Diode Modeling for Rectenna Design

Jonathan Hansen* and Kai Chang

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-3128, U.S.A.
E-mail: JonH@tamu.edu

Abstract—A method of modeling a diode for use in rectenna

design is presented. The method uses measured S-parameters to
define values of an equivalent circuit model which is comprised of
both voltage-dependent and voltage-independent components
which are systematically isolated from one another to allow their
values to be determined independently. The model is designed to
be used in the Agilent ADS simulation software. Figure 1. Basic rectenna circuit layout.

Keywords-diodes; modeling; power transmission; rectennas;

shottky diodes; simulation
I. INTRODUCTION
The rectenna (rectifying antenna) is a critical component for
wireless power transmission (WPT) systems in which
microwave power is transmitted from one location to another.
It consists of a receiving antenna which collects microwave
power and a rectifier which converts this microwave power
into DC power. The rectenna finds use in applications such as
space power transmission (SPT) [1], wireless sensors [2], RFID
tags [3], recycling ambient microwave energy [4], and
powering devices in hazardous or difficult to reach places [5].
A thorough review of rectenna history and technology can be
found in [6].
The basic layout of a rectenna circuit is illustrated in Fig. 1.
It consists of an antenna, a harmonic rejection filter, a diode, a
DC-pass filter (capacitor), and a load. The harmonic rejection
filter rejects the harmonics created by the diode due to its non-
linear behavior and prevents these harmonics from being
reradiated from the antenna. The diode converts the microwave
power into DC power, and the DC-pass filter reflects any
unconverted microwave power back to the diode and prevents
microwave power from reaching the load.
All components, except for the diode, can be easily
modeled in available electromagnetic simulators. The
parameters of different diodes vary and are not always
provided by the manufacturer. When it is desirable to use a
diode without a provided model, it is advantageous to the
design process to create a diode model so that the entire
rectenna can be simulated. This will allow for new rectenna
designs to be simulated and avoid unnecessary fabrication and
testing.
Device models are usually not completely generic and must
be designed to work in the target application. For use in
rectenna modeling, a nonlinear harmonic balance simulator is
utilized, so the model must be compatible with this type of
simulation. To create the model, S-parameters are measured
and then fit to a circuit model. Software packages can be used
for this fitting, but if this software is not available, another
method must be used. It can be difficult to choose correct
values for the model parameters, and once parameter values are
chosen, they are usually not unique. A method which
systematically isolates the model’s voltage-dependent
components from its voltage-independent components can be
utilized for this fitting [7]. This method is carried out in two
steps. The first step is to find the negative value components
which can be added to the circuit to cancel out the effect of the
voltage-independent components. This will give the values of
the voltage-independent components. The second step is to
calculate the voltage-dependent components using the data
which results after step one is completed.
II. DIODE MODELING
A popular diode used in rectenna design is the M/A-COM
Schottky barrier diode (MA4E1317). This diode will be
modeled for use in a 5.8 GHz rectenna system. The model is
based on a standard diode equivalent circuit as seen in Fig. 2
[8]. This model consists of four voltage-independent
components and two voltage-dependent components. S-
parameter measurements of the diode are taken at numerous
bias levels using the TRL calibration method [9] with 20 mil
RT/Duroid 5880 substrate which has a dielectric constant of
2.2. A frequency range of 4-13 GHz is measured to capture the
fundamental frequency and the second harmonic.
Figure 2. Equivalent circuit of the diode.

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 The measured data must be fit to the equivalent circuit (Fig.
2). A convenient method to fit the data is to systematically
isolate the voltage-independent components from the voltage-
dependent components [7]. Within a circuit simulator, circuit
components with values which are the negative of the voltage-
independent components can be added to the diode model to
cancel the effect of the voltage-independent components so that
only the voltage-dependent components remain (Fig. 3). If the
circuit is simplified and only the voltage-dependent
components remain, then the Y-parameters will be a series of
straight lines as seen in Fig. 4.
Using the Agilent ADS circuit simulator, the measured S-
parameters replace the diode equivalent circuit, and the
negative components are added as shown in Fig. 3. The
negative components are then varied while observing the
resulting Y-parameters. When the negative components are
successfully tuned such that the Y-parameters are a series of
straight lines as in Fig. 4, then the effect of the voltage-
independent parameters have been cancelled and their values
determined. These values are found to be Rs = 0.5 ȍ, Lp = 0.26
nH, Cp = 0.01 pF, and Cb = 0.04 pF.
The values of voltage-dependent components at the
different bias levels can then be determined from the Y-
parameters which result from the previous step. Since
real (Y11 ) = 1 R j (V j )
Rj(Vj) can be determined from the real part of Y11 and Cj(Vj) can
be determined from the imaginary part of Y11.
A series of (Vj, Rj) data points is calculated (one for each
measured bias level). The Rj(Vj) data is then converted to a
current by
I j = Vj Rj , (3)
and the equation
V j nVt
I j = I 0 (e − 1) (4)
is fit to the data using a least squares method which gives I0 =
1.193 x 10-11 A and n = 1.290. The constant Vt is the thermal
voltage which is equal to kT/q and has a value of 25.69 mV at
25°C. The fit curve and the (Vj, Ij) data points can be seen in
Fig. 5.
A charged-based model [10] is used to represent the
voltage-dependent capacitor since using a nonlinear capacitor
component can create convergence problems in a harmonic
balance simulation. A series of (Vj, Cj) data points is calculated
(one for each measured bias level) from the imaginary part of
Y11. The equation for junction capacitance
(1)

­C jr (V j ) , V j ≤ αV0 (reverse bias)

C j (V j ) = ® (5)
imag (Y11 ) = ωC j (V j ) , (2) ¯C jf (V j ) , V j > αV0 (forward bias)

V0
C jr (V j ) = C0 (6)
V0 − V j

C jf (V j ) = C jr (αV0 ) + C jr′ (αV0 ) (V j − αV0 ) (7)

Figure 3. Components added to cancel the voltage-independent
components’ effect. The components within the dotted box represent the
diode model. This can be replaced with measured S-parameters.
is fit to the Cj(Vj) data using a least squares method which gives
C0 = 1.771 x 10-14 F, V0 = 0.7424 V, and Į = 0.9942. The
160

imag(Y11) = ʘCj(Vj) Measured Data

real(Y11) = 1 / Rj(Vj)
Fit Curve

Vj = V3 120

Vj = V3 Vj = V2
Ij (mA)

80
Vj = V2
Vj = V1
40
Vj = V1

0
freq freq 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80
Vj (V)
Figure 4. Y-parameters of remaining voltage-dependent components.
The different lines represent different bias voltages. Figure 5. Ij curve fit to data.

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variable Į is used to extend the range of the equation into the
forward-biased region and prevent Cjr(Vj) from blowing up at C0 § (V j − αV0 ) ·
2

Q jf (V j ) = ¨ j
V − α V0
+ ¸ + Q jr (αV0 ) . (11)
Vj = V0. The fit curve and the (Vj, Cj) data points can be seen in 1−α © 4V0 (1 − α ) ¹
Fig. 6. To work as a charge-based model, Cj(Vj) must be
converted to a charge using
The voltage-dependent capacitor is then implemented in ADS
using a symbolically defined device as
Q(v) = ³ C (vˆ)dvˆ + Q0 . (8)
d
Substituting (5) into (8) gives
I=
dt
( Q(V j ) ) . (12)

­Q jr (V j ) , V j ≤ αV0 (reverse bias) III. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Q j (V j ) = ® (9)
¯Q jf (V j ) , V j > αV0 (forward bias) The voltage-independent components were found by
adjusting their values such that the Y-parameters appeared as a
series of straight lines. The voltage-dependent components
were then derived by fitting curves to data points obtained from
Q jr (V j ) = −2C0 V0 (V0 − V j ) (10) the straight-lined Y-parameters. A charged-based capacitor
model was used in lieu of an ADS nonlinear capacitor
component to avoid harmonic balance convergence issues.
1.6
The implementation of the model in Agilent ADS is shown
Measured Data
Fit Curve
in Fig. 7. Symbolically defined devices were used to
1.2 implement both the voltage-dependent current source and the
voltage-dependent capacitor (implemented as a charge source).
The S-parameters of the model show a good match to the
Cj (pF)

0.8
measured S-parameters and can be seen at a few of the bias
levels in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Eighteen bias levels were measured,
0.4
but only a few are shown in order to make the graphs more
readable. This diode model can be used in an electromagnetic
simulator, such as ADS, in conjunction with the other rectenna
0.0
0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80
components (which are easily modeled) to simulate a
Vj (V) rectenna’s performance. This will greatly improve rectenna
Figure 6. Cj curve fit to data.
design time and prevent unnecessary fabrication and testing.

Figure 7. Schematic of diode model in Agilent ADS.

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 0 90

-2

-4

-6 45

S21 (degrees)
S21 (dB)

-8

-10

-12 0
0.83 V bias
-14 0.83 V bias
0.71 V bias
0.67 V bias Simulated
Simulated 0.59 V bias
-16 0.59 V bias Measured
Measured -5.0 V bias
-5.0 V bias
-18 -45
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)

Figure 8. Measured and simulated S21 magnitude. Figure 9. Measured and simulated S21 phase.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank Mr. Ming-Yi Li of Texas
A&M University for his technical assistance.
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