A 2.45-GHz low cost and efficient rectenna

This paper reports a novel rectifying antenna (rectenna) based on modified bridge rectifier with four Schottky diodes. The 2.45-GHz microwave rectifier has been developed and optimized using a global simulation technique which associates electromagnetic and circuit approaches in order to accurately predict the rectifier performances. The presented device doesn´t need neither input HF filter nor bypass capacitor. This makes the structure more compact and low cost. A 2.45GHz linearly polarized patch antenna has been designed and associated to the microwave rectifier to obtain the full rectenna. The rectifier achieves an RF-to-dc conversion efficiency of 61% at 10 mW input power. When the power density is 0.15 mW/cm², the full rectenna circuit shows an efficiency of 52% over an optimal resistive load of 1050Ω.