An Analytical Energy Harvester Model for Interdigitated Ring Electrode on Circular Elastic Membrane

Area of Science:

• Energy harvesting
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
• Vibrational energy conversion

Background:

• Variable capacitance is the primary mechanism for ambient vibrational energy harvesters.
• Interdigitated electrode (IDE) patterns are common but typically focus on parallel electrode vibrations.
• Existing designs often overlook energy harvesting from rotational motion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of a novel energy harvester combining a circular membrane with interdigitated ring electrodes (IRE).
• To explore the potential of harvesting energy from rotational structure motions.
• To analyze the impact of electrode gap size on energy output and manufacturability.

Main Methods:

• A novel harvester design integrating a circular membrane and IRE was developed.
• The harvester's performance was evaluated by analyzing the first four vibrational modes of the membrane.
• Three different ring gap sizes (1, 10, and 100 μm) were investigated.

Main Results:

• The circular membrane and IRE design enables energy harvesting from rotational motions.
• The circular structure offers a denser capacitive arrangement compared to traditional rectangular designs.
• Energy outputs were comparable across the investigated gap sizes (1, 10, and 100 μm).

Conclusions:

• The novel circular membrane and IRE design effectively harvests vibrational energy, including from rotational motions.
• Wider electrode gaps in IRE designs facilitate easier MEMS manufacturing without compromising energy output.
• This design presents a promising advancement for efficient vibrational energy harvesting devices.