Rectennas at optical frequencies: How to analyze the response
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0425 (United States)
Optical rectennas, antenna-coupled diode rectifiers that receive optical-frequency electromagnetic radiation and convert it to DC output, have been proposed for use in harvesting electromagnetic radiation from a blackbody source. The operation of these devices is qualitatively different from that of lower-frequency rectennas, and their design requires a new approach. To that end, we present a method to determine the rectenna response to high frequency illumination. It combines classical circuit analysis with classical and quantum-based photon-assisted tunneling response of a high-speed diode. We demonstrate the method by calculating the rectenna response for low and high frequency monochromatic illumination, and for radiation from a blackbody source. Such a blackbody source can be a hot body generating waste heat, or radiation from the sun.
- OSTI ID:
- 22499255
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Power Generation from a Radiative Thermal Source Using a Large-Area Infrared Rectenna
Micro rectennas: Brownian ratchets for thermal-energy harvesting