An Energy Harvester concept for electrostatic conversion manufactured in MEMS surface micromachining technology

Jacopo Iannacci, Guido Sordo, Massimo Gottardi, Thomas Kuenzig, Gabriele Schrag, Gerhard Wachutka

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this work we present the concept of a MEMS-based Energy Harvester (EH) for the conversion of vibration into electrical energy. The employed electrostatic conversion mechanism of the device is sensitive both to vertical (out-of-plane) and horizontal (in-plane) displacements, thanks to the presence of buried planar and interdigitated fixed electrodes, respectively. The proposed EH is inexpensively manufactured in the MEMS/RF-MEMS surface micromachining process available at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) in Italy, and, thereby, does not require any specific technology modification to be realized. Modeling of the EH concept (Finite Element Method based and analytical) is reported and discussed, and validated against preliminary experimental measurements. The structure exhibits resonant frequencies in the range up to 10-12 kHz, it being compatible with vibration sources typically available in the surrounding environment, like busy street, car engine, industrial and domestic appliance, and so on. Preliminary estimates of the power conversion capability seem to address rather low levels (in the range of pW), despite, on the other hand, the EH design as well as the fabrication process admit significant margins of performance improvement.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2013 IEEE International Semiconductor Conference Dresden - Grenoble
Subtitle of host publicationTechnology, Design, Packaging, Simulation and Test, ISCDG 2013
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event2013 IEEE International Semiconductor Conference Dresden - Grenoble: Technology, Design, Packaging, Simulation and Test, ISCDG 2013 - Dresden, Germany
Duration: 26 Sep 201327 Sep 2013

Publication series

Name2013 IEEE International Semiconductor Conference Dresden - Grenoble: Technology, Design, Packaging, Simulation and Test, ISCDG 2013

Conference

Conference2013 IEEE International Semiconductor Conference Dresden - Grenoble: Technology, Design, Packaging, Simulation and Test, ISCDG 2013
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityDresden
Period26/09/1327/09/13

Keywords

  • MEMS
  • electrostatic conversion
  • energy harvesting
  • environmental vibrations
  • experimental data
  • simulations
  • surface micromachining

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