A new route to perfect energy absorption
A fundamental physics discovery could help reduce energy losses in future wireless power technologies The post A new route to perfect energy absorption appeared first on Physics World .
Recent research has unveiled a novel approach to enhancing energy absorption in wireless power transfer systems, which transmit electricity without cables. Traditional methods have focused on engineering improvements, such as optimizing coil designs and adjusting frequencies, but this study takes a different path by delving into the fundamental physics of wave interference.
Coherent Perfect Absorption, a well-known phenomenon, allows a system to absorb incoming energy completely with minimal reflection. However, this requires specific conditions and a perfectly matched system operating at a steady state equilibrium. In this research, the team introduces Transient Coherent Perfect Absorption (TCPA), a new effect that operates during the initial transition period after a system is activated.
During this brief moment, a steady wave from the source exists alongside a temporary, decaying wave originating from the stored energy within the system. These waves interfere with each other, and when they are precisely out of phase, the reflected signals cancel out, allowing the system to absorb nearly all incoming energy.
While this study is rooted in physics and wave behavior, it offers a promising new method to minimize energy reflections in resonant systems. The potential applications include improving the efficiency of wireless power transfer and other energy-delivery technologies, thereby reducing energy losses even under less-than-ideal operating conditions.
The full article, titled "Transient coherent perfect absorption enables efficient wireless power transfer" by Liang Hu et al., was published in Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 8, 024001 (2026). For those interested in further exploration, a related article titled "The rise of electric vehicles—2020 status and future expectations" by Matteo Muratori et al.
(2021) provides additional insights into the current state and future prospects of electric vehicle technology.
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