Efficiently Harvesting Infrared Energy: An Optimization Strategy for Rectenna Design

In this study, we propose an optimization strategy for designing efficient rectennas for harvesting infrared (IR) energy. The rectenna is primarily composed of a rectifying component, such as a diode, and an antenna. In the IR range, the ultra-high frequency alternating current signal captured by the antenna terminals must be transformed into a useful direct current signal efficiently. The metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diode, due to its ultra-fast quantum tunneling as a conduction mechanism, is the most suitable option for operation in these IR ranges. Matching the impedance between the antenna and the diode, addressing the nonlinearity of the diode, and dealing with the effect of capacitance on the device's cutoff frequency are challenges that need to be overcome to achieve an efficient rectenna. An optimization algorithm is applied to enhance the rectenna's performance by taking into consideration these challenges.