Spatially-Combined Multisine Transmitter for
Wireless Power Transmission
Alírio Soares Boaventura and Nuno Borges Carvalho
Departamento de Electrónica, Telecomunicações e Informática, Instituto de Telecomunicações,
Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
Abstract — High PAPR signals such as multisines have been
used to increase the RF-DC conversion efficiency in WPT
systems. Considerable work has been dedicated to the receiver
side, namely to investigate the efficiency enhancement in RF-DC
converters excited with such signals. However, less attention has
been paid to the transmitter side. In this paper, we propose the
use of spatial power combining technique for use in WPT, to
efficiently generate/radiate a high PAPR multisine signal.
Index Terms— Wireless Power Transmission, High PAPR
Signals, Multisine, Space Power Combining.
I. INTRODUCTION
Recently, there has been a growing interest in signal
waveform design to increase the efficiency of WPT
(Wireless Power Transmission) systems. The use of high
PAPR (Peak-to-Average Power Ratio) signals has been
proposed as a way of increasing the energy transfer
efficiency and extending the system coverage range.
Briefly, as previously demonstrated in [1], high PAPR
signals are able to excite the RF-DC converter devices in
a more efficient way, forcing them to generate much
more DC power. An application of this concept can be
found in [2] where a high PAPR signal was used for
reducing the average radiated power while keeping the
same communication distance of an RFID reader. This
was done by switching the carrier on and off with a given
duty cycle. High PAPR UWB (Ultra Wide Band) signals
were also proposed in [3] and [4] for efficient low power
transmission. Following the same reasoning of using
high PAPR signals, chaotic signals were also proposed in
[5]. Multisine signals (commonly used in Orthogonal
Frequency Division Multiplex - OFDM systems) have
been explored for use in WPT. In [6] and [7], the reading
range of UHF RFID tags was extended by using a
multisine scheme. In [3] the non-linear behavior of RF-
DC converters was investigated. In such study a
mathematical model and description were presented to
explain the efficiency enhancement of Schottky diode
detectors when excited with high PAPR signals. In the
experiments conducted in [8] and [9], a multisine front-
end was integrated in a commercial RFID reader in order
to extend its reading range.
Although considerable research has been devoted to
the receiver side of the power transfer chain, rather less
attention has been paid to the transmitter side. So far,
investigations have been confined to the study of
(receiver) RF-DC conversion efficiency when using high
‹,(((
PAPR signals. However, the high PAPR scheme is only
effective if the high PAPR waveform actually reaches
the receiver. This fact imposes the use of an improved
transmitter architecture that is able to transmit the high
PAPR signal without clipping it. Moreover, the
amplification of high PAPR signals is critical.
While high PAPR is the preferable characteristic that
makes multisine signals beneficial on the receiver side,
this same characteristic is a drawback on the transmitter
side. Thus, improved architectures for high PAPR
transmission is a must. Concerning multisine signals, it
should be noted that the high PAPR characteristic is due
to the combination of the multisine subcarriers.
Considering this fact, we propose an efficient multisine
generation/transmission approach based on spatial power
combining: In such architecture the multisine subcarriers
are amplified and transmitted separately and they will be
combined in free space. Therefore, no especial
challenges will be posed to the power amplification
stage.
II.SPATIAL POWER COMBINING: SPATIALLY-COMBINED
MULTISINES
Power combining is a technique commonly used in
millimeter-wave technology to achieve moderate to high
power levels [10]. Traditional approach consists of
splitting the input signal into N branches, amplifying
them and combining them again to obtain an amplified
version of the input signal. Since splitting and combining
are implemented by transmission line circuits, this
approach becomes inefficient as the number of branches
increases. This is due to the losses in the line and
combining structures. Spatial power combining was
proposed to do the same job with higher efficiency and
theoretically with no limitation in the number of
branches [10]. This is achieved by passively combining
the signal components in free space. Spatially combined
power sources can be implemented as array of oscillators
in which the coupling between adjacent elements allows
for frequency and phase locking [11]. In this paper, we
propose the use of spatially-combined high PAPR
multisine signals for WPT. Figure 1a) depicts the
proposed system composed of N=2n+1 synchronized
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 transmitters that generate a multisine E-field through
space power combining. Assuming far-field observation
[11] and considering a small spacing between adjacent
elements, the total E-field at distance r is given by:
( , , )= ( ) + +
where k is the propagation constant, ωi and ϕi are the
frequency and phase of each signal source, Ei is the
amplitude of each E-field component and Gi(θ) is the
gain of each antenna.
In order to achieve a multisine E-field with maximum
PAPR the conditions of equally-spaced frequencies (ωi=
ω0 + iΔω) and locked phases (ϕi+1 – ϕi = Δϕ) must be met
[1][11]. If the oscillators were coupled then the constant
phase progression condition would be automatically
enforced by an injection-lock mechanism [11]. However,
in this work we are using non-coupled sources, so the
phase locking is externally imposed by a 10MHz
reference signal.
d d
... ...
3$ 3$ 3$ 3$
III. PRELIMINARY RESULTS
In order to provide a first validation of the proposed
transmitter scheme two experiments have been
conducted. In the first one a three tone multisine signal is
generated and measured (at the receiver) using the setup
shown in Fig. 2a). Three transmitter antennas are fed
with 13dBm of average power at 887.5MHz, 890MHz
(1) and 892.5MHz respectively. The spatially-combined
signal is received at 1.14m by a fourth antenna. The
received signal spectrum with three frequency
components is depicted in Fig. 2a). In Fig. 2b) it can be
observed the time domain waveform with high PAPR
value. This high PAPR value will increase the efficiency
of the RF-DC converter. Moreover, the PAPR (and
consequently the efficiency) increases as the number of
tones in the multisine is increased [1].
In the second experiment, a dipole receiver antenna is
placed between two transmitters (Fig. 3a). In order to
compare with the single carrier case, a 5-stage voltage
multiplier is connected to the receiver antenna and the
DC is measured. Fist, one of the antennas is fed with a
single carrier at 879MHz with power PCW and second the
two transmitter antennas are fed with two subcarriers at
878MHz and 880MHz, each with power P2T=PCW-3dB.
Synchronized sources
3$

x-n(t) x-n+1(t) x0(t) xn-1(t) xn(t)

...Ref ...
(10MHz)
(b)

3$ Transmitter antennas

Receiver antenna
(a)

r
3$ 3$
5HFHLYHU

3$

(b)

Fig. 1 a) Synchronized single carrier transmitters. If the carriers are equally

spaced then a high PAPR E-field will be generated, b) an alternative
configuration in which the receiver is placed in between the transmitters.

(b)

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 Table 1 shows the preliminary results obtained in the
second experiment. In the two tone case the average
input power of each antenna is the same as the average
power used in the single carrier experiment. This is done
by setting each subcarrier power to half power of the
single carrier (P2T=PCW-3dB). The DC voltages in the
table are measured at the output of a 5-stage voltage
multiplier (connected to the receiver antenna) at a
510KΩ load. As can be seen, in most cases the collected
DC voltage is higher for the two tone case even
considering the same average power being radiated.
However, the obtained gains are not so expressive. This
(c) may be due two reasons: first, a multisine with only two
Fig. 2a) Setup used to generate/radiate a three tone multisine signal. b) tones is used which does not provide a very high PAPR.
signal spectrum received at the receiver antenna. The three frequency
components combined in free space can be observed. c) high PAPR waveform In order to obtain higher gains a higher order multisine
measured in the time using a high speed RF oscilloscope. should be used. Second, in this setup the two transmitter
antennas are directly looking to each other which may
degrade the gain with respect to the receiver antenna due
to the loading effect of the antennas. The antennas
loading effect is observed in table 2. Referring to Fig.3,
table 2 shows the transmission coefficient (S31) between
the receiver and one of the transmitter antennas with and
without the second transmitter antenna in place.
Reflection coefficients (S11 and S33) are also presented.
2 As can be seen the transmission coefficient is degraded
3 r when the second antenna (acting as a parasitic load) is in
place. Other antenna configurations should be tested in
1 r order to minimize such effect and optimize the energy
transfer efficiency gain.
Dipole receiver antenna
S-param Only one TX Two TX
(dB) antenna antennas
|S31| -24.5 -25.5
Fig. 3 Setup used to compare two tone and single carrier results. r = 35cm. |S11| -32.8 -32.2
|S33| -24.4 -22.8
Table 2. System parameters with and without the second
transmitter antenna in place.
PCW VDC_CW P2T=PCW-3dB VDC_2T
(dBm) (Volt) (dBm) (Volt)
10.7 1.090 7.7 1.090 IV. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK
11.7 1.288 8.7 2.293
12.7 1.501 9.7 1.509
Spatial power combining is a suitable approach to
13.7 1.726 10.7 1.762 efficiently deliver a high PAPR signal which is able to
14.7 1.940 11.7 2.056 boost the RF-DC conversion efficiency of RF-DC
15.7 2.203 12.7 2.381 converter circuits. Several benefits can be achieved: no
16.7 2.480 13.7 2.731 need to amplify high PAPR signals (only single sub-
Table 1. DC voltage at the rectifier output for single carrier carriers need to be amplified. This will avoid clipping,
and two tone signal. distortion, spectrum regrowth and efficiency degradation
that otherwise would appear in high PAPR multisine
amplification. Since the total power is spitted by N
branches, the amplification process is much more
relaxed. Sub-carriers are passively combined in free
space, avoiding combining losses. A major drawback
may be the use of several power amplifier stages and
antennas, nevertheless, such transmitter can be

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efficiently implemented as an array of coupled
oscillators.
Further work is needed to explore other antenna
configurations and also to evaluate higher order
multisine transmitters (with more than two sub-carriers).
Such higher order transmitters are capable of providing
much higher RF-DC conversion efficiency gain.
Moreover, since the phase synchronization is critical in
more than two tones signals, more work is needed to
evaluate the impact of the phase synchronization on the
collected DC power. Future work will also address array
of coupled oscillators to efficiently implement the
proposed spatially-combined multisine Transmitter.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Portuguese Science
and Technology Foundation (FCT) for the financial
support provided under Project PTDC/EEA-
TEL/099646/2008 TACCS and for the doctoral
scholarship SFRH/ BD/ 80615/ 2011.
Thanks also to Ricardo Fernandes from University of
Aveiro and Hugo Mostardinha from Institute of
Teleccomunications - Aveiro.
[7] M.S. Trotter, G.D. Durgin “Survey of Range Improvement
of Commercial RFID Tags With Power Optimized
Waveforms”, IEEE International Conference on RFID,
2010.
[8] Alírio Soares Boaventura and Nuno Borges Carvalho,
“Enhanced front-end to Extend Reading Range of
Commercial RFID Readers Using Efficient Multisine
Signals”, IMS2012 - International Microwave
Symposium, Montréal, Canada, June 2012.
[9] Alírio Soares Boaventura and Nuno B. Carvalho,
“Extending Reading Range of Commercial RFID
Readers”, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and
Techniques.
[10]J. Harvey, E.R. Brown, D.B. Rutledge, R.A. York,
“Spatial Power Combining for High Power
Transmitters”, IEEE Microwave Magazine, December
2000.
[11]R. A. York, R. Compton, “Coupled-Oscillator Arrays for
Millimeter-Wave Power-Combining and Mode-Locking”,
IEEE International Microwave Symposium, California
USA, 1992.
[12]C. A. Balanis, Antenna Theory: Analysis Design, 3th
Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2005.

REFERENCES
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[2] Hisanori Matsumoto and Ken Takei, “An Experimental
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Communication Range”, Proceedings of Asia-Pacific
Microwave Conference 2007.
[3] Chun-Chih Lo, Yu-Lin Yang, Chi-Lin Tsai, Chieh-Sen
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[4] Yu-Lin Yang, Chin-Lung Yang, Chi-Lin Tsai, and Chieh-
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[5] A. Collado, A. Georgiadis, "Improving Wireless Power
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