Mid-Range Wireless Power Transfer Based on Goubau Lines

A novel, asymmetric RF energy harvesting technique using the Goubau transmission line for mid-range wireless power transfer has been established. The Goubau line has been found to be useful for this application given its unique field distribution and non-radiative characteristics. A Goubau line transmitter was constructed and an RF efficiency of 10% at 0.5 m away from the transmitter center was achieved using an 80 MHz input signal and an electrically short receiver antenna. These results mark the beginning of a new energy harvesting topology paradigm that utilizes exposed wire transmission lines to safely couple energy to receivers of near arbitrary number and variable geometry.