Energy free microwave based signal communication using ratchet effect

The ratchet based microwave detectors are implemented as receivers of amplitude, frequency, and pulse width modulated signals. The detector has a peak responsivity of 994 V/W and has excellent signal to noise ratio in the measurement bandwidth with its noise equivalent power of about 0.01 pico W/root Hz and 6.3 x 10(7) cm root Hz/W detectivity. The frequency limit of detection can be tuned by a suitable choice of the antidot parameters. The advantages of the utilizing ratchet based active antennas are simple circuitry, controllable spectral range, no power consumption, and natural rejection of stray electromagnetic radiations. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4756786]