Patent ID: 8797116

Claim:
A surface communication apparatus comprising: a sheet-shaped electromagnetic wave propagation unit which propagates electromagnetic waves; an electromagnetic wave transmission unit which is disposed on a surface of the electromagnetic wave propagation unit and transmits electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave propagation unit; and an electromagnetic wave reception unit which is disposed on the surface of the electromagnetic wave propagation unit and receives the electromagnetic waves propagated through the electromagnetic wave propagation unit, wherein: the electromagnetic wave transmission unit includes an electromagnetic wave generator and a transmission electromagnetic wave coupler which couples electromagnetic waves generated by the electromagnetic wave generator with the electromagnetic wave propagation unit; the electromagnetic wave reception unit includes a reception electromagnetic wave coupler which couples the electromagnetic waves propagated through the electromagnetic wave propagation unit, and an electromagnetic wave output unit which outputs the electromagnetic waves coupled by the reception electromagnetic wave coupler; and the electromagnetic wave propagation unit has a periodic structure that sets wavelengths of the electromagnetic waves propagated through the electromagnetic wave propagation unit to be longer than the length of the sheet-shaped electromagnetic wave propagation unit in an extending direction.