Solar energy collection by antennas

✍ Scribed by R Corkish; M.A Green; T Puzzer

• Book ID: 104167565
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 141 KB
• Volume: 73
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-092X
• DOI: 10.1016/s0038-092x(03)00033-1

✦ Synopsis

The idea of collecting solar electromagnetic radiation with antenna-rectifier (rectenna) structures was proposed three decades ago but has not yet been achieved. The idea has been promoted as having potential to achieve efficiency approaching 100% but thermodynamic considerations imply a lower limit of 85.4% for a non-frequency-selective rectenna and 86.8% for one with infinite selectivity, assuming maximal concentration in each case. This paper reviews the history and technical context of solar rectennas and discusses the major issues: thermodynamic efficiency limits, rectifier operation at optical frequencies, harmonics production and electrical noise.