# US 9,437,629 B1 · Rectenna that converts infrared radiation to electrical energy

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- Number: US 9,437,629 B1
- Document ID: US9437629B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/834,514
- Filed: 2015-08-25
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02
- Assignees: Sandia Corporation
- Applicants: Sandia Corporation
- Inventors: Paul Davids; David W. Peters
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437629B1

## CPC

- H10F 39/10: Integrated devices
- H10D 8/70: Tunnel-effect diodes
- H10F 30/10: the devices being sensitive to infrared radiation, visible or ultraviolet radiation, and having no potential barriers, e.g. photoresistors
- H10F 30/22: the devices having only one potential barrier, e.g. photodiodes
- H10F 71/128: {Annealing}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

Technologies pertaining to converting infrared (IR) radiation to DC energy are described herein. In a general embodiment, a rectenna comprises a conductive layer. A thin insulator layer is formed on the conductive layer, and a nanoantenna is formed on the thin insulator layer. The thin insulator layer acts as a tunnel junction of a tunnel diode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rectenna comprising:
a nanoantenna that is integrated with a tunnel diode, wherein the rectenna converts infrared (IR) radiation incident upon the rectenna to direct current (DC) energy;
a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of ridges; and
an insulator layer positioned between the nanoantenna and the conductive layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the nanoantenna comprising aluminum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The rectenna of claim 2, the patterned shape being one of a grating, a frequency selective surface, or a spiral.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The rectenna of claim 3, the patterned shape being aperiodic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the conductive layer being one of an n-type substrate, a p-type substrate, or a metal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the insulator layer being silicon dioxide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the insulator layer having a thickness of between 2 nanometers and 5.5 nanometers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the rectenna further comprises a supporting substrate, the conductive layer positioned adjacent the supporting substrate, such that the conductive layer is between the insulator layer and the supporting substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, further comprising a silicon oxide casing that encases the nanoantenna, the conductive layer, and the insulator layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, further comprising a layer of oxide formed over the nanoantenna, wherein the nanoantenna is between the layer of oxide and the insulator layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The rectenna of claim 1, the nanoantenna comprising a frequency selective surface.

### Claim 12

A method for forming a rectenna, the method comprising:
forming a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of ridges;
forming an insulator layer on the conductive layer;
forming a nanoantenna on the insulator layer, the tunnel diode formed based upon the insulator layer being positioned between the conductive layer and the nanoantenna; and
integrating the nanoantenna with a tunnel diode, the rectenna configured to convert infrared (IR) radiation into direct current (DC) energy.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the nanoantenna comprising aluminum.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the nanoantenna comprising a frequency selective surface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the conductive layer being one of an n-type substrate layer, a p-type substrate layer, or a metal layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the insulator layer being a layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness of between 2 nanometers and 5.5 nanometers.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising encasing the conductive layer, insulator layer, and the nanoantenna with silicon oxide.

### Claim 18

A rectenna comprising:
a nanoantenna, wherein the nanoantenna comprises a plurality of spaced-apart bars;
a conductive layer; and
an insulator layer positioned between the nanoantenna and the conductive layer, the nanoantenna, the conductive layer, and the insulator layer collectively forming at least one tunnel junction in the rectenna, the rectenna configured to convert infrared (IR) radiation into direct current (DC) energy;
a silicon oxide layer between each spaced-apart bar of the plurality of spaced apart bars.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The rectenna of claim 18, wherein a width of each spaced-apart bar of the plurality of spaced-apart bars is approximately 1.8 μm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein a period of a grating formed by the plurality of spaced-apart bars ranges between 1 μm and 10 μm.