Imagine an “air cannon” that can shoot electromagnetic vortex rings, creating a perfect air vortex that travels gracefully through the air. This concept is no longer just a fascinating idea but a reality. Researchers have successfully developed an “electromagnetic vortex cannon” that directly emits electromagnetic vortex rings.
Led by Associate Professor Ren Wang from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Assistant Professor Yijie Shen from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and their collaborators, the team proposed a method using coaxial horn antennas to directly emit electromagnetic vortices. Their work, titled “Observation of Resilient Propagation and Free-Space Skyrmions in Toroidal Electromagnetic Pulses,” has been published as a Featured Article in Applied Physics Reviews.
The electromagnetic cannon uses ultra-wideband, radially polarized, conical coaxial horn antennas to create rotating electromagnetic wave structures. When the antenna emits, it generates an instantaneous pressure difference that forms these vortex rings, which maintain their shape and energy over long distances.
This technology has vast potential applications, including high-capacity communication systems. The unique spectral and polarization characteristics of the vortex rings allow them to carry more information compared to traditional waves, making them ideal candidates for next-generation communication networks.
The team also highlights the potential benefits in remote sensing and target detection, as well as advancements in metrology and information processing. The spatiotemporal inseparability of the vortex pulses provides a foundation for developing new techniques in complex data encoding and high-precision measurements. Additionally, the skyrmion textures embedded within the vortex rings offer intriguing possibilities for topological data storage and processing.
This groundbreaking research not only demonstrates the incredible versatility of electromagnetic vortex rings but also sets the stage for future innovations in wireless technology, creating opportunities to redefine our understanding of electromagnetic phenomena.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-08-electromagnetic-vortex-cannon-communication.html