EAGER: Development of a rectenna for energy harvesting and detection applications

EAGER：开发用于能量收集和检测应用的整流天线

• 批准号: 1343228
• 负责人: Elias Stefanakos
• 金额: $ 25.98万
• 依托单位: University of South Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-15 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1343228&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Development; rectenna; energy; harvesting

Growing interest in the utilization of solar energy has significantly stimulated research in the field of photovoltaics, although most PV devices are still limited to maximum conversion efficiencies of about 20% to 30%. The power conversion efficiency of a rectenna, in contrast to most other energy harvesting devices, has been found to be greater than 85% at 2.45GHz. A rectenna is basically an antenna that captures electromagnetic radiation and converts it to direct current (DC) through a rectifier (diode). Because of the lack of diodes that can rectify at high solar radiation frequencies in the visible and near infra-red (IR) range, a more practical rectenna can be designed that first captures the solar radiation and then converts it to IR in the ~30 THz range using an innovative frequency selective emitter. Once the energy has been downscaled to ~30THz frequency range, it can be rectified using diodes that operate using the quantum tunneling mechanism. The rectification property of metal-insulator-metal (MIM/MIIM) diodes could be used in energy conversion devices or detectors, where the detectors use external circuits to amplify the rectified signal and the energy harvesters use the rectified signal as usable power. Upon the successful demonstration of a working rectenna and because of inexpensive and widely available materials needed for the roll-to-roll manufacturing of rectennas, very high efficiency and low cost (few cents per watt) rectenna solar modules would be achievable.This research project addresses the two major scientific obstacles preventing the development of a working rectenna at the THz frequency range: (a) Plasmonic emitters will be designed to selectively emit radiation centered around the working frequency of the antenna (~30THz). Carefully chosen dimensions of periodic gratings and suitable materials will be used to design an emitter to selectively emit around the frequency of interest. (b) Tunnel diodes with MIM/MIIM configurations will be fabricated to rectify the radiation captured by the nanoantenna. The deposition of a conformal monolayer of uniform and pinhole free insulator(s) onto the bottom metal surface is required for a successful diode. In addition, a diode will be developed that can have a higher degree of asymmetry, sensitivity and sharp turn-on voltage. Resonant tunneling diodes with multiple insulating layers can exhibit nonlinear and asymmetric I-V characteristics which makes them well suited for rectification purposes at high frequencies. Such MIM/MIIM diodes will have THz switching capability while maintaining low resistance to match the antenna impedance. An array of nanoantennas and fabricated rectifiers can be used in energy harvesting and detection applications. The program will integrate research and education and promote teaching, training and learning at all levels for rectenna applications in energy harvesting and detectors.

对太阳能利用的日益增长的兴趣极大地刺激了光伏领域的研究，尽管大多数光伏设备仍然限制在大约20%到30%的最大转换效率。与大多数其他能量收集装置相比，已发现整流天线的功率转换效率在2.45GHz时大于85%。整流天线基本上是一种捕捉电磁辐射并通过整流器（二极管）将其转换为直流（DC）的天线。由于缺乏可以在可见光和近红外（IR）范围内的高太阳辐射频率下进行整流的二极管，因此可以设计一种更实用的整流天线，首先捕获太阳辐射，然后使用创新的频率选择发射器将其转换为~30太赫兹范围内的IR。一旦能量被缩小到~30THz频率范围，就可以使用使用量子隧穿机制操作的二极管进行整流。金属-绝缘体-金属（MIM/MIIM）二极管的整流特性可用于能量转换装置或探测器，其中探测器使用外部电路放大整流信号，能量采集器使用整流信号作为可用功率。在一个工作的整流天线的成功演示和由于廉价和广泛的材料需要的卷对卷制造整流天线，非常高效和低成本（每瓦几美分）的整流太阳能模块是可以实现的。该研究项目解决了阻碍在太赫兹频率范围内工作的整流天线发展的两个主要科学障碍：(a)等离子体发射器将被设计为选择性地发射以天线工作频率（~30THz）为中心的辐射。精心选择的周期光栅尺寸和合适的材料将用于设计一个发射器，以选择性地在感兴趣的频率附近发射。(b)将制造具有MIM/MIIM结构的隧道二极管，以校正纳米天线捕获的辐射。一个成功的二极管需要在底部金属表面沉积一层均匀且无针孔的共形单层绝缘体。此外，一种二极管将被开发，可以有更高程度的不对称，灵敏度和尖锐的导通电压。具有多层绝缘层的谐振隧道二极管具有非线性和非对称的I-V特性，这使得它们非常适合用于高频整流目的。这种MIM/MIIM二极管将具有太赫兹开关能力，同时保持低电阻以匹配天线阻抗。纳米天线阵列和整流器可用于能量收集和探测应用。该项目将整合研究和教育，并促进在能量收集和探测器中应用整流天线的各级教学、培训和学习。