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US 8,710,360 B2Granted
Leaky wave mode solar receiver
AssigneeAMI Research & Development, LLC
InventorsJohn T. Apostolos, Judy Feng, William Mouyos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A leaky travelling wave array of optical elements provide a solar wavelength rectenna.
Claims19
A solar energy apparatus comprising:
- a carrier;
- a waveguide, disposed on the carrier, the waveguide having a top surface, a bottom surface, a collection end, and a detection end;
- one or more scattering features disposed on the top surface of or within the waveguide, the scattering features extending from the collection end to the detection end, and operating with the waveguide in a leaky propagation mode to receive energy within a solar wavelength region;
- wherein the scattering features further comprise one or more metallic structures located on or within the waveguide;
- wherein the width of a selected scattering feature decreases monotonically with respective position of the selected scattering feature from the collection end to the detection end;
- and
- a solar detector, disposed adjacent the detection end.
4 more elements
A solar energy apparatus comprising:
- a carrier;
- a waveguide, disposed on the carrier, the waveguide having a top surface, a bottom surface, a collection end, and a detection end;
- one or more scattering features disposed on the top surface of or within the waveguide, the scattering features extending from the collection end to the detection end, and operating with the waveguide in a leaky propagation mode to receive energy within a solar wavelength region;
- wherein the scattering features further comprise one or more metallic structures located on or within the waveguide;
- wherein the scattering features are spaced apart from one another, with the spacing increasing monotonically with respective position along the waveguide from the collection end to the detection end, and the spacing between any two adjacent scattering features is not greater than ½ a wavelength of a lowest detection wavelength;
- a solar detector, disposed adjacent the detection end.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.