RF thermoelectric generation for passive RFID

Despite recent gains in turn-on sensitivity, passive RFID tags are approaching fundamental limits imposed by diode conversion of RF-to-DC power. However, an RF-to-thermal-to-DC energy conversion process can be shown to outperform existing diode conversion techniques at very low power levels, in terms of both conversion efficiency and output voltage. We explore the original design of an RF-driven thermoelectric generator and demonstrate a possible pathway to a purely passive tag with greater than 100m range.