Single band RF Energy Harvesting at 5.8 GHz using EBG unit cells

Abstract

This paper demonstrates, through measurement, novel utilization of Electromagnetic Bandgap (EBG) metamaterials for RF energy harvesting in the 5.8 GHz ISM band. Four EBG unit cells arranged in a square pattern form an antenna with a high gain of 5.5 dBi. The antenna has a unidirectional radiation pattern with low cross polarization. It is combined with a single stage voltage multiplier rectifier circuit to form a rectenna. The rectenna is compact in size at 40 mm × 40 mm and provides an output voltage of 0.25 V and an efficiency of 15% at far-field distance for −10 dBm of received power.