High-Efficiency MEMS Micro-Vibrational Energy Harvester And Process For Manufacturing Same
AssigneeMcb Clean Room Solutions, LLC
InventorRobert Mark Boysel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to a High Efficiency MEMS Micro-Vibrational Energy Harvester (μVEH) having a thick beam bimorph architecture. The disclosed architecture is capable of producing a voltage of sufficient magnitude such that the requirement to connect a plurality of harvesters in series to produce an adequate voltage magnitude is eliminated.
Claims25
A vibrational energy harvesting device comprising:
- a cantilever having a first end, a second end and a core having, a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the core being fabricated as two plate layers and bonded together;
- a first piezoelectric stack having a piezoelectric material placed between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer and attached to the first planar surface of said core;
- a second piezoelectric stack having a piezoelectric material placed between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer and attached to the second planar surface of said core;
- and
- a casing wherein the first end of the cantilever is joined to the casing and the second end is free to move.
A chipset having a substrate and a vibrational energy harvesting device comprising a cantilever having a first end, a second end and a core having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the core being fabricated as two plate layers and bonded together;
- a first piezoelectric stack having a piezoelectric material placed between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer and attached to the first planar surface of said core;
- a second piezoelectric stack having a piezoelectric material placed between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer and attached to the second planar surface of said core;
- and a casing wherein the first end of the cantilever is joined to the casing and the second end is free to move.
A method for fabricating a vibrational energy harvesting device comprising the steps of:
- creating a first wafer set and a second wafer set by
- forming an oxide layer on a substrate;
- depositing a first and second piezoelectric stack on the substrate;
- patterning a first electrode;
- patterning a piezoelectric material;
- patterning a second electrode;
- depositing bond pads;
- depositing a contact layer;
- etching contacts in said contact layer;
- patterning a core layer;
- aligning the plate layer of the first wafer set with the plate layer of the second wafer set;
- bonding said first wafer set to said second wafer set;
- patterning a resulting vibrational energy harvesting device;
- and
- singulating and releasing the resulting vibrational energy harvesting device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.