A new antenna has been designed that uses “ionized gas in fluorescent light tubes to transmit Internet wireless frequency signals throughout a building with the aid of already existing electrical wiring.” This works because the gas turns into plasma when it it’s electrically charged and this means frequency signals can be sent and received since the plasma becomes a conductive compound.
“The invention features a smart fluorescent antenna with a 3G/3.75G/4G router for Wi-Fi applications. The antenna operates at the 2.4 GHz frequency band, which is suitable for Wi-Fi applications. A commercially available fluorescent tube, measuring 0.61 meters in length by 0.25 meters in diameter, is used as the plasma antenna. The gas inside the tube is a mixture of argon and mercury vapour, in the ratio 9:1. The tube is energized by a 240 V current, provided by a standard AC power supply. A glowing tube indicates that the gas inside the tube has been ionized to plasma and forms a plasma column. In this state, the plasma column becomes highly conductive and can be used as an antenna.”
Advantages and benefits of this new antenna include: a stronger signal than other antennas’ signals, lower cost, the need for only one router to transmit Wi-Fi, and dual functionality in acting as both a transmitter and receiver for frequencies and data. Also, “Normal antennas can only transmit and receive radio frequencies, while this product not only can be used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, but as a light emitting device as well,” according to the company.
