Integration of Photovoltaic Panels with Dynamic Metasurface
Abstract
Modern wireless technologies have increasingly evolved towards greater autonomy and mobility. Futuristic devices must transfer information wirelessly and harvest power locally to enable selfsufficiency. One route to achieving autonomy is the use of solar cells, which have seen great strides in recent years in both cost reduction and reliability. Mobility is often conventionally realized through the use of electronically scanned antennas (ESAs), which are power hungry, heavy, and bulky. A disruptive notion is to integrate a power harvesting network with a dynamically reconfigurable antenna to form a compact, low weight, and autonomously powered system for communications and other applications. This proposal aims to demonstrate a feasible path toward such a system, leveraging dynamic metasurface antennas (DMAs) as a transformative technology. DMAs can generate and steer desired radiation patterns using low cost, low profile and lightweight hardware, with minimal power draw. In the proposed program, we will investigate methods to integrate DMAs with solar cell grids in such a manner that both will function without significant degradation. Different modes of operation will be considered and thoroughly investigated. Analytical techniques to characterize and synthesize desired radiation patterns from such autonomous structures will be developed. Methods to modify solar cell architectures to be more amenable to integration of DMAs will also be investigated. Extensive link budget studies will be conducted to establish the required antenna and solar panel size, as well as the operating modes and duration of operation needed to realize desired performance and functionality. This project will conclude with a report identifying rewarding technical development directions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2019
- Source ID
- HR00111910003
Entities
People
- David R. Smith
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Duke University