Modified rectifier circuit for high efficiency and low power RF energy harvester

Abstract

In this work, a passive rectifier circuit is presented, which is operating at 868 MHz. It allows energy harvesting from low power RF waves with a high efficiency. It consists of a novel multiplier circuit design and high quality components to reduce parasitic effects, losses and reaches a low startup voltage. Using lower capacitor rises up the switching speed of the whole circuit. An inductor L serves to store energy in a magnetic field during the negative cycle wave and returns it during the positive one. A low pass filter is arranged in cascade with the rectifier circuit to reduce ripple at high frequencies and to get a stable DC signal. A 50 kΩ load is added at the output to measure the output power and to visualize the behavior of the whole circuit. Simulation results show an outstanding potential of this RF-DC converter witch has a relative high sensitivity beginning with -40 dBm.