5G • 5G-Advanced (Rel-18)
RF Energy Harvesting
Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting from Cellular Transmissions
Circuit technology in ambient tags that rectifies ambient 5G radio waves into DC electricity, powering internal logic without chemical batteries.
Technical Explanation
Ambient IoT tags eliminate batteries by harvesting energy directly from the electromagnetic fields radiated by nearby gNodeBs and smartphones. High-efficiency charge-pump rectenna circuits convert minute microwatt radio frequency signals into direct current (DC) electricity, charging an integrated capacitor that powers internal logic processors.
Key Functions
- Rectifies ambient cellular radio waves into direct current (DC) electrical power
- Operates at micro-watt power levels without chemical lithium batteries
- Powers internal digital state machines and cryptographic identity chips
- Enables maintenance-free operation across decades for building infrastructure tags
Specifications
3GPP TR 38.848 (Rel-18)
Interfaces
Rectenna Front-End
Want to memorize 5G concepts like this one?
Study it with SuperMemo SM-2 spaced repetition flashcards.