SBIR Phase I: Design and Fabrication of a Novel Electrostatic Micro Energy Harvester

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project proposes to investigate the feasibility of making a vibration-based silicon electrostatic micro energy harvester with a high Actual Achievable Power Density (AAPD) for powering wireless sensor network nodes. This research proposes a new route to increase converted power by increasing the AAPD of an energy harvester. The innovation of this research includes a novel electrostatic harvester design and a novel process for making this design. The primary technical objective is to demonstrate if the proposed design can indeed be fabricated with the proposed process. The specific research activities include harvester design and microfabrication process integration and optimization. Batteries are not always an ideal choice if the lifetime, volume and replacement accessibility of a power source are restricted. Harvesting energy from the environment to power microelectronics devices has become an alternative solution. As energy harvesters produce power in the microW to mW range, outputting electric energy as much as possible is the primary goal of energy harvester development. The principal application of the proposed energy harvester is for wireless sensor networks (WSN). Currently, one of the biggest technical challenges for the commercialization of WSN is to provide a cost-effective power solution. Energy harvesters are highly attractive as they can supply long-lived power; reduce the cost of installation and maintenance; and enable completely self-powered wireless and battery-free sensor nodes.