TFET-Based power management circuit for RF energy harvesting

This paper proposes a Tunnel FET (TFET)-based power management circuit (PMC) for ultra-low power RF energy harvesting applications. In contrast with conventional thermionic devices, the band-to-band tunneling mechanism of TFETs allows a better switching performance at sub-0.2 V operation. As a resul...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Nunes Cavalheiro, David Manuel|||0000-0001-6873-8974, Moll Echeto, Francisco de Borja|||0000-0002-1290-3253, Valtchev, Stanimir
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/105661
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/105661
https://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JEDS.2016.2619908
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Energy harvesting
power management
radio-frequency
tunnel FET
UHF
ultra-low power
Enginyeria elèctrica
Energia
Energia -- Captació
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria elèctrica
Descrição
Resumo:This paper proposes a Tunnel FET (TFET)-based power management circuit (PMC) for ultra-low power RF energy harvesting applications. In contrast with conventional thermionic devices, the band-to-band tunneling mechanism of TFETs allows a better switching performance at sub-0.2 V operation. As a result, improved efficiencies in RF-powered circuits are achieved, thanks to increased rectification performance at low power levels and to the reduced energy required for a proper PMC operation. It is shown by simulations that heterojunction TFET devices designed with III-V materials can improve the rectification process at received power levels below -20 dBm (915 MHz) when compared to the application of homojunction III-V TFETs and Si FinFETs. For an available power of -25 dBm, the proposed converter is able to deliver 1.1 µW of average power (with 0.5 V) to the output load with a boost efficiency of 86%.