Focused Microwaves Could Enable Wireless Power Transfer

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."

Comments

Re:We tried that

[joto]

Depends on how much the power is needed, and how soon. The space elevator seems like it's a long time away, still in need of new materials to be invented, and so on. On the other hand, solar power in space is feasible now, at least technically.

Without power people die. So the risks of catastrophic failure of microwave power transmission from space, must be weighted against the possibility of many people not getting electricity. It might be safer to build powerplants now, than to wait for a hypothetical space elevator.

Re:Actually it was a very GOOD idea but NASA blew

[ZorbaTHut]

I don't know if he's correct, but even a small amount of thought should show you a lot of possible ways.

* No exposure to the elements, thus reduced maintenance cost from wind/weeds/corrosion
* No land cost
* No clouds, no day/night cycle
* Cost is based on weight, not on land, potentially allowing for use of extremely large light cheap panels instead of smaller denser more expensive ones

Does it make up for the difference? I couldn't say. But there's four ways in which space beats land in terms of efficiency.