Improving Robustness for Large-Scale Wireless Power Receiver Arrays

This talk describes 10-GHz patch antenna rectifier arrays with 25 × 25 elements designed using Schottky diodes on 0.127 mm of polyamide and 2 mm of expanded PTFE (ePTFE) on a copper fabric ground plane. These materials were chosen to optimize easy deployment, low cost and easy storage. For this reason, the chosen substrate is flexible and water resistant, ePTFE is a common material used on gaskets and the rectenna arrays can be rolled up like an exercise mat. For the rectifying element, Skyworks SMS7621-079 Schottky diodes are soldered to the metallization (A. Montgomery, J. Molles, C. Scarborough, and Z. Popovic, “High Efficiency 10-GHz Low-Cost Scalable Rectenna Subarrays,” European Microwave Conf., Sept. 2024).