Microsystem Technologies

, Volume 12, Issue 10–11, pp 1071–1077 | Cite as

Microelectromechanical systems vibration powered electromagnetic generator for wireless sensor applications

  • E. Koukharenko
  • S. P. Beeby
  • M. J. Tudor
  • N. M. White
  • T. O’Donnell
  • C. Saha
  • S. Kulkarni
  • S. Roy
Technical paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

This paper presents a silicon microgenerator, fabricated using standard silicon micromachining techniques, which converts external ambient vibrations into electrical energy. Power is generated by an electromagnetic transduction mechanism with static magnets positioned on either side of a moving coil, which is located on a silicon structure designed to resonate laterally in the plane of the chip. The volume of this device is approximately 100 mm3. ANSYS finite element analysis (FEA) has been used to determine the optimum geometry for the microgenerator. Electromagnetic FEA simulations using Ansoft’s Maxwell 3D software have been performed to determine the voltage generated from a single beam generator design. The predicted voltage levels of 0.7–4.15 V can be generated for a two-pole arrangement by tuning the damping factor to achieve maximum displacement for a given input excitation. Experimental results from the microgenerator demonstrate a maximum power output of 104 nW for 0.4g (g=9.81 m s−1) input acceleration at 1.615 kHz. Other frequencies can be achieved by employing different geometries or materials.

Keywords

Load Resistance Finite Element Analysis Simulation Enamel Copper Wire Coil Displacement ANSYS Finite Element Analysis 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the European Union for funding this Framework 6 STREP project VIBES, project reference 507911.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • E. Koukharenko
    • 1
  • S. P. Beeby
    • 1
  • M. J. Tudor
    • 1
  • N. M. White
    • 1
  • T. O’Donnell
    • 2
  • C. Saha
    • 2
  • S. Kulkarni
    • 2
  • S. Roy
    • 2
  1. 1.School of Electronics and Computer ScienceUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
  2. 2.Tyndall National Institute, Prospect RowCorkIreland

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