Guided Surface Wave Launch via Complex Brewster Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
For over a century, there has been no practical structure for efficiently launching open surface guided waves over planar or spherical surfaces of lossy, homogeneous media, despite theoretical possibilities.
Innovation Solution
Guided surface waveguide probes are configured to excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface waveguide mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium, such as the Earth, by synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, resulting in zero reflection and launching a guided electromagnetic field as a guided surface wave.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional antenna structures are used to transmit signals, then radio wave radiation is achieved, but field strength decays geometrically with distance and energy is lost to geometric spreading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lossy conducting medium (such as the Earth) as an intermediary to guide electromagnetic waves. Instead of allowing waves to radiate freely through space, the guided surface wave mode propagates along the interface between the lossy medium and air, preventing geometric spreading and maintaining field strength over distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the propagation parameters by transitioning from radiated wave mode to guided surface wave mode. This involves adjusting the excitation to match the complex Brewster angle and coupling into the guided mode, fundamentally altering how the electromagnetic energy propagates through the medium.
2Productivity
If guided surface waveguide probes are configured to excite electric fields at complex Brewster angle, then zero reflection is achieved and guided surface waves are launched efficiently, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by setting the excitation electric field at the complex Brewster angle relative to the lossy conducting medium surface. This specific angular parameter ensures zero reflection and maximum coupling into the guided surface wave mode, achieving efficient energy transfer despite the sophisticated configuration required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the efficient launch of guided surface waves along lossy conducting media, achieving significant field strength at close distances and exponential decay with distance, resembling transmission line propagation, while avoiding the geometric spreading of radiated waves.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic coils having cores with high magnetic permeability
Implementation Method 2
excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface waveguide mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium
Implementation Method 3
synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, resulting in zero reflection
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of magnetic coils having cores with relatively high magnetic permeability are described. In some embodiments, a system includes a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling across a terrestrial medium. The guided surface wave receive structure includes a magnetic coil and a core disposed in the magnetic coil. The core in some embodiments has a relative magnetic permeability greater than about 10 and less than about 1,000,000. An electrical load is coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure, with the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the guided surface wave.