Microscale Chiral Rectennas for Energy Harvesting.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Physics

Background:

• Wireless radiofrequency rectifiers are crucial for powering Internet of Things (IoT) devices by harvesting ambient electromagnetic radiation.
• Current Schottky diode-based rectifiers have limitations in high-frequency, low-power applications, necessitating bulky antennas and hindering miniaturization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate wireless rectification at GHz frequencies using a microscale device based on single chiral tellurium.
• To investigate the origin of rectification in tellurium and explore its tuneability for advanced applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microscale device using single chiral tellurium.
• Characterization of wireless rectification performance at GHz frequencies and extremely low input powers.
• Analysis of crystal symmetry and temperature dependence to understand the rectification mechanism.
• Investigation of electrostatic gate modulation on rectification output.

Main Results:

• Achieved wireless rectification at GHz frequencies in a microscale tellurium device with ultra-low input power.
• Demonstrated that the rectification originates from the intrinsic nonlinear conductivity of tellurium, linked to its crystal symmetry.
• Showcased the ability to electrostatically tune the rectification output.

Conclusions:

• Single chiral tellurium enables efficient, tuneable microscale wireless rectification at GHz frequencies.
• The intrinsic nonlinear conductivity of tellurium is key to its performance, offering a pathway to miniaturized, gate-tunable power harvesting solutions for IoT.