This paper presents a novel broadband rectenna for ambient wireless energy harvesting over the frequency band from 1.8 to 2.5 GHz. First of all, the characteristics of the ambient radio-frequency energy are studied. The results are then used to aid the design of a new rectenna. A novel two-branch impedance matching circuit is introduced to enhance the performance and efficiency of the rectenna at a relatively low ambient input power level. A novel broadband dual-polarized cross-dipole antenna is proposed which has embedded harmonic rejection property and can reject the second and third harmonics to further improve the rectenna efficiency. The measured power sensitivity of this design is down to -35 dBm and the conversion efficiency reaches 55% when the input power to the rectifier is -10 dBm. It is demonstrated that the output power from the proposed rectenna is higher than the other published designs with a similar antenna size under the same ambient condition. The proposed broadband rectenna could be used to power many low-power electronic devices and sensors and found a range of potential applications.

A novel six-band dual circular polarization (CP) rectenna for ambient radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting is presented. Due to the nonlinearity and complex input impedance of the rectifying circuit, the design of a multiband and/or broadband rectenna is always challenging and its performance can be easily affected by variation in the input power level and load. Therefore, an improved impedance matching technique is introduced, which is aimed to improve the performance of the rectifier with a varying condition. A broadband dual CP receiving antenna is proposed, which has a very wide bandwidth (from 550 to 2.5 GHz) and a compact size. An annular ring structure and a novel feeding technique are employed in order to reduce the size and improve the antenna performance. As a result, the proposed rectenna is the first design that covers six frequency bands, including part of the digital TV and most cellular mobile and WLAN bands in the U.K., while the optimal load range for a constant conversion efficiency is from 10 to 75 kΩ. The measured results show that the maximum harvested dc power of the rectenna in typical outdoor and indoor environments are 26 and 8 μW, respectively; it can therefore be applied to a range of low-power wireless applications.

Impedance matching networks for nonlinear devices such as amplifiers and rectifiers are normally very challenging to design, particularly for broadband and multiband devices. A novel design concept for a broadband high-efficiency rectenna without using matching networks is presented in this paper for the first time. An off-center-fed dipole antenna with relatively high input impedance over a wide frequency band is proposed. The antenna impedance can be tuned to the desired value and directly provides a complex conjugate match to the impedance of a rectifier. The received RF power by the antenna can be delivered to the rectifier efficiently without using impedance matching networks; thus, the proposed rectenna is of a simple structure, low cost, and compact size. In addition, the rectenna can work well under different operating conditions and using different types of rectifying diodes. A rectenna has been designed and made based on this concept. The measured results show that the rectenna is of high power conversion efficiency (more than 60%) in two wide bands, which are 0.9-1.1 and 1.8-2.5 GHz, for mobile, Wi-Fi, and ISM bands. Moreover, by using different diodes, the rectenna can maintain its wide bandwidth and high efficiency over a wide range of input power levels (from 0 to 23 dBm) and load values (from 200 to 2000 Ω). It is, therefore, suitable for high-efficiency wireless power transfer or energy harvesting applications. The proposed rectenna is general and simple in structure without the need for a matching network hence is of great significance for many applications.

The liquid antenna, as a new member of the antenna family, has drawn significant and increasing attention from both academia and industry due to its unique features. In this paper, a comprehensive review on this technology is presented which covers both metallic and non-metallic liquid antennas. Non-metallic liquid antennas are further divided into water-based and non-water-based liquid antennas. We first review and compare different liquid antennas and highlight the major developments in the past. Detailed discussions on state-of-the-art designs and current technical challenges are then presented, and finally the ways forward for the future are suggested. As a special feature, an in-depth review and discussion on materials for liquid antennas are provided which was not well covered in the literature in the past, important properties of selected materials are given in three comparison tables which can serve as antenna material selection references. It is shown that Galinstan is probably the best choice for metallic liquid antennas while ionic liquid materials are the preferred choice for dielectric liquid antennas. The challenges of making the liquid antenna for real-world applications are identified and discussed. It is believed that a liquid antenna implemented in radio systems is probably just around the corner.

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand, the demand for the use of energy-efficient circuits and battery-less devices has grown rapidly. Battery-less operation, zero maintenance and sustainability are the desired features of IoT devices in fifth generation (5G) networks and green Industry 4.0 wireless systems. The integration of energy harvesting systems, IoT devices and 5G networks has the potential impact to digitalize and revolutionize various industries such as Industry 4.0, agriculture, food, and healthcare, by enabling real-time data collection and analysis, mitigating maintenance costs, and improving efficiency. Energy harvesting plays a crucial role in envisioning a low-carbon Net Zero future and holds significant political importance. This survey aims at providing a comprehensive review on various energy harvesting techniques including radio frequency (RF), multi-source hybrid and energy harvesting using additive manufacturing technologies. However, special emphasis is given to RF-based energy harvesting methodologies tailored for battery-free wireless sensing, and powering autonomous low-power electronic circuits and IoT devices. The key design challenges and applications of energy harvesting techniques, as well as the future perspective of System on Chip (SoC) implementation, data digitization in Industry 4.0, next-generation IoT devices, and 5G communications are discussed.

A dual-band and polarization-angle-independent rectifying metasurface (MS) with a miniaturized dimension and a wide incident angle range are presented in this article. The proposed structure consists of a single layer of periodic cell arrays with integrated diodes, a dc feed, and a load. A novel method of incorporating surface-mount components (e.g., diodes) into the texture is developed to simplify the structure. The matching network between MS and the nonlinear rectifier can be eliminated directly due to the multimode resonance and adjustable high-impedance characteristics of the MS. Moreover, the proposed MS can maintain high conversion efficiency by using different diodes without changing the overall topology. In addition, the proposed design can effectively capture incoming waves with arbitrary polarizations and a wide incident angle range of 60°. The 4 × 4 MS array is fabricated and measured. Experimental results show that the proposed structure can achieve maximum efficiency of 58% at 2.4 GHz and 50% at 5.8 GHz with an input power of 0 dBm under different polarizations and incident angles. Importantly, it is also shown that the rectifying MS can maintain high efficiency over a wide power range from -3 to 10 dBm. The proposed design concept is very suitable for the adaptive wireless power supply of portable devices.