Generation of Clean and Renewable Energy through Compatible Piezoelectric Devices Based on NbO₃ Material

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Solar energy systems face output intermittency due to weather variations like rain and temperature fluctuations.
• Existing renewable energy solutions often lack the ability to harvest multiple energy sources simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a hybrid energy harvester integrating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) piezoelectric/pyroelectric devices with silicon solar cells.
• To enable multisource energy capture (solar, mechanical, thermal) for improved resilience under variable weather conditions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hybrid device combining single-crystal LiNbO3 with a silicon solar cell.
• Utilizing interdigital transducers (IDTs) on LiNbO3 for piezoelectric and pyroelectric energy conversion.
• Controlled experimental testing to evaluate photovoltaic output, raindrop-induced voltage, and pyroelectric performance.

Main Results:

• The hybrid configuration boosted photovoltaic output by 22.6% compared to a standalone solar cell.
• Raindrop impact generated up to 0.8 Vpp, and thermal variations yielded 7.54 Vpp.
• The device demonstrated durability with minimal performance drift (<1%) after extended cycling.

Conclusions:

• The hybrid energy harvester offers a robust solution for weather-resilient energy generation.
• This integrated approach effectively mitigates solar intermittency by harvesting light, mechanical, and thermal energy.
• The technology presents a straightforward pathway toward advanced, multisource energy harvesting modules.