Traveling-wave metal-insulator-metal diodes for infrared rectennas

We demonstrate for the first time optical energy conversion using a rectenna incorporating a traveling-wave diode. Optical rectennas use micron sized antennas coupled to high speed diodes to convert an optical wave to DC power. Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes are suitable for high speed operation because of their femtosecond-fast electron tunneling rectification mechanism. However, in a lumped-element rectenna configuration, these devices cannot operate above several terahertz due to their high capacitance. We demonstrate a 10.6 μm (28 THz) MIIM (Ni-NiO-Nb
₂
O
₅
-Cr) optical rectenna that incorporates a traveling-wave diode (TWD) geometry to overcome lumped-element diode capacitance limitations.