Induction charging is the transfer of energy through a magnetic field created between two metal electrodes, for example in a “wireless” mobile phone charger. However, the technology has its limitations in that you are still limited to the charging pad.
But now researchers at Sejong University in South Korea think they’ve managed something that could lead to a wireless charging system where a mobile phone is charged automatically as soon as you enter a store, for example – and wireless charging can be sent through a large room.
It has an optical amplifier
The discovery itself relates to the researchers’ success in transmitting energy wirelessly using infrared lasers at a distance of more than 30 metres. Writes optics. In addition to the laser, there is a receiver in the system, which is equipped with an optical amplifier of the type EDFA (erbium-doped fiber amplifier).
The shape of the receiver bowl means that rays of light can be received from all directions. It has a rear reflector with a spherical lens that focuses the light. In the device, an infrared light beam with a central wavelength of 1,550 nanometers is generated, hitting a solar cell that converts the light into electricity.
In the researchers’ tests, they were able to send a 400-milliwatt beam of light about 30 meters to the 10 x 10 mm receiver. There it is converted into 85 milliwatts of power, which can drive one or two small sensors.
The next step is to charge the mobile phone
The research is still in its preliminary stage, but the researchers say they are ready to scale the technology to a level where you can, for example, charge a mobile phone. Another area could be to offer wireless charging for connected devices.
The search was published in Optic Express.
This article was first published in new technology
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