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A study on bowtie antenna based optical rectenna system for THz energy harvesting applications

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Abstract

The world is seeking alternative ways of renewable energy to fulfill the everyday growing energy demands and to reduce reliance on traditional carbon-based fuels. The scientific communities and researchers have started looking Infra-Red (IR) as an alternative source of renewable energy. There is abundant IR energy available from the waste heat sources. Harvesting this IR energy can be a promising solution in addressing the clean energy demand. The waste heat can be treated as high oscillating electromagnetic (EM) waves, having the highest intensity at 10.6 µm (28.3 THz). The IR energy harvesting can be achieved by using a device typically known as “Rectenna”, which is an integration of nanoantenna and high frequency diode. The bowtie antenna which has ease in fabrication and integration simplicity is one of the ideal candidates for nanoantenna in collecting the waves. Furthermore, for energy harvesting applications, it is desired to have a passive rectification. The metal–Insulator-metal (M1I1M2) which works on the principle of electron tunneling, are one of the few candidates for rectenna system. In this paper, a different combination of metal arms has been explored for high frequency (28.3 THz) operations. The metal with different work function has been simulated to have the best electron tunneling and higher rectification. Also, in the this work we have studied the effect of substrate on the antenna performance at 28.3 THz. According to author best knowledge, this is the first comprehensive and systematic study on antenna arms for the rectenna system used in energy harvesting applications at 28.3 THz.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research and Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project no. (IFKSUOR3–231–1)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Ghada. A. Khouqeer

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Nadyah Alanazi & Abdullah Alodhayb

  3. SeNSE, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, 110001, New Delhi, India

    Sibashish Chakraborty & Vimarsh Awasthi

  4. Department of Self-Development Skills, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Saravanan Pandiaraj

  5. Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Divison, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

    Gaurav Jayaswal

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  1. Ghada. A. Khouqeer
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  2. Nadyah Alanazi
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  3. Abdullah Alodhayb
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  4. Sibashish Chakraborty
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  5. Vimarsh Awasthi
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  6. Saravanan Pandiaraj
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  7. Gaurav Jayaswal
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Contributions

GAK, NA, AA, SC–writing and experimentation. VA, SP, GJ–technical evaluation and inference.

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Correspondence to Abdullah Alodhayb.

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Khouqeer, G., Alanazi, N., Alodhayb, A. et al. A study on bowtie antenna based optical rectenna system for THz energy harvesting applications. Opt Quant Electron 55, 674 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-04967-7

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