Design Transparent Microstrip Antenna for RF Energy Harvesting at 2.4 GHz

RF energy harvesting is an alternative method to power wireless networks. RF energy harvesting obtains a continuous electricity supply from the radio environment. In this paper, a transparent microstrip RF energy harvesting antenna to create cost-friendly smart energy technology is proposed. The material used is a transparent conductive AgHT-4 coated film printed on a 2 mm thick glass substrate. The antenna dimension is 47 mm x 35.5 mm. The transparent material for the antenna is chosen for a vehicle, building, or any on-glass surface application and will be used as a wireless communication antenna at a 2.4 GHz band while it also used for RF energy harvesting. The proposed antenna design is obtained through determining the initial layout of the antenna based on the formula, characterization, and modification of the antenna shape, then simulated using CST Microwave Studio to evaluate the antenna performance. The simulation results show transparent antenna has the lowest return loss of −38.644 dB at 2.401 GHz and a gain of 5.028 dBi.