The objective of this research is to develop a prototype vibration energy harvesting device that can be used as a self-powering, miniature and fully-integrated wireless sensor network node for long-term sensing and monitoring applications. These piezoelectric-based devices, on the order of a cubic millimeter in volume, offer two orders of magnitude improvement over the state-of-the-art. The approach of this project is to merge three-dimensional numerical simulations with material property characterization experiments on both single-crystal silicon and piezoelectric thin films, in order to push both materials to their respective mechanical limits. Efforts to develop cheap, batch-fabrication compatible manufacturing processes will be undertaken simultaneously.
The intellectual merit of this work is the incorporation of large, nonlinear deflection dynamics directly into the design of the micro-scale devices; this approach enables optimal voltage generation, allows effective energy harvesting at low frequencies, and obviates any design customization, mechanical trimming or resonance tuning. The broader impacts are likely to include pervasive, cheap, easy-to-deploy, reliable and sustainable sensor networks, with direct impact potential in homeland security, environmental and structural integrity monitoring, battlefield awareness, automatic border surveillance, and package tracking. The study will provide valuable opportunities for the interdisciplinary training of both undergraduate and graduate students. In collaboration with the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program (CPEP), the PI will be participating in the high school teacher development program and classroom enrichment activities around the New Haven area, which has a significant population of socially and economically at-risk children, as well as a high concentration of traditionally underrepresented minority students.
