Piezoelectric energy harvesting using a nonlinear buckled beam and method for same

An energy harvester for harvesting energy from an external vibratory force, comprising:

• a frame having a base, a first side member affixed to the base, and a second side member affixed to the base and spaced apart from the first side member;
• and
• a first buckled beam coupled between the first side member of the frame and the second side member of the frame, the first buckled beam comprising:
• a substrate layer having a first end affixed to the first side member of the frame, a second end affixed to the second side member of the frame, a first face, a second face opposite to the first face, and a terminal for electrical connection to a load, the substrate being elastically deformable in response to the vibratory force;
• a first piezoelectric layer joined to the first face of the substrate layer and having a terminal for electrical connection to a load, the first piezoelectric layer comprising at least one piezoelectric patch;
• and
• wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the frame differs from a CTE of the first beam to cause the first beam to be buckled.