A wideband vibration-based energy harvester

• Published in: Journal of micromechanics and microengineering 2008-11, Vol.18 (11), p.115021-115021 (11)
• Main Authors: Soliman, M S M, Abdel-Rahman, E M, El-Saadany, E F, Mansour, R R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Micromechanical devices and systems; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Transducers
• ISSN: 0960-1317; 1361-6439
• DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/18/11/115021

We present a new architecture for wideband vibration-based micro-power generators (MPGs). It replaces a linear oscillator with a piecewise-linear oscillator as the energy harvesting element of the MPG. A prototype of an electromagnetic MPG designed accordingly is analyzed analytically, numerically and experimentally. We find that the new architecture increases the bandwidth of the MPG during a frequency up-sweep, while maintaining the same bandwidth in a down-sweep. Closed-form expressions for the response of the new MPG as well as the up-sweep bandwidth are presented and validated experimentally. Simulations show that under random-frequency excitations, the new MPG collects more energy than the traditional MPG.