Zero Power X-cut LiNbO3 MEMS-based Radio Frequency Rectifier

Abstract

This paper reports the first demonstration of a passive rectifier boosted by means of a microelectromechanical (MEM) X-cut Lithium Niobate (LN) Laterally Vibrating Resonator (LVR). A high-performance device operating around 110 MHz, exhibiting a loaded quality factor ($Q_{s}$) of 4,000 and showing an electromechanical coupling ($k_{t}^{2}$) of 29% is coupled to a commercial diode to provide a large passive voltage amplification of the RF driving signal. We show that the implementation of this device significantly increases the rectified DC voltage probed at the output of the rectifier. Voltage gains as high as 22 dB (13 V/V) are reported. The resonator demonstrated a 13 dB gain improvement compared to a high quality factor ($Q=50$) inductor implemented in the same system.