Leveraging Renewable Energy Sources by Compact Transparent Rectenna Systems at 2.41 GHz and 3.3 GHz (5G) to fulfil Power Requirements in IoT-based Agricultural Applications

This article presents a transparent folded dipole antenna-based microwave energy harvesting (MEH) system that operates at 2.41 GHz (4G band) and 3.3 GHz (5G band). The hybrid system is designed to support battery-free IoT sensors for agricultural applications. A folded dipole antenna design using an ITO-coated PET transparent substrate. This antenna achieves a radiated gain of 0.51, 0.86 dBi at desired frequency range and exhibits an omnidirectional radiation pattern. The MEH system includes an antenna, a matching circuit, and a voltage doubler rectifier circuit utilizing a Schottky diode (SMS7630). The proposed rectenna system generates peak output voltage of 0.6V, & 0.495V and maximum output power of 2 mW at 5dBm RF input power at 2.41 GHz & 3.3 GHz, achieving an RF-to-DC conversion efficiency of 66%, & 66.16% at the 2.41 and 3.3 GHz range respectively.