Fabrication and evaluation of a CMOS-based energy harvesting chip integrating photovoltaic and thermoelectric energy harvesters
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study explores the development of an energy harvesting chip (EHC) using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process, addressing the need for efficient micro-scale energy harvesters in modern electronics. The EHC integrates a thermoelectric energy harvester (TEH) and a photovoltaic energy harvester (PEH) to maximize energy conversion efficiency. A key challenge in TEH design is enhancing power output, which is addressed by suspending the cold ends of 41 thermocouples within the TEH structure through post-processing. Experimental methods were employed to assess the performance of the TEH, revealing an output voltage of 21.4 mV and a maximum output power of 9.32 nW under a 3 K temperature difference. The TEH demonstrated a voltage factor of 8.9 mV/(mm 2 ·K) and a power factor of 1.3 nW/(mm 2 ·K 2 ). The PEH was designed with novel patterned p-n junctions, integrating lightly doped n-type regions with interdigitated p-type doping to increase junction density, resulting in high conversion efficiency. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the EHC design, showcasing its potential in energy harvesting applications.
Authors: Zhi-Xuan Dai, Chun-Yu Chen
Institutions: National Chung Hsing University, Powerchip (Taiwan)
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,550
OpenAlex ID: W4403158976