Improved Performance of a Rectenna Array for Wireless Low Power Transportation

Abstract : The study presented here focuses on the design of a simple and compact rectenna (rectifying antenna) to enhance the performance at a relatively low power levels. The rectifier is realized with a single schottky diode SMS-7630 in reverse topology and optimised at the fundamental frequency f 0 = 2.45 GHz. Although a single narrow-band design is conductive enough to achieve high efficiency, we know that the amount of the DC output power is limited. To overcome this issue, one solution would be a rectenna array designed for collecting more HF power to produce more DC power. The opportunity in this study would be to increase performances of a ground receiving rectenna, and more precisely for those located on the edges of the array where the RF power density are low. To estimate the DC power, we started with the study of a 2x5 planar array of small metamaterial-inspired antennas. Each antenna incorporates its own rectifier to collect DC power and is assembled in series manner. The size of the overall rectenna array is 110*90mm 2. Finally, our most recent studies show an increase of the collected DC voltage with the presence of a reflector at a distance of 3λ/4 to the back of the rectenna array.