Tunneling full-wave infrared rectenna
| DWPI Title: Apparatus or rectenna for converting electromagnetic energy to electrical output, comprises semiconductor body comprising alternating regions of doped semiconductor embedded in host semiconductor material that is more lightly doped, metallic grating overlies body and includes set of grating units |
| Abstract: A rectenna is used for full-wave rectification of infrared radiation to produce electricity. In the rectenna, a metallic grating overlies a semiconductor body. A tunnel barrier is interposed between each grating element and the semiconductor body. Each of the grating elements overlies a bridge pair consisting of a region of n+-doped semiconductor and a region of p+-doped semiconductor, both of which are embedded in more lightly doped host semiconductor material. Each of the two regions that compose the bridge pair forms a rectifying tunnel junction through a tunnel barrier to at least one overlying grating element. Each of the two regions also forms a semiconductor junction with the host semiconductor material. |
| Use: Apparatus for direct conversion and detection of electromagnetic energy in microwave region of electromagnetic spectrum. Also used for direct conversion of microwave radiation using discrete diode elements and well-established antenna designs with impedance matching. |
| Advantage: The rectenna can convert infrared radiation to electrical energy with full-wave rectification. |
| Novelty: Rectenna comprises a semiconductor body with alternating regions of n+ and p+ doped semiconductor embedded in a host semiconductor material that is more lightly doped than the alternating regions. The metallic grating overlies the body and includes a set of grating units. The tunnel barrier is interposed between the grating unit and the body, where each of the units overlies a respective bridge pair consisting of the n+ doped region and a neighboring p+ doped region. The terminals allow a load current to pass between the p+ and n+ regions of each bridge pair. The substrate (100) includes a lower bulk portion (105) and an upper surface portion (110) that is conformed as a set of ridges (115) that are separated from each other by isolation trenches. The nanoantenna elements all join a bus bar (125), which is contacted by metal vias (130). |
| Filed: 12/4/2019 |
| Application Number: US16702732A |
| Tech ID: SD 14802.1 |
| 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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