Single GaN Schottky Diode 5.8GHz Rectifier Module Achieving High Efficiency Over an Extremely Wide RF Input Power Range

This paper presents a highly-efficient hybrid single-diode rectifier module for the 5.8 GHz band providing a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) over a very wide RF input power range. The input band-pass, the output low-pass as well as the middle branch higher harmonics filter are realized on a PCB. The GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) developed at the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) is bonded in shunt configuration via gold bond ribbons to the board. The rectifier achieves at a load resistance of 90Ω a maximum PCE of 68.3% for an available RF input power of 38 dBm, converted to a DC output voltage of 19.7 V. The most remarkable feature of the developed rectifier is that it shows a PCE of > 60% across a very wide RF input power range of 25–40 dBm. This is at least 3 dB more than all other single GaN SBD realizations published so far.