DEVICES FOR HARVESTING ENERGY FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION

• US 20110277805A1
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Kotter, Dale K., Pinhero, Patrick J., Novack, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,283,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/243
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for harvesting energy from electromagnetic radiation are provided including harvesting energy from electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, a device includes a substrate and one or more resonance elements disposed in or on the substrate. The resonance elements are configured to have a resonant frequency, for example, in at least one of the infrared, near-infrared and visible light spectra. A layer of conductive material may be disposed over a portion of the substrate to form a ground plane. An optical resonance gap or stand-off layer may be formed between the resonance elements and the ground plane. The optical resonance gap extends a distance between the resonance elements and the layer of conductive material approximately one-quarter wavelength of a wavelength of the at least one resonance element'"'"'s resonant frequency. At least one energy transfer element may be associated with the at least one resonance element.

Claims

1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:

at least a first resonance element being sized and configured to have a resonant frequency between 20 THz and approximately 1,000 THz;

at least a second resonance element being sized and configured to have a resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency of the at least a first resonance element.

2. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, further comprising at least one energy transfer element associated with at least one of the at least a first resonance element and the at least a second resonance element.

3. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the at least a first resonance element and the at least a second resonance element each comprise a plurality of resonance elements arranged in a pattern having a density range of from approximately fifty billion per square meter to approximately one hundred ten billion per square meter.

4. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the at least a first resonance element is oriented for exposure to a different source of radiation than the at least a second resonance element.

5. The energy harvesting device of claim 1, wherein the at least a first resonance element and the at least a second resonance element are each located on a ground plane.

6. The energy harvesting device of claim 5, further comprising:

a first optical resonance gap between the ground plane and the at least a first resonance element; and

a second optical resonance gap between the ground plane and the at least a second resonance element.

7. The energy harvesting device of claim 6, wherein the at least a first resonance element comprises a plurality of resonance elements arranged in a first array and wherein the at least a second resonance element comprises a plurality of resonance elements arranged in a second array.

8. The energy harvesting device of claim 6, wherein the first optical resonance gap extends a distance between the ground plane and the at least a first resonance element approximately one-quarter wavelength of a wavelength of the at least a first resonance element'"'"'s resonant frequency.

9. The energy harvesting device of claim 8, wherein the second optical resonance gap extends a distance between the ground plane and the at least a second resonance element approximately one-quarter wavelength of a wavelength of the at least a second resonance element'"'"'s resonant frequency.

10. The energy harvesting device of claim 5, wherein the at least a first resonance element is spaced from the ground plane a first distance to define a first optical resonance gap and the at least a second resonance element is spaced from the ground plane a second distance to define a second optical resonance gap different than the first optical resonance gap.

11. The energy harvesting device of claim 5, wherein the at least a first resonance element and the at least a second resonance element are positioned on a single surface of the ground plane.

12. The energy harvesting device of claim 5, wherein the at least a first resonance element and the at least a second resonance element are positioned on opposing sides of the ground plane.