New 5.8-GHz circularly polarized retrodirective rectenna arrays for wireless power transmission

This paper proposes two new circularly polarized retrodirective rectenna arrays, including a 2 x 2 array and a 4 x 4 array. A proximity-coupled microstrip ring antenna is used as the retrodirective rectenna array element, which can automatically block harmonic signals up to the third order from reradiating by the rectifying circuit. These arrays are printed on a Rogers Duroid 5880 substrate of epsilon(r) = 2.2 with a two-layer structure, with a total thickness of 1.5748 mm (or 62 mil). The new retrodirective rectenna array can track the incoming power source signals automatically and is less sensitive to the power incident angle variations, i.e., main-beam alignment deviation. It can provide a nearly constant dc output voltage within +/- 10 degrees and 90% dc output voltage within +/- 45 degrees. The conversion efficiencies of the two arrays are 73.3% and 55%, respectively, when the power density is 10 mW/cm(2). The retrodirective rectenna array can be used in the low-power density applications for microwave wireless power transmissions.