Abstract

The microelectronic devices that are ubiquitous these days are limited by the need for batteries. Various methods of harvesting ambient mechanical energy have been proposed and are being developed. Recently, Potter has developed a method for embedding charge, at high density, stably at the interfaces of dissimilar insulators. In this paper, we present and analyze dynamical system models that Potter and co-workers have used to optimize microenergy harvesters based on this novel technology.

1.
Glynne-Jones
,
P.
, and
White
,
N. M.
, 2001, “
Self-Powered Systems: A Review of Energy Sources
,”
Sens. Rev.
0260-2288,
21
, pp.
91
98
.
2.
Awadelkarim
,
O. O.
,
Gardner
,
J. W.
, and
Varadan
,
V. K.
, 2001,
Microsensors, MEMS, and Smart Devices
,
Wiley
,
West Sussex, UK
.
3.
Douglass
,
M. R.
, 2003, “
DMD Reliability, A MEMS Success Story
,”
Proc. SPIE
0277-786X,
4980
, pp.
1
11
.
4.
Texas Instruments website, http://www.dlp.com/http://www.dlp.com/
5.
Bistué
,
G.
,
Elizalde
,
J.
,
García-Alonso
,
I.
,
Olaizola
,
S.
,
Castaño
,
E.
,
Gracia
,
F. J.
, and
García-Alonso
,
A.
, 1997, “
A Micromachined Pressure Sensor for Biomedical Applications
,”
J. Micromech. Microeng.
0960-1317,
7
, pp.
244
246
.
7.
Paradiso
,
J.
, and
Starner
,
T.
, 2005, “
Energy Scavenging for Mobile and Wireless Electronics
,”
IEEE Pervasive Comput.
1536-1268,
4
(
1
), pp.
18
27
.
8.
Sterken
,
T.
,
Baert
,
K.
,
Puers
,
R.
, and
Borghs
,
G.
, 2002, “
Power Extraction From Ambient Vibration
,”
Proceedings of the SeSens (Workshop on Semiconductor Sensors)
, p.
680683
.
9.
Sterken
,
T.
,
Baert
,
K.
,
Puers
,
B.
,
Borghs
,
G.
, and
Mertens
,
R.
, 2003, “
A New Power MEMS Component With Variable Capacitance
,”
Proceedings of the 2003 Pan Pacific Symposium Conference
, pp.
27
34
.
10.
Meninger
,
S.
,
Mur-mir
,
J. O.
,
Amirtharajah
,
R.
,
Ch
,
A. P.
, and
Lang
,
J. H.
, 2001, “
Vibration-to-Electric Energy Conversion
,”
IEEE Trans. Very Large Scale Integr. (VLSI) Syst.
1063-8210,
9
(
1
), pp.
64
76
.
11.
Peano
,
F.
, and
Tambosso
,
T.
, 2005, “
Design and Optimization of a MEMS Electret-Based Capacitive Energy Scavenger
,”
J. Microelectromech. Syst.
1057-7157,
14
, p.
429435
.
12.
Peano
,
F.
,
Coppa
,
G.
,
Serazio
,
C.
,
Peinetti
,
F.
, and
Dangola
,
A.
, 2006, “
Nonlinear Oscillations in a MEMS Energy Scavenger
,”
Math. Comput. Model. Dyn. Syst.
,
43
, pp.
1412
1423
.
13.
Boland
,
J.
,
Yuan-Heng
,
C.
,
Suzuki
,
Y.
, and
Tai
,
Y. C.
, 2003, “
Micro Electret Power Generator
,”
Proceedings of the IEEE Sixteenth Annual International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
, Kyoto, Japan.
14.
Boland
,
J.
, and
Tai
,
Y. C.
, 2004, “
Liquid-Rotor Electret Micropower Generator
,”
Proceedings of the Solid State Sensor and Actuator Workshop
, Hilton Head Island, SC.
15.
Amirtharajah
,
R.
, and
Chandrakasan
,
A.
, 1998, “
Self-Powered Signal Processing Using Vibration-Based Power Generation
,”
IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits
0018-9200,
33
(
5
), pp.
687
695
.
16.
Fang
,
H. -B.
,
Liu
,
J. -Q.
,
Xu
,
Z. -Y.
,
Dong
,
L.
,
Wang
,
L.
,
Di Chen
,
B. -C. C.
, and
Liu
,
Y.
, 2006, “
Fabrication and Performance of MEMS-Based Piezoelectric Power Generator for Vibration Energy Harvesting
,”
Microelectron. J.
0026-2692,
37
(
11
), pp.
1280
1284
.
17.
Potter
,
M.
, 2003, “
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Varactor and a Method of Making and Using Thereof
,” U.S. Patent No. 6,597,560.
18.
Potter
,
M.
, 2004, “
Resonator With a Member Having an Embedded Charge and a Method of Making Thereof
,” U.S. Patent No. 6,717,488.
19.
Potter
,
M.
, 2005, “
Accelerometer and Methods Thereof
,” U.S. Patent No. 6,854,330.
20.
Gracewski
,
S.
,
Funkenbusch
,
P.
,
Ross
,
D. S.
,
Zia
,
J.
, and
Potter
,
M.
, 2006, “
Design and Modeling of a Micro-Energy Harvester Using an Embedded Charge Layer
,”
J. Micromech. Microeng.
0960-1317,
16
, pp.
235
241
.
21.
Roundy
,
S.
,
Wright
,
P. K.
, and
Rabaey
,
J. M.
, 2004,
Energy Scavenging for Wireless Sensor Networks With Special Focus on Vibrations
,
Kluwer
,
Norwell, MA
.
22.
Sodano
,
H. A.
,
Inman
,
D. J.
, and
Park
,
G.
, 2004, “
A Review of Power Harvesting From Vibration Using Piezoelectric Materials
,”
Shock Vib. Dig.
0583-1024,
36
(
3
), pp.
197
205
.
23.
Haliday
,
D.
, and
Resnick
,
R.
, 1988,
Fundamentals of Physics
,
Wiley
,
New York
.
24.
Feynman
,
R.
,
Leighton
,
R.
, and
Sands
,
M.
, 1963,
The Feynman Lectures on Physics, II
,
Addison-Wesley
,
Reading, MA
.
25.
Jackson
,
J.
, 1975,
Classical Electrodynamics
,
Wiley
,
New York
.
You do not currently have access to this content.