Metal single-insulator and multi-insulator diodes for rectenna solar cells

Abstract

Metal/insulator/metal (MIM) diodes work on the inherently fast mechanism of tunneling and have been used in a number of high-frequency applications. This makes them a promising candidate as the rectifying element in rectenna solar cells. In this chapter we describe the operating mechanism of these diodes and review the work done on using them in rectennas. We also provide a simulation methodology to accurately model low-barrier MIM diodes that are used in rectennas. Analytical models based on the WKB method for probability of tunneling are not well suited for analyzing such diodes. We simulate single-insulator (MIM) diodes with varying asymmetry to point out their limited nonlinearity. We also simulate double-insulator (MIIM) diodes that have improved nonlinearity as compared to MIM diodes providing a path for designing more efficient multi-insulator diodes.