Battery-Free Power Using Wi-Fi Signals
Wi-Fi signals can be converted into electricity to power electronic devices without the need for batteries.
A new technology brings a revolutionary possibility of powering small devices using ambient Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals.
A groundbreaking new invention allows small devices to harvest energy from surrounding Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, eliminating the need for traditional batteries.
Scientists have developed a highly sensitive "rectenna" (rectifying antenna) that converts weak electromagnetic waves into electricity using principles of quantum physics.
Key Points of Innovation:
This innovation has been successfully demonstrated by powering a commercial thermometer.
It could soon be expanded to support Internet of Things (IoT) devices, reducing energy consumption and reliance on disposable batteries.
Core Principles and Technologies:
The foundation of this breakthrough is spintronics, a field of quantum research that studies the behavior of electron spins and magnetic fields.
Researchers used nanoscopic "spin rectifiers" made from magnetic tunnel junctions to capture and convert radiofrequency (RF) signals into usable electricity.
Frequencies and Applications:
These SRs (Spin Rectifiers) are tuned to Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G frequencies, enabling them to harvest energy from the air.
Potential of the Technology:
This technology could revolutionize wireless networks by making small electronic devices more sustainable and energy-efficient.
Nanoscopic Spin Rectifiers for Ambient RF Energy Harvesting
RF Energy Harvesting
Harvesting ambient RF energy from wireless signals could be used to reduce the carbon footprint of electronic devices. However, ambient RF energy is weak (less than −20 dBm), and the performance of current RF rectifiers is limited by thermodynamic constraints and high-frequency parasitic impedance.
Nanoscopic Spin Rectifiers
Nanoscopic spin rectifiers based on magnetic tunnel junctions have recently demonstrated high sensitivity but suffer from low AC-to-DC conversion efficiency (less than 1%).
Sensitive Spin Rectenna: We report a sensitive spin rectenna capable of harvesting ambient RF signals in the range of −62 to −20 dBm.
Spin Rectifier Array: We are also developing an on-chip coplanar waveguide-based spin rectifier array with high sensitivity without additional voltage (around 34,500 mV mW−1) and high efficiency (7.81%).
Principles and Performance
The performance of our spin rectifier array relies on self-parametric excitation, which is driven by voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy.
Wireless Powering: We demonstrate that these spin rectifiers can be used to wirelessly power a sensor at an RF power of −27 dBm.
Sources:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-024-01212-1?fbclid=IwY2xjawIj8QlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQ_FeaResjHjFqp7W8UomSKLjwnkTeu-HtMwB_yz2oS5FIm3u8PnEF3-JA_aem_8Z0RwnGA5ckmxTwRZ9zukw
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