Can Split-Ring Resonators be Viable for Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting?

Split Ring Resonators can be densely stacked to form energy harvesting systems arrays having per area efficiency higher than a single SRR unit cell. Although the concept of utilizing SRRs for electromagnetic energy was presented in our earlier work, the per area efficiency of an SRR array as compared to that of existing collectors (classical antennas) is fundamental to the viability of this technology. Here, we present a numerical comparative study where an array of SRRs is compared to an array of patch antennas both placed in an identical footprint. The results indicate that using SRR arrays can provide significant improvement in terms of power efficiency and collection bandwidth in comparison to microstrip antennas commonly used in electromagnetic energy harvesting systems.