Breakthrough In Electronics and Telecommunications: Fractals Eliminate Capacitors and Coils - Towards 'Part-less' Analog Circuitry


BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2002--Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. today disclosed that it has multiple filings for patent protection on a revolutionary technology in RF and electronic circuits. The innovation, called Fractal Structure Circuit(TM) (FSC), uses fractalized conductor paths to replace the capacitors, inductors, and resistors in "RLC" circuits. In doing so the company has a proprietary position on a fundamental and essential disruptive technology with ubiquitous reach in electronics, RF, and telecommunications. 

Nathan Cohen, CTO of the firm, explained the innovation: "Virtually every electronic device uses coils and capacitors to form RLC circuits. These discrete components are arranged by tried and true rules to get the circuit to perform as needed. What we've done is ask: can a fractal pattern, with its self-capacitance and self-inductance, be used to eliminate components and still get the equivalent RLC circuit? We've found that the answer is yes; and in most uses, especially at microwave frequencies, all components can be replaced by conductive fractal patterns or 3D structures. In 100% of cases, the FSCs can reduce the component population dramatically." 

Looking at the Fractal Structured Circuit(TM) one sees, for example, a beautiful etched copper pattern replacing the usual traces connecting button or canned shaped capacitors and coils (or their SMT counterparts). It is truly a circuit without parts, reducing the cost and increasing the reliability of use. 

David Moschella, CEO of the firm, sees the commercialization of FSC's as one of the firm's points of focus in the coming year, and predicts the first commercial uses will be in RF filters and microwave circuits. "In my opinion, we've been viewing analog RF design as some archaic appendage to digital. Now analog electronic design is about to go through a revolution; a part-less revolution." 

A key part of using FSCs in a practical way was to find a method to identify a fractal arrangement that meets the design specifications for performance and form factor. Other recent and independent research reports take a given fractal and then see how it works as an RLC circuit, such as a filter or resonator. "We're a decade past that," asserts Cohen, "we have a method in place that digitally designs FSCs using circuit performance requirements and geometry options." 

The firm decided to disclose the proprietary position of its innovations in order to make colleagues more aware of it. Cohen stated: "We see scientists, especially in Europe, now replicating the novel aspects of our technology (over a decade old) and we feel they need to be alerted to our invention position." Cohen also notes that the firm's 1996 foreign pending patent application has been available on the internet since 1997. Cohen added "corroboration and attribution are the hallmarks of science and we welcome efforts by independent researchers to affirm what we've known for some time." 

About FAS 

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. is a next-generation antenna and electronics company that provides the Fractal Advantage(TM): solutions, products and IP licensing to OEM manufacturers of wireless products. The company was founded in 1995 and now holds 3 U.S. patents as well as many pending patents, including foreign patents pending, on fractal antenna and electronics technology. The firm has seen high growth as fractal antenna technology becomes more widely known as the superior choice in the smaller-cheaper-multi/broadband environment of wireless, telecom, RFID, and other fields.