Performance Analysis of Low Power Radio Frequency Micro Energy Harvester using MEMS Antenna for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing tendency of interest from researchers to use ambient energy to power electronic equipment using various energy harvesting techniques. Micro energy harvesting is a potential technique to convert ambient energy from the environment to electrical energy. The wireless sensor network requires a constant source of electrical energy to activate it and the radio frequency (RF) ambient energy source that always exists in the environment is very suitable for use. Therefore, the designed and developed RF micro energy harvester consisting of an impedance matching circuit, a voltage multiplier and a rectifier circuit does not require an external energy source to activate it. This RF micro energy harvester circuit is constructed and simulated using PSPICE software by connecting a 1 MΩ load resistor. At an input power of -20 dBm or 10 μW captured by the MEMS antenna, the values of the output voltage and current produced in this energy harvester circuit are 2.36 V and 1.7 mA, respectively. Meanwhile, the maximum efficiency percentage of the entire RF micro energy harvester circuit is 55.7%. The output power value of 40.12 mW is higher than the input power value of 10 μW. This RF micro energy harvester is capable of activating a wireless sensor network with a minimum input current requirement of 1 mA. An integrated circuit layout using 180 nm CMOS technology for a multiplier circuit has been successfully developed with a very small size of 22.48 x 56.96 μm2 as proof that the circuit can be fabricated as an integrated circuit chip.