Rectenna that converts infrared radiation to electrical energy
| DWPI Title: Rectenna e.g. for generating electrical energy based upon waste heat emitted from heat source has insulator layer formed between aluminum Nano antenna and conductive layer, with conductive layer formed with ridges |
| Abstract: Technologies pertaining to converting infrared (IR) radiation to DC energy are described herein. In a general embodiment, a rectenna comprises a conductive layer. A thin insulator layer is formed on the conductive layer, and a nanoantenna is formed on the thin insulator layer. The thin insulator layer acts as a tunnel junction of a tunnel diode. |
| Use: Rectenna e.g. for generating electrical energy based upon waste heat emitted from heat source. |
| Advantage: Large transverse field in the Nano scale gap enhances the tunneling current under bias since the transverse field appears as distributed bias voltage across the tunnel diode of the rectenna. |
| Novelty: The rectenna (200) has aluminum Nano antenna (202) integrated with the tunnel diode. The rectenna converts infrared (IR) radiation incident upon the rectenna to direct current (DC) energy. An insulator layer (308) is formed between the aluminum Nano antenna and the conductive layer (204), with the conductive layer formed with ridges. The conductive layer can be made from n-type substrate, p-type substrate or metal while the insulator layer is made from silicon dioxide (310). |
| Filed: 8/25/2015 |
| Application Number: US14834514A |
| Tech ID: SD 13324.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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