https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-022-00577-8
Regular Article
Optimization of a vibrating MEMS electromagnetic energy harvester using simulations
1
Université de Toulouse, INSA-CNRS-UPS, LPCNO, 135 Av. Rangueil, 31077, Toulouse, France
2
Laboratoire d’Analyse et d’Architecture des Systèmes, CNRS, 7 avenue du Colonel Roche, 31077, Toulouse, France
3
Georgia Tech-CNRS International Research Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Atlanta, GA, USA
4
Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Néel, 38042, Grenoble, France
n
lmlacroi@insa-toulouse.fr
p
tblon@insa-toulouse.fr
Received:
14
January
2022
Accepted:
9
April
2022
Published online:
4
May
2022
Nowadays, wireless sensor networks (WSN) are becoming essential in our daily life. However, a major constraint concerns the energy power supply. Indeed, batteries need to be recharged or replaced often which implies a limited lifetime for WSN nodes. One alternative consists in harvesting mechanical energy from surrounding vibrations of the environment. Using finite element simulations, we report here a complete guideline to optimize a MEMS electromagnetic energy harvester consisting of an in-plane vibrating silicon frame supporting an array of micromagnets that faces a static 2D micro-coil. The dimensioning of the magnet array and the specific design of the coil are addressed, considering patterned 50 m thick NdFeB films with out of plane magnetization. The optimization of the electromechanical coupling which allows to efficiently convert the energy results from a trade-off between the high magnetic flux gradients produced by the micromagnets and the maximum number of turns of the facing coil.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022