Design and realization of a kinetic energy harvester in MEMS silicon technology with its conditioning circuit adapted to an active control

22 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

C2N, CNRS-Université Paris-Saclay

Research Field

Engineering
Engineering » Electronic engineering
Physics

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)
Leading Researcher (R4)
First Stage Researcher (R1)
Established Researcher (R3)

Country

France

Application Deadline

14 Jul 2024 - 22:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Offer Starting Date

1 Sep 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Kinetic Energy Harvester (KEH) are modules that convert part of the work done by mechanical vibrations into electrical energy. They can be used to replace or complement batteries in IoT (Internet of Things) applications or wireless sensor network nodes. They are an alternative to photovoltaic cells or thermoelectric generators when the systems to be powered are small and when vibrations are naturally present in the environment of the targeted application. This converted energy can then power the electronic system of which the KEH is a part. The size of KEHs is typically from a few mm3 to a few cm3 , and their moving mass from a few milligrams to a few grams.

A vibration energy harvester is composed of four blocks: a moving mass attached via a spring to the vibrating frame, an electromechanical transducer converting kinetic energy into electricity, a conditioning circuit biasing the transducer and a power management block interfacing with the electric load. In a conventional approach, the transducer exploits the vibrations of the moving mass caused by ambient vibrations to convert a maximum of energy to power the load.

 

However, this passive approach is not the most efficient. By controlling the movement of the moving mass according to the ambient vibrations, it is possible to convert much more energy, especially when the vibrations are non-harmonic and non-regular, as is the case in many applications (e.g., human body movements). The technique of active energy harvesting is called "near-limits". It is described in several recent fundamental works on energy recovery theory.

The objective of this PhD project is to design, model and realize the core of the vibratory energy recuperator containing the MEMS device and its conditioning circuit.

The work program is as follows:

- Assimilation of the theoretical principles of vibration energy harvesting and the "near-limits" technique

- Design, test, fabrication, and validation of the MEMS device for the “near-limits” energy harvesting

- Design, modeling, and realization of the adiabatic conditioning circuit for the designed and manufactured MEMS transducer.

- Measurement campaign to characterize the MEMS device and the joint operation of the device and the conditioning circuit.

The thesis program includes an important part of experimental activity: electronic prototyping using off-the-shelf components, characterization of MEMS devices, testing and characterization of the whole MEMS system.

Funding category: Autre financement public
Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
PHD title: Doctorat en physique option microélectronique
PHD Country: France

Requirements
Specific Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with a background in one of the following disciplines:

Electronics, microelectronics, electrical engineering
Sensors and microtechnologies
Physics

The candidate must have a strong interest in electronics and a strong motivation to develop multidisciplinary skills in the field of vibration energy harvesting.

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

C2N, CNRS-Université Paris-Saclay

Country

France

City

Palaiseau

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.abg.asso.fr/fr/candidatOffres/show/id_offre/121358

Contact

Website

https://www.c2n.universite-paris-saclay.fr/en/laboratory/presentation/

STATUS: EXPIRED