Impact of the coupling effect and the configuration on a compact rectenna array

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 67; no. 1; p. 12009
• Main Authors: Rivière, J, Douyere, A, Luk, J D Lan Sun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 29.10.2014
• Subjects: Antenna arrays; Antennas; Arrays; Circuits; Configurations; Joining; Metamaterials; Mutual coupling; Optimization; Planes; Rectennas; Topology
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/67/1/012009
• ISSN: 1757-8981

This paper proposes an experimental study of the coupling effect of a rectenna array. The rectifying antenna consists of a compact and efficient rectifying circuit in a series topology, coupled with a small metamaterial-inspired antenna. The measurements are investigated in the X plane on the rectenna array's behavior, with series and parallel DC- combining configuration of two and three spaced rectennas from 3 cm to 10 cm. This study shows that the maximum efficiency is reached for the series configuration, with a resistive load of 10 kQ. The optimal distance is not significant for series or parallel configuration. Then, a comparison between a rectenna array with non-optimal mutual coupling and a more traditional patch rectenna is performed. Finally, a practical application is tested to demonstrate the effectiveness of such small rectenna array.