Proceedings of the 42nd European Microwave Conference
Recent Wireless Power Transmission via
Microwave and Millimeter-wave in Japan
Naoki Shinohara
Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University
Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
shino@rish.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract— From 1980s, Japan has lead a wireless power
transmission (WPT) research, especially WPT via microwave or
milimeter-wave (MPT) toward a Space Solar Power Satellite
(SPS). We have developed high efficiency rectenna at 2.45GHz,
5.8GHz and 24GHz. We have proposed and carried out new
beam forming algorism to concentrate a microwave power to
targets with phased array technologies. Based on the MPT
technologies, we propose not only the future SPS system but also
commercial products of the MPT, for example, wireless sensors
driven by MPT, EV wireless charging via microwave, and energy
harvesting from broadcasting radiowaves, etc. After MIT’s
innovation of a resonance coupling WPT in 2006, many Japanese
start the WPT researches, which are based on bandpass filter
theory and technologies. Some commercial products with the
WPT appear in Japan. Now we have two consortiums to lead the
WPT, which is not only the MPT but also the resonance,
inductive, and energy harvesting. One is a Broadband Wireless
Forum which focuses on the WPT. The other is Energy
Harvesting Consortium which mainly focuses on the energy
harvesting. In 2011, Japan conducts the first WPT international
conference of “2011 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave
Workshop Series on Innovative Wireless Power Transmission:
Technologies, Systems, and Applications” in Kyoto, whose chair
was the author. On May 10-11, 2012, we have the second IMWS-
IWPT again in Kyoto.
I. INTRODUCTION
A wireless power transmission (WPT) was born and
brought up in USA. In the end of 19 th century, Nicola Tesla
gave birth to concept of the WPT. In 1960s, W. C. Brown
brought up the WPT with focused microwave beam, which is
called microwave power transmission (MPT). Concept of the
Solar Power Satellite (SPS) with the MPT was born in USA in
1968. In 2006, MIT’s group started the revolution of the WPT
with new concept of the WPT with bandpass filter technology
which is called a resonance coupling WPT and is suitable for
commercial application. We can see various kinds of wireless
charging pad for mobile phones in store now. The radiowave
technologies were brought up with wireless communications
and broadcastings. Additionally, the radiowaves can be used
as a wireless energy.
Besides the USA, Japan contributes to the WPT
technologies, especially after 1980s with research and
development of the MPT for the SPS. Japanese microwave
technicians and antenna researchers start the resonance
coupling WPT after the revolution by MIT. In this paper, I
describe precent Japanese activities of the WPT.
978-2-87487-027-9 © 2012 EuMA 1347
II. DEVELOPMENT OF RECTENNA FOR MPT AND ENERGY
HARVESTING
A rectenna, rectifying antenna, is one of important key
technologies of the MPT. The rectenna is used as receiver of
microwave power and a converter from the microwave to DC.
When we transmit the microwave power from the transmitter
and we receive the microwave and convert the microwave to
DC with the rectennas,it is called MPT. When we harvest the
radiowave energy through the wireless communication or
broadcasting waves with the rectenna, it is called energy
harvesting or energy scavenging. The concept of the energy
harvesting covers power generation by a solar power,
vibration, heat, and radiowaves around us, whose power
density is very weak, for example, below 1PW/cm2 of the
broadcasting waves. The energy harvesting is expected to
applications of a sensor network or the other weak power
applications. There are a lot of researches of the energy
harvesting in Europe. Especially, the energy harvesting from
radiowaves are researched in Italy and in Spain.
The rectenna can be used for both the MPT and the energy
harvesting. There is no suitable frequency for the MPT and
the energy harvesting. When we use millimeter waves, we can
concentrate the radiowave power to the target with smaller
antenna than that of the microwaves. But efficiency and power
in circuit decreases with the millimater waves and the cost
increases. When we use lower frequency than microwaves
like UHF, the radiowave power diffuses, however, diffused
radiowaves themselves are used in the broadcasting system
and we can harvest the diffused radiowaves in energy
harvesting system. The WPT like a “radiowave shower” can
be used in the different concept WPT.
So there are a lot of rectennas in the world as shown in
Fig.1. The figure 1 indicates RF-DC conversion efficiency vs
frequency of the rectennas in the world. Some are developed
in Japan. We mainly use 2.45GHz or 5.8GHz for the focused
MPT system. We have a lot of rectennas in UHF-band for the
energy harvesting. But I do not plot the data of the UHF-
rectenna. The rectenna has parameter dependence of the RF-
DC conversion efficiency with radiowave power. Maximum
RF-DC conversion efficiency occurs in optimum radiowave
input power. The UHF-band rectennas were developed in
lower power level because they were applied for the energy
harvesting. So the figure 1 does not be suitable for the UHF-
band rectenna for the energy harvesting.
29 Oct -1 Nov 2012, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
 We choose 24GHz for the WPT because we apply the WPT
system in transmission of information and power
simultaneously. Higher frequency system it is, more
information we can transmit. As shown in Fig.1, the RF-DC
conversion efficiency in the WPT decreases when the
frequency increases. So we propose the novel rectifying
circuit in 24GHz. The RF-DC conversion efficiency
theoretically becomes higher when the output filter
corresponds to high number of harmonics shown in Fig.3.
Based on the results in the figure 3, we selected the output
filter with 2nd and 3rd harmonics because the efficiency is
saturated with 3rd harmonics filter and we have a limitation of
development.
Fig.1 RF-DC conversion efficiency vs. Frequency of
rectennas in the world

In Kyoto University, we have developed novel rectenna in

24GHz with F-class amplifier technology. A conventional
rectenna is composed of a rectifying diode, a O/4 line and a
capacitor, which consist of an output filter, (Fig.2(a)) to make
a full-wave rectifier with only one diode. The conventional
rectifying circuit is used in almost all references in Fig.1. In
the conventional rectifying circuit, the impedances of an
output filter at even harmonics should be zero and that at the
fundamental wave and odd harmonics should be infinity
because the output filter is composed of O/4 line and a Fig.3 Theoretical efficiency, diode loss and reflection curves as a
capacitor which should be enough large. The rectified function of the order of harmonics management.
microwave should be full-wave form because the rectified
microwave is composed of only even harmonics. So the (a)
product of the current and voltage is zero. Therefore the diode
loss becomes zero in the conventional rectifying circuit shown
in Fig.2(a). The efficiency becomes larger in this circuit than
that in bridged-type full wave rectifier with four diodes
because it includes only one diode.
However, it is difficult to increase the efficiency in
millimeter wave frequency with the conventional rectifying
circuit. Because the capacitance generally contains L and the
self-resonant frequency has to be high in millimeter wave. So
we can not assume the impedances of an output filter at even
(b)
harmonics and at odd harmonics are zero and infinity,
respectively, and the efficiency decreases. So we proposed
novel rectifying circuit with class-F load in millimeter wave
(Fig.2(b))[13]. We do not need capacitance to create a
relationship between the zero impedance at even harmonics
and infinity impedance at odd harmonics.

Fig.4 (a) Measurement RF-DC conversion efficiency of the

24GHz rectenna with class-F load (b) Developed
Fig.2 Conventional rectenna and novel rectenna with class-F rectenna
load

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 III. BEAM FORMING WITH DEVELOPMENT OF RECTENNA FOR we will carry out an experiment with the phased array.
MPT There is a national SPS project in Japan from 2009, which
MPT researches in Japan are lead by SPS project. The SPS is supported by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry
is huge solar power station in space with the MPT in near (METI)[20]. The author is a chair person of this project and
future. Over 1GW microwave power at 2.45GHz or 5.8GHz Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is developing the other
will be transmitted from the SPS above 36,000km. A high phased array for the SPS. In FY2014, we will demonstrate the
accurate and high efficiency phased array is required in the MPT from the phased array to rectenna array at 50m distance.
SPS. As mentioned before, the SPS was proposed in USA and After the project, we hope the first satellite of the MPT
was deeply designed in 1970s in USA. After the 1980s, center experiment will be launched in Japan.
of the SPS and the MPT researches moved to Japan[14].
The basic plan for space policy was established by the
Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy in June 2009. This
Basic Plan for Space Policy that was forged at this time was
based on the Basic Space Law established in May 2008 and is
the Japan's first basic policy relating to space activities. In the
plan, SPS was selected based on nine systems and programs
for the use and R&D of space as follows [15][16]:
"As a program that corresponds to the following major
social needs and goals for the next 10 years, a Space Solar
Power Program will be targeted for the promotion of the 5-
year development and utilization plan." and "government will
conduct ample studies, then start technology demonstration
project in orbit utilizing “Kibo” or small sized satellites within
the next three years to confirm the influence in the atmosphere
and system check."
Based on the Japanese policy, novel phased array for the
SPS was developed in Kyoto University by Mitsubishi
Electric co. in FY2010 with following characteristics ;
1) 5.8 GHz CW, no modulation.
2) Separated module antenna/active circuits system.
3) Rigid antenna plane.
4) 256 elements.
5) Active phased array with one active circuit for one Fig.5 New Phased Array for MPT with GaN FET and class-F
antenna. Amplifier Circuits Developed in Kyoto University and
6) 1.5 kW output microwave power.
7) class-F power amplifiers with GaN FETs. by Mitsubishi Electric Cooperation in FY2010
8) >7 W output in high-power amplifier as final stage.
9) >70% power added efficiency in microwave high-power
amplifier as the final stage. IV. COMMERCIAL WPT AND ITS STANDARDIZATION IN JAPAN
10) >40% as total DC-microwave conversion efficiency. The MPT has a long research history with the SPS. But
11) 5-bit MMIC phase shifters. only the energy harvesting can be applied for commercial
12) <30 cm thickness as universal experimental equipment.
application because there is no radiowave regulation for the
The phased array system consists of phased array
MPT. The energy harvesting needs only a rectenna as a
equipment, beam control units, and a cooling unit. The beam
receiver without any extra transmitter. Against the MPT’s
control units consist of an antenna control unit, a PC, and the
situation, resonance coupling WPT which was proposed by
retrodirective equipment as target detecting system with a
MIT and conventional inductive coupling WPT are applied for
pilot signal (Fig.5). This phased array is used for inter-
various commercial products. They use below 10MHz for the
universities collaborative research. It means that researchers in
WPT and their WPT does not contain any radiation. Now a lot
university can use this phased array for their own researches.
of Japanese are engaged in the various WPT.
One of interesting researches with the phased array is new
In Japan, there are two consortiums to lead the WPT, which
beam forming and target detecting algorism. Mitsubishi
is not only the MPT but also the resonance, inductive, and
Heavy Industries, co. proposed a new beam forming and
energy harvesting. One is a Broadband Wireless Forum which
target detecting algorism called PAC (Position and Angle
focuses on the WPT[21]. The other is Energy Harvesting
Correction) method for the SPS application[17]. In the PAC
Consortium which mainly focuses on the energy
method, we measure the phase of a pilot signal, which was
harvesting[22]. Both activities aim to collect Japanese
sent from a power receiving site on the Earth, on every panel
technologies and to born standard of the WPT from Japan.
module of the SPS. We estimate the panel module positions
In 2011, Japan conducts the first WPT international
by using the measured pilot signal phases. Kyoto University’s
conference of “2011 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave
group took the pilot signal phase measurement errors into
Workshop Series on Innovative Wireless Power Transmission:
consideration and simulated accuracy of the PAC method by a
Technologies, Systems, and Applications” in Kyoto, whose
1D array model[18][19]. Based on the theoretical estimation,
chair was the author. On May 10-11, 2012, we have the

1349
second IMWS-IWPT again in Kyoto. Both symposiums
succeeded with a lot of papers and audiences. In 2013, the
IMWS-IWPT will be held on May in Perugia, Italy.
V. CONCLUSIONS
World watches the WPT activities in Japan. We have a long
history of the MPT researches and have novel technologies of
the WPT which includes the MPT, resonance coupling, and
energy harvesting. Even if the frequency of the WPT is low,
such as 10MHz, knowledge and technologies of the
microwave are useful. We have to consider an impedance
matching, resonance and Q factor, and rectifying circuit, etc.
We would like to propose novel WPT system and
standardization of the WPT from Japan.
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