Microwave Power Transmission

Abstract

Abstract Microwave power transmission (MPT ) is the wireless transfer of large amounts of power at microwave frequencies from one location to another. MPT is often referred to in the literature as wireless power transmission (WPT ) at microwave frequencies. MPT research has been driven primarily by the desire to remotely power unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV s) and by the concept of space solar power (SSP ) first conceived by Dr. Peter Glaser of the Arthur D. Little Company in 1968. SSP is an MPT system with the addition of solar cells and magnetrons for microwave power generation. The SSP idea calls for a constellation of solar power satellites (SPS s) to capture the energy from the sun using arrays of solar cells. The solar cell panels output large DC voltages to awaiting cavity magnetrons positioned on various subarrays within each SPS phased‐array aperture. These magnetrons convert the high‐voltage DC outputs of the solar panel arrays to microwave power. The microwave energy is then beamed to Earth to farms of rectifying antenna (rectenna) arrays that convert the incoming microwave energy back to DC power. Since its inception, SSP has gained considerable attention since it has the potential of providing clean, renewable, and continuous power for generations to come. MPT has been shown experimentally as a way for people on Earth to remotely power unmanned high‐altitude platforms such as UAV s. Additional uses for MPT include powering space probes from future space stations into deep space and powering robots to enter dangerous environments such as nuclear‐contaminated areas.