the output signal,
• wherein the optical region of the optical device is configured to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.

A method of using an energy converter (1110, 1120, 1200) for generating an output signal, wherein the method includes:

• using a laser arrangement (1110) of the energy converter for generating photons;
• using an optical device (1200) of the energy converter, wherein the optical device (1200) includes an optical region, for spatially separating at least a portion of the photons into corresponding electrons and positrons, to generate matter-antimatter dipoles in the optical region;
• using an energy collection arrangement (1270, 1320) of the energy converter for coupling to the matter-antimatter dipoles to generate the output signal,
• wherein the optical region of the optical device (1200) is configured to exhibit in use a non-linear optical effect for spatially separating the at least a portion of the photons into the corresponding electrons and positrons.