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Focused Microwaves Could Enable Wireless Power Transfer

Posted by Soulskill on from the pushing-pinpoint-power-production dept.

esocid alerts us to news out of the University of Michigan, where physics researchers have found a way to focus microwaves to a point 20 times smaller than their wavelength using a new 'superlens'. Such resolution was thought to be impossible until recent years, and it could bring about the capability to transfer power wirelessly. "No matter how powerful a conventional lens, it cannot focus light down to more than about half its wavelength, the 'diffraction limit'. This limits the amount of data that can be stored on a CD, and the size of features on computer chips. The new lens is a 127-micrometer-thick plate of teflon and ceramic with a copper topping. 'The beauty of these is that they're planar,' Grbic says, 'they're easy to fabricate.' The lenses can be made through a single step of photolithography, the process used to etch computer chips."

7 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Re:We tried that by Kuukai · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know what you mean, messing with wireless power is a seriously bad idea. Tesla tried it too, and look what happened to him. He's DEAD!

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  2. Never mind the power thing by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

    If the limits on a CD are because of conventional lenses, and this can get 10 times the best a lens can do, it follows that a superlens-based CD, DVD or Blu-Ray system could get 10 times the capacity per track and 10 times as many tracks (in other words, 100 times the capacity). That would be some serious storage space.

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    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  3. Re:Ant colonies, beware! by somersault · · Score: 4, Funny

    We're just trying to work out all the bugs :p

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    which is totally what she said
  4. Re:We tried that by WaltBusterkeys · · Score: 3, Funny

    Didn't we try this in Sim City? Look how well that worked out.

  5. Irradiation, perfect! by node+3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    irradiation for people who think they aren't in the beam. I don't see why this would be a problem. They can just make use of the irradiation. For example, they could shine the irradiation beam around Chernobyl and sop up all the radiation with the irradiation.
  6. Re:You may have forgotten... by Profane+MuthaFucka · · Score: 3, Funny

    Problem: my local public university was invaded by physics theorists and is now non-localized. Now what?

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    Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
  7. Re:Nothing new here; still not a good idea by bendodge · · Score: 3, Funny

    But really! It's been done!
    Wireless Extension Cords

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    The government can't save you.