Non-Uniform Electromagnetic Band Gap lattices: a rectenna application

摘要

The IoT (Internet of Things) paradigm coupled with the advances in cloud-based platforms have digitalized societies. A plethora of smart-enabled devices are connected to the internet via novel, long range and low power telecommunication protocols. Radio Frequency (RF) energy harvesting emerged as a sustainable and promising solution for powering wireless sensors exploiting ambient electromagnetic energy. This article proposes a dipole rectenna leveraging non-uniform EBG (Electromagnetic Band Gap) lattices the special attribute of which is to focus reflected waves to a pre-specified point proved to enhance rectenna’s performance. Gain exceeding 8dBs was achieved at the frequency of resonance i.e. 868MHz. Simulated Voc values at the open circuited terminals of the dipole reached a maximum of 1.76V/m for incident waves of circular polarization and electrical field intensity equal to 1V/m. A Matching Network (MN) was designed at 868MHz and connected between the antenna and the rectifier yielding, at the output of the rectifier, DC voltage even 0.94V and power, available at its input, reaching even at 68.6μW. The overall performance of the proposed rectenna was estimated via statistical analysis of DC voltages and power values received, over frequencies around 868MHz and for multiple directions of arrival (DoAs).