A Metamaterial Energy Power Detector Based on Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting Technology

A metamaterial electromagnetic (EM) power detector is presented, which is constructed with a metal disk resonator and a load resistor for microwave power detection applications. The detector absorbs the incident microwave energy and converts it into thermal energy at the load resistor, enabling the incident wave power to be detected. Simulation results show a good linear relationship between the load resistor’s temperature and the incident wave power density, indicating high microwave absorption, wide-range incidence angle sensitivity, and polarization insensitivity. Additionally, the detector’s cell array can easily be enlarged for simultaneous detection of power density at multiple points. To verify the approach, a 12 × 12 unit cell prototype is fabricated and measured and the measured results reasonably agree with the simulated ones. This metamaterial EM power detector is an effective and reliable solution for microwave power detection.