A Scalable, Dual-Band Absorber Surface for Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting and Wireless Power Transfer

We present a dual-band electromagnetic (EM) energy harvesting surface that is designed for absorbing EM energy in the GSM-1800 and Wi-Fi bands. The unit cell of the periodic structure incorporates two bow-tie dipoles and a resistive load demonstrating excellent absorption characteristics with minimal dielectric losses. The unit cell geometry also incorporates channeling traces, which makes it possible to combine multiple cells together and increase the collected power per load. To measure its performance, we designed a full-wave rectifier and integrated it with the absorber surface in three different configurations. Prototypes were fabricated and tested, with measurement results demonstrating the benefit of combining multiple unit cells into one rectifier. We conclude by discussing the feasibility of a scalable energy harvesting concept for low-power-density environments.

Automated summary

The study introduces a dual-band electromagnetic energy harvesting surface with excellent absorption characteristics and minimal dielectric losses. By combining multiple unit cells together, the collected power per load can be increased, as demonstrated in experiments. The feasibility of a scalable energy harvesting concept for low-power-density environments is discussed in the conclusion.