Compact Microwave Rectifier with Wide Input Power Dynamic Range Based on Integrated Impedance Compression Network

Abstract

A compact rectifier with high efficiency at wide input power dynamic range is proposed in this paper. The circuit consists of a matching network, two shunt connected diodes with an integrated impedance compression network (IICN) and a dc-pass filter. The IICN significantly reduces the diode impedance variation when input power changes, hence improves matching as well as efficiency of the rectifier at wide input power dynamic range. Different from the conventional resistance/impedance compression networks, which can only work under certain impedance condition with dual-branch topology, the IICN can directly operate two diodes in parallel in a single-branch with no impedance limitation. Thus, less components and branch are needed, resulting in size reduction and lower circuit complexity. The design flexibility is also enhanced. Mechanism of the IICN is analyzed. A prototype operating at 2.45 GHz is optimized, fabricated and measured. The total size of the prototype is 0.18λ2. The efficiency higher than 70% of the peak value is realized at input power ranging from 0.8 dBm to 18.0 dBm.