A dual ultra-wideband rectenna with a compact conical antenna for RF energy harvesting from S and C bands

The current research introduces a novel dual ultra-wideband rectenna that has been specifically devised for the S and C bands. The rectenna configuration being presented demonstrates the potential to efficiently capture energy from 1.5 GHz to 4.65 GHz, and 5.55 GHz–7.85 GHz. It is noteworthy to mention that the bandwidths (BW) corresponding to these frequency ranges are 3.15 GHz and 2.3 GHz, correspondingly. The envisioned rectenna is designed to cater to a selection of five distinct commercial bands. The frequencies under consideration include 1.8 GHz, UTMS 2.1 GHz, 5G 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz, which fall within the mid band range for 5G technology. Notably, the extended S-band and C band are also included within this range, catering specifically to 5G applications. For the purpose of rectification, a solitary HSMS 2850 Schottky diode has been selected. The maximum recorded Conversion Efficiency (CE) achieved at 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz corresponds to CE values of 67 %, 65 %, 77 %, 71 %, and 71 %, respectively. These CE measurements were obtained under varying input power levels (IPL) of −6 dBm, 4 dBm, 4 dBm, 2 dBm, and 9 dBm, respectively. The rectenna under consideration is designed to operate across five distinct frequency bands. Notably, the CE exceeds 65 % across all of these frequency bands. Consequently, the rectenna exhibits a higher output power. As a result, this modification makes it appropriate for supplying energy to low-power electronic equipment. •The research introduces a novel rectenna designed for RF energy harvesting from S and C bands.•The rectenna configuration efficiently captures energy from 1.5 GHz to 4.65 GHz and from 5.55 GHz to 7.85 GHz.•The rectenna is tailored for five commercial bands, including 1.8 GHz, UTMS 2.1 GHz, 5G 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz.•These bands fall within the mid-band range for 5G technology, encompassing the extended S-band and C band for 5G applications.•A compact conical antenna is chosen for its inherent broadband properties.•Importantly, the CE exceeds 65 % across all these frequency bands.