OPTIMIZATION OF MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PIEZOELECTRIC ENERGY HARVESTERS WITH INTERDIGITATED ELECTRODES.

The paper considers a method for optimization of piezoelectric voltage of vibrating microelectromechanical energy harvester with respect to the output voltage. The investigated vibrating elements are cantilevers and doubly clamped beams with piezoelectric thin film layers. Interdigitated electrodes are disposed on the top surface of piezoelectric layers in order to increase the efficiency of the energy harvester. The non-uniform distribution of piezoelectric charges along vibrating structure is a result of non-uniform distribution of bending stress. The aim of optimization method described in the paper is to determine the optimal length and position of the piezoelectric interdigitated electrodes on the surface of the elastic beam so that the maximum output voltage to be obtained at minimal possible lengths of the piezoelectric layers. The considered optimization method can be used for design of hybrid piezoelectric energy harvesters with combined vibrating and triboelectric action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]