Artificial Neural Network model of zero-bias
Schottky diode for energy harvesting
Branka Milosevic, Milos Radovanovic, Branka Jokanovic, and Zlatica Marinkovic
 this measurement can perform frequency sweep automatically,
Abstract— In this paper, S-parameters of SMS 7630 zero-bias
Schottky diode are modeled with artificial neural network
(ANN). A single network is trained with data obtained from
measurements using vector network analyzer. Frequency band
of those measurements is 0.5 – 5 GHz, with 0.01 GHz step, and
input power is ranging from -25 dBm to 5 dBm, in 5 dBm
increment. Learning and generalization capability of the
developed ANN were tested, and results turned up to be
satisfactory and useful, especially considering limited number of
different input powers for network training.
Keywords—Artificial neural networks, S-parameters, zero-
bias Schottky diode, RF energy harvesting.
I. INTRODUCTION
One of the most common use cases for zero-bias Schottky
diodes is as a rectifying element in RF energy harvesting
applications. RF energy harvesting is a procedure where
ambient electromagnetic radiation is collected, stored, and
later used, usually by ultra-low power devices. Basic elements
of RF energy harvesting system are antenna, rectifier and
power management circuitry. Combination of antenna and
rectifier is often referred in literature with a common name
rectenna [1].
Design of the rectenna can be a challenging issue. One of
the problems is that ambient electromagnetic field usually has
very low power density, which means that rectification
element should be able to operate on low input power levels.
One of the most frequently used rectification elements is SMS
7630 zero bias Schottky diode.
There are several different frequency bands that can be
suitable for RF energy harvesting, i.e. 900 MHz and 1800
MHz GSM, or 2.45 GHz and 5 GHz ISM. For that reason,
designing broadband or multiband antenna is desirable, but it
is also important to know behavior of rectifier at those
frequencies. In [2], multiple measurements were performed on
SMS 7630 diode, with frequency of the measurement
changing from 0.5 to 5 GHz. Input power of diode was also
varied from -25 to 5 dBm. Vector network analyzer used for
Branka Milosevic, Branka Jokanovic and Milos Radovanovic are with
Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica
118, 11080 Pregrevica, Serbia (e-mails: brankam@ipb.ac.rs,
brankaj@ipb.ac.rs, rmilos@ipb.ac.rs ).
Zlatica Marinkovic is with the Faculty of Electronic Engineering,
University of Nis, Aleksandra Medvedeva 14, 18000 Nis, Serbia (e-mail:
first.author@elfak.ni.ac.rs).
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while changing input power level is more complicated and
requires permanent power calibration at the diode input. For
that reason, S-parameters of the diode were measured only for
7 different values of input power: -25 dBm, -20 dBm, -15
dBm, -10 dBm, -5 dBm, 0 dBm and 5 dBm. In order to obtain
a more complete model of the diode for arbitrary value of
input power, the proposed artificial neural network (ANN)
was trained with measured data.
ANNs can be used in various applications, due to their
learning and generalization abilities. Using them for modeling
in RF and microwaves field is beneficial, because it allows us
to accurately reproduce S-parameters of the device, without
knowing its equivalent circuit model.
This paper is organized as follows: second chapter
describes standard multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural
network used for modeling SMS 7630 diode. Third chapter
shows the results of the neural network training, and compares
the results from network with data obtained via measurement,
that are not used in training process. At the end of the paper,
conclusion is given.
II. NEURAL NETWORK MODEL
Standard MLP ANN consists of basic processing elements
called neurons. Neurons are grouped into layers: an input
layer (IL), an output layer (OL), and several hidden layers
(HL) [3]. ANN with one HL is shown in Fig. 1, where
neurons are represented as circles. Depending on the number
of HL, we can differentiate between shallow neural network,
that has one or two HL, and deep neural network, which has
multiple. ANN used in this paper has two HLs, because it was
concluded that it provides the best results with the smallest
number of neurons.
Hidden layers
Input layer
Output layer
...
...
...
Fig. 1. Multilayer perceptron neural network
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 As shown in Fig. 1., each neuron is connected to all
neurons from the previous and next layer, but there are no
connections among neurons that belong to the same layer.
Every connection has a number assigned to it, which is called
weight. A neuron is characterized by a transfer function, and
in our model neurons in IL and OL have linear transfer
function, while neurons in HL have hyperbolic tangent
sigmoid transfer function.
In feedforward network, information flows forward from
the IL, through the HL, to the OL. During the training
process, ANN learns relationship among sets of input-output
data (training sets) by regulating network connection weights
and thresholds of activation functions. Most frequently used
algorithm for training of ANNs is backpropagation algorithm
[3]. In this paper, Levenberg Marquardt algorithm is used,
which is a modification of backpropagation algorithm [2].
After completed training process, the network provides fast
response for different inputs without further modifications in
its structure.
Generalization ability of ANN is ability to generate a
correct response even for the input values that weren’t part of Fig. 2. Regression
the initial training set. Due to their generalization ability,
ANNs are often used in the field of RF and microwaves for
developing device models from the measured characteristics
[5-8]. In our case, considering that S-parameters of the SMS
7630 diode were measured, ANN model of the diode will give
us the opportunity to perform more precise simulations for
complete rectenna.
In this paper, input data for ANN are frequency and input
power, while targets are all four S-parameters. Considering
that each S-parameter is a complex number, our neural
network has total of 8 outputs, and 2 inputs. Network has two
hidden layers, and each HL is made of 5 neurons.

III. RESULTS AND COMPARISON

Training of the ANN was completed in 114 epochs, with

mean squared error (MSE) equal to 4.52 x 10-6. Regression is
presented on Fig. 2., and error histogram at Fig. 3. Ideally,
regression should be equal to 1, while MSE should be as small
as possible. For a perfect fit, at Fig. 2., measured data would
fall along a 45 degree line, which would mean that the
network outputs are equal to the targets. It can be concluded
that in our case, fit is reasonably good.
Fig. 3. Error histogram
In order to test the network, we didn’t use full set of
measured data for training. Instead, we chose to exclude all
data that was measured for every second value of input power,
i.e. 0 dBm, -10 dBm and -20 dBm. At Fig. 4.-10., comparison
between the simulated and measured results is shown. All S-
parameters versus frequency are compared on Fig. 4.-7., and
all values are for input power equal to 0 dBm.

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 1.0 1.0

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6
Re {S11} obtained from ANN
Im {S11} obtained from ANN 0.4 Re {S22} obtained from ANN
0.4 Im {S22} obtained from ANN
S11

S22
Measured Re {S11}
Measured Im {S11} 0.2
Measured Re {S22}
0.2 Measured Im {S22}
0.0
0.0

-0.2
-0.2
-0.4
-0.4
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
f [GHz] f [GHz]

Fig. 4. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured Fig. 7. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured
results for S11 parameter versus frequency. Input power is equal to 0 dBm. results for S22 parameter versus frequency. Input power is equal to 0 dBm.

At Fig. 8.-10., measured value of S12 parameter versus

0.35 Re {S21} obtained from ANN
input power is compared with function acquired from ANN.
Im {S21} obtained from ANN Results are compared on three different frequencies important
0.30 Measured Re {S21} for RF energy harvesting, i.e. 900 MHz (Fig. 8.), 1800 MHz
Measured Im {S21}
(Fig. 9.), and 2.4 GHz (Fig. 10.).
0.25

0.20
f = 900 MHz
S21

0.11

0.15
0.10

0.10 0.09

0.05 0.08
S21

0.00 0.07
0 1 2 3 4 5
f [GHz] 0.06 Re {S21} obtained from ANN
Im {S21} obtained from ANN
Fig. 5. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured 0.05 Measured Re {S21}
results for S21 parameter versus frequency. Input power is equal to 0 dBm. Measured Im {S21}
0.04
-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5

0.35 Pin [dBm]

Re {S12} obtained from ANN
Im {S12} obtained from ANN
0.30 Measured Re {S12} Fig. 8. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured
Measured Im {S12} results for S21 parameter for the different values of input power.
0.25

f = 1800 MHz
S12

0.20 0.20 Re {S21} obtained from ANN

Im {S21} obtained from ANN
0.18 Measured Re {S21}
0.15
Measured Im {S21}
0.16
0.10
0.14
S21

0.05
0.12
0 1 2 3 4 5
0.10
f [GHz]
0.08
Fig. 6. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured
results for S12 parameter versus frequency. Input power is equal to 0 dBm. 0.06

-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5

Pin [dBm]

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Fig. 9. Comparison between results of the testing of ANN and measured ACKNOWLEDGMENT
results for S21 parameter for the different values of input power.
This work was supported by the Ministry of Education,
f = 2.4 GHz Science and Technological Development of the Republic of
0.24 Re {S21} obtained from ANN Serbia, as a part of the projects TR 32024 and TR 32052.
Im {S21} obtained from ANN
0.22 Measured Re {S21}
Measured Im {S21}
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0.20
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S21

0.18 Popovic, "Recycling ambient microwave energy with broad-band

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[2] B. Milosevic, M. Radovanovic and B. Jokanovic, "Measurement of
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4, pp. 1339-1350, April 2003.
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ANN is satisfactory. Created model of SMS 7630 diode
would be later used for more precise simulation of the
rectenna.

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