A Design of Self-biased Cross Coupled Rectifier with Integrated Dual Threshold Voltage for RF Energy Harvesting Application

Abstract

Abstract: RF signal is seemingly ubiquitous, these days. Majority of the devices that people are using today are continuously generating RF signals. Apparently, only a portion of these signals are being utilized and the greater part of it becomes wasted energy. However, these signals can be taken advantaged off. Scavenging techniques have raised to popularity because of its potential to convert ambient energy to usable electrical energy. It can be done by means of energy harvesting. Presented in this paper is a design of self-biased cross coupled rectifier that operates in Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) frequency band which is suitable for Energy Harvesting Application. The design is implemented in 65nm CMOS Process Technology. It also introduces integrated dual threshold technique which further improved performance of the rectifier. At six (6) stages, the rectifier was able to extract 1.52 V usable DC voltage and attained a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.81%.