LIGHT TRANSMISSABLE RESONATORS FOR CIRCUIT AND ANTENNA APPLICATIONS

• US 20130249757A1
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Original Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Inventors: Leung, Kwok Wa, Lim, Eng Hock
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

Provided is a circuit for an electronic device having a non-planar transparent resonator. The transparent resonator is mounted on said circuit so as to at least partially occupy a footprint of another component of the circuit. The transparent resonator forms part of a light pathway on said circuit for transmitting light to or from said another component. Also provided is a transparent dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) for optical applications. Since the DRA is transparent, it can let light pass through itself and, thus, the light can be utilized by an optical part of a system or device. The transparent DRA can be placed on top of a solar cell. Since the DRA does not block the light, the light can reach the solar cell panel and power can be generated for the system or device. The system or device so obtained is very compact because no extra footprint is needed within the system or device for the DRA. It finds application in compact wireless applications that need a self-sustaining power device.

Claims

1. An electronic device having a non-planar transparent dielectric resonator antenna, wherein a transparent dielectric resonator is mounted on an another component so as to at least partially occupy a footprint of said another component of the electronic device;

and wherein said dielectric resonator forms part of a light pathway for transmitting light to or from said another component.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the another component is a solar photovoltaic element arranged to convert light received via the light pathway into electrical power or an optical light source arranged to generate light for transmission via the light pathway.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator is shaped so as to focus light impinging on a surface thereof.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator is transparent to light at and/or beyond optical frequencies.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator comprises borosilicate glass.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator is shaped such that light impinging on a surface of said dielectric resonator is focused by the dielectric resonator towards a selected region of another surface of the dielectric resonator.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator is a dielectric resonator of a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), said DRA comprising one of a plurality of DRAs arranged in a DRA array or a DRA reflect-array.