Accurate Modeling of Quantum Transport in Graphene Geometric Diode for THz Rectenna Applications

Graphene geometric diodes could provide rectification at terahertz frequencies and present promising application in rectennas design for sensing and energy harvesting. This paper presents a multiphysics model for the simulation of rectennas, coupling quantum mechanics to simulate ballistic transport in the geometric diode and non linear electromagnetic simulation for the antenna rectification. The current-voltage characteristic, computed through a time-dependent Schrodinger equation approach, is then compared with experiments from the literature, providing a good matching. The diode has subsequently been used as a non linear element in the modelling of the rectenna device achieving a rectified voltage in the order of ten m V and a DC power conversion efficiency for different parallel resistive loads of few kiloohms in the range of 0.01 %.