Energy harvesting devices, systems, and related methods
First Claim
1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
- a substrate;
a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material coupled with the substrate, wherein;
each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to collect radiant energy in at least visible and infrared light spectra;
each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to reradiate energy having a wavelength within the range of about 0.8 μ
m to about 0.9 μ
m; and
the plurality of resonance elements is arranged in groups of two or more resonance elements; and
a photovoltaic material embedded in the substrate only at feed gaps of the groups of two or more resonance elements and operably coupled to the plurality of resonance elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Energy harvesting devices include a substrate and a plurality of resonance elements coupled to the substrate. Each resonance element is configured to collect energy in the visible and infrared light spectra and to reradiate energy having a wavelength in the range of about 0.8 μm to about 0.9 μm. The resonance elements are arranged in groups of two or more resonance elements. Systems for harvesting electromagnetic radiation include a substrate, a plurality of resonance elements including a conductive material carried by the substrate, and a photovoltaic material coupled to the substrate and to at least one resonance element. The resonance elements are arranged in groups, such as in a dipole, a tripole, or a bowtie configuration. Methods for forming an energy harvesting device include forming groups of two or more discrete resonance elements in a substrate and coupling a photovoltaic material to the groups of discrete resonance elements.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material coupled with the substrate, wherein; each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to collect radiant energy in at least visible and infrared light spectra; each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to reradiate energy having a wavelength within the range of about 0.8 μ
m to about 0.9 μ
m; andthe plurality of resonance elements is arranged in groups of two or more resonance elements; and a photovoltaic material embedded in the substrate only at feed gaps of the groups of two or more resonance elements and operably coupled to the plurality of resonance elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19)
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8. A system for harvesting electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one of a dielectric material and a semiconductor material; a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material carried by the substrate, the plurality of resonance elements arranged in groups having at least one of a dipole, a tripole, and a bowtie configuration; and a photovoltaic material embedded in the substrate only at feed gaps of the groups of the resonance elements and capacitively coupled to at least one resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements, wherein each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to absorb incident electromagnetic radiation and reradiate at least some of the absorbed electromagnetic radiation at a bandgap energy of the photovoltaic material. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for forming an energy harvesting device, the method comprising:
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forming groups of two or more discrete resonance elements comprising a conductive material in a substrate such that each group of two or more discrete resonance elements is configured to; collect electromagnetic radiation having a frequency between approximately 0.1 THz and approximately 1,000 THz, wherein at least some of the groups of two or more discrete resonance elements are configured to collect electromagnetic radiation having a frequency between approximately 0.1 THz and approximately 30 THz; and reradiate energy having a wavelength within the range of about 0.8 μ
m to about 0.9 μ
m; andembedding a photovoltaic material in the substrate only at feed gaps of each group of two or more discrete resonance elements and coupling the photovoltaic material to the groups of two or more discrete resonance elements. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification