Design and performance of a micro-rectenna focal plane array for thermal energy harvesting

In this paper, we present the design and experimental implementation of a thermal energy harvesting device. Each energy-harvesting unit cell functions as an individual micro-rectenna and, collectively, as a focal plane array (FPA). The FPA is fabricated out of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well using electron beam lithography (EBL) and photolithography methods, and consists of micro-rectenna unit cells arranged on a square lattice of 11 by 11 elements. The micro-rectenna, consisting of a high-speed diode (self-switching diode) and a broadband bowtie antenna, can convert thermal radiation into dc electric power (Y. Pan, C. V. Powell, A. M. Song and C. Balocco, Applied Physics Letter, 105, 253901, 2014).