Guided-surface waveguide probes

Abstract

Disclosed is a guided surface waveguide probe including a charge terminal configured to generate an electromagnetic field and a support apparatus that supports the charge terminal above a lossy conducting medium, wherein the electromagnetic field generated by the charge terminal synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) of the lossy conducting medium.

Therefore, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A guided surface waveguide probe comprising:
 a charge terminal configured to generate an electromagnetic field; and   a support apparatus that supports the charge terminal above a lossy conducting medium;   wherein the electromagnetic field generated by the charge terminal synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) of the lossy conducting medium to cause a Zenneck surface wave to be launched in the lossy conducting medium.   
     
     
         2 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the support apparatus comprises a non-conductive vertical support. 
     
     
         3 . The probe of  claim 2 , wherein the non-conductive vertical support is a non-conductive vertical pole. 
     
     
         4 . The probe of  claim 3 , wherein the vertical pole is made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         5 . The probe of  claim 2 , wherein the support apparatus further comprises non-conductive tensioned lines that reinforce the vertical pole. 
     
     
         6 . The probe of  claim 5 , wherein the tensioned lines are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the support apparatus comprises multiple non-conductive vertical supports. 
     
     
         8 . The probe of  claim 7 , wherein the vertical supports comprise non-conductive vertical poles. 
     
     
         9 . The probe of  claim 8 , wherein the vertical poles are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The probe of  claim 8 , wherein the support apparatus further comprises non-conductive cross-members that extend between the poles. 
     
     
         11 . The probe of  claim 10 , wherein the cross-members are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         12 . The probe of  claim 8 , wherein the support apparatus further comprises non-conductive tensioned lines that extend between the vertical poles and the charge terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The probe of  claim 12 , wherein the tensioned lines are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         14 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the support apparatus comprises multiple non-conductive diagonal supports. 
     
     
         15 . The probe of  claim 14 , wherein the diagonal supports comprise non-conductive diagonal poles. 
     
     
         16 . The probe of  claim 15 , wherein the diagonal poles are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         17 . The probe of  claim 15 , wherein the support apparatus further comprises cross-members that extend between the poles, the cross-members being made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The probe of  claim 1 , further comprising a feed network electrically coupled to the charge terminal, the feed network providing a phase delay (Φ) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ) associated with the complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) in the vicinity of the guided surface waveguide probe. 
     
     
         19 . The probe of  claim 18 , wherein the feed network comprises a conductive coil and wherein the support apparatus comprises a vertical support, the vertical support comprising the coil and a non-conductive vertical pole that extends between the coil and the charge terminal. 
     
     
         20 . A method for generating guided surface waves comprising:
 with a charge terminal supported above a lossy conducting medium by a support apparatus of a guided surface waveguide probe, generating an electromagnetic field that synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ i,B ) of the lossy conducting medium to cause a Zenneck surface wave to be launched in the lossy conducting medium.