Non-Linear SCHOTTKY Diode Characterization used in a High Efficiency Rectenna Design Methodology

Paper number

IAC-05-C3.P.07

Author

Mr. A. Douyere, Université de la Runion, La Reunion

Coauthor

Mr. Alain Celeste, Université de la Runion, France

Coauthor

Mr. C. Descharles, Université de la Runion, La Reunion

Coauthor

Mr. Alain Celeste, Université de la Runion, France

Year

2005

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental approach developed for the design of high efficiency rectenna at microwave frequencies (2.45GHz). This methodology is based on an experimental characterization of Schottky diodes leading to a large signal non linear model of the diode that can be used efficiently by the optimization routines of commercial CAD circuit simulation software.   

In order to ease the design procedure of high efficiency RF/DC converters, a large signal model is needed to correctly describe the operation of the device in a large interval of operating points. In the first part of this paper, we present the measurement technique used to characterize the Schottky diodes in an automated way. The diode is mounted on a microstrip circuit board and placed in a measurement test bench. A bias tee is present at the input port to allow for a diode biasing while a second bias tee is used at the output port to serve as the DC ground. To eliminate the effects of the microstrip transmission lines used at the device ports, a TRL calibration is performed on the test bench (Figure 1). A power calibration is also performed at the frequency of measurement. S parameters measurements are subsequently performed automatically on a large set of different input power levels and different diode bias. S parameters are stored and indexed for subsequent use.

The physical model used to simulate the diode is provided by the APLAC simulator. Lumped elements are added to this core model, to account for packaging parasitic elements and for coupling at the microstrip line to package lead junction (Figure 2). Lumped elements are also included to describe the model of the transmission line ports. All these element values are subsequently identified using estimation procedures based on the measured data. Results are presented to show how the identified model is able to describe precisely the measured data, even in the very large area of operating points used (Figure 3).

The derived model is then included in a rectenna topology to validate that the model can be successfully applied in an optimization procedure aiming at obtaining high RF/DC conversion efficiencies. 

It is shown that high efficiency rectenna can be designed using this methodology. This methodology can be used with different diode references with the drawback that experimental characterization needs to be performed again for each new reference.

Abstract document

IAC-05-C3.P.07.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-C3.P.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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