Radio antennas made from Plasma

Charles Q. Choi

A new study revealed that radio antennas made from electrically contaminated gas are a device that captures anti-interference.

Gas contaminated with electricity - or plasma, forming stars and lightning is what emits light in a fluorine light bulb. Closed glass tubes, ceramic tubes or flexible plastic tubes containing plasma gas can be used as traditional metal antennas.

Scientists who are currently studying the development of simple plasma antennas for the first time, though somewhat crude, hope to soon be applied in military or telecommunications.

This antenna only works when energized. If the power is turned off, it will stop working immediately, then the plasma gas will return to normal gas form. It has a key role in scouting and reconnaissance activities on the battlefield. Metal antennas can spread the radar signal obtained, so its presence is also detected.

But, to prevent noise, plasma air antennas can change frequency rapidly depending on the level of energy being charged . In this way, it avoids harassment from enemy signals. In contrast, metal antennas are forced to transceiver in a certain frequency range, making them vulnerable to interference.

Plasma air antennas can be changed in shape to receive - transmit frequencies in a wide range, which means ' we can create an 'all in one' antenna; Only a plasma antenna can do some metal antennae work, ' said Theodore Anderson, executive director of Haleakala R&D plasma antenna company at Brookfield, Mass., in LiveScience. 'We are pursuing telecommunications technology as well as military applications.'

The first antenna is made from plasma.(Photo: Theodore Anderson, Igor Alexeff)

Plasma antennas use inert noble gases like neon, and are not very hot when operating. Anderson and his colleagues are experimenting with plasma-containing glass tubes. But to make the antenna more rigid, they plan to use a ceramic tube wrapped in a "nearly steel-hard" heat-resistant synthetic foam , Anderson said.

Scientists are currently developing a ' smart ' plasma antenna that can control a radio wave of 360 ^degrees to scan an area then detect and localize the broadcasting antennae. A radio that uses metal antennas will be larger and heavier. Scientists expect to complete the first commercial product by the end of November 2008.

The study was published in detail on November 12 at the American Physical Society Plasma Physics Conference in Orlando.