Wireless energy transfer
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsAristeidis Karalis, Andre B Kurs, Robert Moffatt, John D. Joannopoulos, Peter H. Fisher, Marin Soljacic
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Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus for use in wireless energy transfer, which includes a first resonator structure configured to transfer energy non-radiatively with a second resonator structure over a distance greater than a characteristic size of the second resonator structure. The non-radiative energy transfer is mediated by a coupling of a resonant field evanescent tail of the first resonator structure and a resonant field evanescent tail of the second resonator structure.
Claims39
A system, comprising:
- a source resonator optionally coupled to an energy source;
- a second resonator located a distance from the source resonator;
- and
- a third resonator located a distance from the source resonator and the second resonator;
- wherein the source resonator, the second resonator, and the third resonator are coupled to provide non-radiative wireless energy transfer among the resonators and wherein the second resonator is configured to receive energy from the source resonator and to transfer energy to the third resonator,
- wherein each resonator is an electromagnetic resonator having an angular resonant frequency ω, an intrinsic loss rate Γ, and a Q-factor Q=ω/(2Γ), and wherein the Q-factor for at least one of the resonators is greater than 100.
A system for use in wireless energy transfer, the system comprising:
- a first electromagnetic resonator having an angular resonant frequency ω1, an intrinsic loss rate Γ1, and a first Q-factor Q1=ω/(2Γ);
- a second electromagnetic resonator having an angular resonant frequency ω1, an intrinsic loss rate Γ2, and a first Q-factor Q2=ω/(2Γ);
- and
- one or more additional electromagnetic resonators,
- wherein the electromagnetic resonators are coupled to provide non-radiative wireless energy transfer among the resonators, and wherein at least one of Q1 and Q2 is greater than 100.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.