Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Based on LiNbO3 Thin Films

• Published in: Materials 2020-09, Vol.13 (18), p.3984
• Main Authors: Vakulov, Zakhar, Geldash, Andrey, Khakhulin, Daniil, Il’ina, Marina V., Il’in, Oleg I., Klimin, Viktor S., Dzhuplin, Vladimir N., Konoplev, Boris G., He, Zhubing, Ageev, Oleg A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Carrier density; Chemical vapor deposition; Converters; Current carriers; Deformation; Efficiency; Electric power generation; Electricity distribution; Energy; Energy harvesting; Ferroelectricity; Laser ablation; Lasers; Lead free; Lithium niobates; Microscopy; Morphology; Nanogenerators; Parameter estimation; Physical properties; Piezoelectricity; Plasma; Strain gauges; Thin films
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma13183984

This paper reports the results of the influence of the energy of laser pulses during laser ablation on the morphology and electro-physical properties of LiNbO3 nanocrystalline films. It is found that increasing laser pulse energy from 180 to 220 mJ results in the concentration of charge carriers in LiNbO3 films decreasing from 8.6 × 1015 to 1.0 × 1013 cm−3, with the mobility of charge carriers increasing from 0.43 to 17.4 cm2/(V·s). In addition, experimental studies of sublayer material effects on the geometric parameters of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are performed. It is found that the material of the lower electrode has a significant effect on the formation of CNTs. CNTs obtained at the same growth time on a sample with a Cr sublayer have a smaller diameter and a longer length compared to samples with a V sublayer. Based on the obtained results, the architecture of the energy nanogenerator is proposed. The current generated by the nanogenerator is 18 nA under mechanical stress of 600 nN. The obtained piezoelectric nanogenerator parameters are used to estimate the parameters of the hybrid-carbon-nanostructures-based piezoelectric energy converter. Obtained results are promising for the development of efficient energy converters for alternative energy devices based on lead-free ferroelectric films.