5.8 GHz 4-channel Beamforming Tx IC for Microwave Power Transfer

The microwave power transfer (MPT) system requires a massive Tx array for building a focused radio wave to efficiently transfer power to the Rx. Beamforming IC is one of the core elements for the massive Tx array. This paper presents a 5.8 GHz 4-channel beamforming Tx IC based on a CMOS process. The beamforming Tx IC includes a resistive 4-way power splitter, 5-bit differential phase shifters, drive amplifiers, and power amplifiers. Each channel is designed to transmit a power of no less than 100 mW. To verify the Tx IC, a 16-channel beamforming Tx module based on 16 patch antennas and four 4-channel Tx ICs was designed. The module also includes a PLL, a frequency doubler, and a 4-way Wilkinson power divider. MPT experiments to verify the beamforming IC and module were carried out using the implemented 16-channel Tx module at 5.8 GHz. Received power levels of 13 dBm and 2.1 dBm were achieved at distances of 0.4 and 1.4 m, respectively. The results are almost similar to the values acquired from the calculation using the Friis equation.