Integration of piezoelectric energy harvesting and antenna elements on a common substrate

A patch antenna integrated onto a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) substrate is introduced. The patch antenna is designed for operation at 12.5 GHz and the PVDF material is sputtered with copper to host the antenna and ground plane. The measured reflection coefficient and antenna radiation patterns are shown to be in good agreement with HFSS simulations. In addition, energy harvesting properties of the material are investigated through an excitation of the fundamental cantilever mode of the substrate. Trade offs between optimal antenna and substrate configurations are also considered to maximize power output while maintaining minimal system impact. Results show that the structure is capable of simultaneously acting as both an energy harvesting device and antenna.