Twisted radio waves and twisted thermodynamics

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56086. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056086. Epub 2013 Feb 12.

Abstract

We present and analyze a gedanken experiment and show that the assumption that an antenna operating at a single frequency can transmit more than two independent information channels to the far field violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Transmission of a large number of channels, each associated with an angular momenta 'twisted wave' mode, to the far field in free space is therefore not possible.

MeSH terms

  • Radio Waves*
  • Thermodynamics
  • Wireless Technology

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.