3D-Printed Metasurface Units for Potential Energy Harvesting Applications at the 2.4 GHz Frequency Band
Z. Viskadourakis,
E. Tamiolakis,
O. Tsilipakos,
A. C. Tasolamprou,
E. N. Economou,
G. Kenanakis
Affiliations
Z. Viskadourakis
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research & Technology–Hellas (FORTH), N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
E. Tamiolakis
Physics Department, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
O. Tsilipakos
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research & Technology–Hellas (FORTH), N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
A. C. Tasolamprou
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research & Technology–Hellas (FORTH), N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
E. N. Economou
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research & Technology–Hellas (FORTH), N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
G. Kenanakis
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research & Technology–Hellas (FORTH), N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, GR-700 13 Heraklion, Greece
The capability of three-dimensional printed cut-wire metasurfaces to harvest energy in frequencies around 2.4 GHz, is studied in this paper. Cut-wire metasurfaces were constructed using the Fused Filament Fabrication technique. In particular, two metasurfaces, consisting of different materials were produced. The first was constructed using Polylactic Acid as starting material. Then, the printed metasurface was covered with a thin layer of conductive silver paint, in order to achieve good electrical conductivity. The other metasurface was built using commercially available, conductive Electrifi. Both metasurfaces exhibit good energy harvesting behavior, in the frequency band near 2.4 GHz. Their harvesting efficiency is found to be almost three times lower than that obtained for conventional PCB-printed cut-wire metasurfaces. Nevertheless, all of the experimental results presented here strongly corroborate that three-dimensional-printed metasurfaces can be potentially used to harvest energy in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
