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.