High output power AlN vibration-driven energy harvesters

This paper presents miniature AlN harvesters for harvesting low-frequency and two-dimensional vibration energy. A high fracture toughness and high yield strength stainless steel substrate was used to enhance output power and reduce resonate frequency of vibration energy harvesters. The thickness of 1.89 μm AlN films were deposited on 50 μm thick stainless steel (SUS) substrates for fabricating the harvesters. The Al/AlN/SUS multi-layer sheet was made into long and thin plate-like cantilevers with heavy proof masses attached at their free ends. The devices can collect vibration energy efficiently not only under perpendicular direction to the plate surface of cantilevers but also under the parallel direction. When vibration acceleration was 1.0 g, output power was 28.114 μW for perpendicular vibration and 51.735 μW for parallel vibration. When the acceleration of parallel vibration was 1.6 g, output power was 89.339 μW.