5.8-GHz Integrated Differential Rectenna Unit Using Both-Sided MIC Technology With Design Flexibility

A 5.8-GHz integrated differential rectifying antenna (rectenna) unit with design flexibility is proposed, and its performance is confirmed experimentally. It positively uses both-sided microwave integrated circuit (MIC) technology, and its antenna feed circuit includes filters which suppress 2nd harmonic. This proposed rectenna unit is a very simple, compact and novel configuration. It operates in a differential mode, and effectively integrates an antenna array with a rectifying circuit. Its configuration provides the pragmatically advantages such as antenna array design flexibility and rectenna unit extensibility. Herein, the behavior of the rectenna unit was successfully confirmed under low radio frequency (RF) power density. Maximum RF-DC conversion efficiency at 5.8 GHz of Industry-Science-Medical (ISM) band was approximately 27% with the load resistance of 390 Ω when the received power density (PD) was 0.031 W/m².