Optical Antenna For Solar Energy Collection

In this paper a broadband solar antenna array, able to collect the energy from the solar radiation, is designed. In the proposed antenna, the electric field of the solar electromagnetic radiation induces a time-varying current, rather than generating single electron-hole pairs as in the diodes integrated into conventional solar panels. Through this technology, it is possible to overcome the main disadvantage of the conventional solar cells which cannot utilize the infrared radiation emitted from the Earth during the night. The proposed antenna array is constituted by four square spirals of gold printed on a low cost dielectric substrate. The broad bandwidth allows to achieve a broadband response and an effective coupling to the circularly polarized solar radiation. This antenna array constitutes a valid alternative to the conventional photovoltaic devices and could be an interesting innovation in the area of the renewable energy.