Feasibility of Ambient RF Energy Harvesting for Self-Sustainable M2M Communications Using Transparent and Flexible Graphene Antennas
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2016

Lifetime is a critical parameter in ubiquitous, battery-operated sensors for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems, an emerging part of the future Internet of Things. In this practical article, the performance of radio frequency (RF) to DC energy converters using transparent and flexible rectennas based on graphene in an ambient RF energyharvesting scenario is evaluated. Full-wave EM simulations of a dipole antenna assuming the reported state-of-the-art sheet resistance for few-layer, transparent graphene yields an estimated ohmic efficiency of 5 %. In the power budget calculation, the low efficiency of transparent graphene antennas is an issue because of the relatively low amount of available ambient RF energy in the frequency bands of interest, which together sets an upper limit on the harvested energy available for the RF-powered device. Using a commercial diode rectifier and an off-the-shelf wireless system for sensor communication, the graphene-based solution provides only a limited battery lifetime extension. However, for ultra-low-power technologies currently at the research stage, more advantageous ambient energy levels, or other use cases with infrequent data transmission, graphene-based solutions may be more feasible.

Energy harvesting

machine-to-machine communcations

graphene

flexible electronics

rectennas

Författare

MICHAEL ANDERSSON

Chalmers, Mikroteknologi och nanovetenskap, Terahertz- och millimetervågsteknik

Ayca Ozcelikkale

Chalmers, Signaler och system, Signalbehandling och medicinsk teknik

Martin Johansson

Ericsson AB

Ulrika Engström

Ericsson AB

Andrei Vorobiev

Chalmers, Mikroteknologi och nanovetenskap, Terahertz- och millimetervågsteknik

Jan Stake

Chalmers, Mikroteknologi och nanovetenskap, Terahertz- och millimetervågsteknik

IEEE Access

2169-3536 (ISSN) 21693536 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 5850-5857

RF energy harvesting for M2M communication

VINNOVA (2015-01439), 2015-08-01 -- 2016-01-31.

Styrkeområden

Informations- och kommunikationsteknik

Energi

Drivkrafter

Innovation och entreprenörskap

Ämneskategorier

Kommunikationssystem

Annan elektroteknik och elektronik

DOI

10.1109/ACCESS.2016.2604078

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2021-03-31