Communications of the ACM
'Superlens' Extends Range of Wireless Power Transfer
Duke University researchers have used metamaterials to create a superlens that focuses magnetic fields.
Credit: Guy Lipworth
Duke University researchers have used metamaterials to create a superlens that focuses magnetic fields, translating the magnetic field emanating from one power coil onto its twin nearly a foot away, inducing an electric current in the receiving coil.
"This is important because if this technology is to become a part of everyday life, it must conform to the dimensions of today's pocket-sized mobile electronics," says Duke professor Yaroslav Urzhumov.
The square shape of the coils and their repetitive nature form a metamaterial that interacts with magnetic fields in such a way that the fields are transmitted and confined into a narrow cone in which the power intensity is much higher. The superlens allows the magnetic field to induce noticeable electric current in an identically sized receiver coil.
"We want to be able to use small-size sources and/or receivers, and that's what the superlens enables us to do," Urzhumov says.
In the future, the researchers want to drastically upgrade the system to make it more suitable for realistic power transfer scenarios.
From Duke University News
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