Harvester-on-chip: Design of a proof of concept prototype

The main features of a novel concept in integrated MEMS-CMOS energy scavenging systems are presented. In this new concept, named harvester-on-chip (HoC), a chip only dedicated to scavenging functions, which co-integrate the MEMS electrostatic energy micro-converter along with the CMOS power conditioning circuitry, is defined. The use of the whole chip mass as inertial mass and the possibility to integrate an array of electrostatic harvesting transducers in the full chip surface are analyzed as main advantages of the new scavenger idea. The design and fabrication results of a proof of concept system integrated in a commercial CMOS technology are reported. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.