Lucent Dielectric Waveguide for Compact Microwave Lamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microwave-powered lamps with dielectric waveguides are bulky due to the physical size requirements for microwave wavelength, making them unsuitable for applications beyond street lighting, and they often use separate bulbs with opaque waveguides, limiting light emission directionality.
Innovation Solution
A lucent waveguide of solid dielectric material with a Faraday cage and a bulb cavity, where the antenna is re-entrant within the waveguide, allowing for a single component integration of the bulb and waveguide, enabling lateral and axial light collection, and using materials like quartz or sintered ceramic for transparency and microwave excitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an air wave guide is used to couple microwave energy into the bulb, then the lamp can operate electrodelessly, but the physical size of the wave guide becomes a fraction of the microwave wavelength in air, making the lamp bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the waveguide by using a solid dielectric material instead of air. This changes the propagation characteristics of microwaves, reducing the wavelength within the waveguide by a factor equal to the square root of the dielectric constant. Consequently, the waveguide dimensions can be significantly reduced while maintaining the same microwave coupling functionality, resolving the contradiction between electrodeless operation and compact size.
2Power
If a separate bulb with opaque waveguide is used, then microwave energy can be coupled effectively, but light emission is limited to specific directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the waveguide and bulb into a single integrated component. The waveguide is made of transparent or translucent dielectric material that allows both microwave propagation and light transmission. This integration eliminates the need for separate opaque waveguide and bulb components, enabling light to be emitted in multiple directions (laterally and axially) while maintaining effective microwave coupling through the integrated structure.
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 reduces the lamp's size, allows for omnidirectional light emission, and integrates the bulb and waveguide into a single component, enhancing efficiency and suitability for domestic applications like rear projection televisions.
Implementation Method 1
our '2018 lamp uses a dielectric wave-guide, which substantially reduces the wave length at the operating frequency of 2.4 Ghz
Implementation Method 2
microwave energy to stimulate light emitting plasma in the bulbs
Implementation Method 3
stimulate light emitting plasma in the bulbs
Implementation Method 4
an at least partially light transmitting Faraday cage surrounding the waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
A light source comprising a lucent waveguide of solid dielectric material having: an at least partially light transmitting Faraday cage surrounding the waveguide, a bulb cavity within the waveguide and the Faraday cage and an antenna re-entrant within the waveguide and the Faraday cage and a bulb having a microwave excitable fill, the bulb being received in the bulb cavity.