[SIST Student Seminar] Multiple Charge Extractions with Bias-flip Interface Circuit for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting

ON2021-01-19TAG: ShanghaiTech UniversityCATEGORY: Lecture

Speaker:    Teng Li

Time:          15:00-16.00 Jan 19

Location:    SIST 1C 101

Host:           Liang Junrui

 

Abstract:

The emergence of more and more internet of things (IoT) devices beckons for low-power electronics and long-lasting power supply solutions. Energy harvesting (EH) technologies have gradually shown their potential and feasibility for offering energy-self-sufficient solutions to distributed and portable devices. The main target of piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) is how to convert mechanical vibration power into electrical form more effectively. Traditionally, there are two main design philosophies, enlarging the energy income or reducing the dissipation. Besides, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is another challenge for PEH. There was rarely an interface circuit, which can fully meet these requirements.

A new interface circuit called ‘Multi-step Charge Extractions and Voltage Bias-Flip’ (MCEBF) is proposed. MCEBF can reduce the dissipation by multi-step charge extraction and enlarge the energy income by bias-flip actions. Furthermore, MCEBF is based on buck-boost, which can isolate the piezoelectric source and the load. MCEBF can always work at optimal conditions, without extra MPPT circuits. The circuit and topology of MCEBF can be further revised to harvest energy from more than one piezoelectric transducer and provide a regulated output voltage without external DC/DC converters.

This talk will introduce the pros and cons of existing PEH technologies. Then the detail of MCEBF will be covered. Some work in progress, including the evolution of MCEBF will also be presented.

 

Bio:

Teng Li has received his B.S. degree in Microelectronics from Hefei University of Technology in 2015. After graduation, he worked as analog IC designer in Wuxi ETEK Microelectronics Co., Ltd. He is now working towards the Ph.D. degree at Shanghaitech University. His research interests include low-power analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits. He is focusing on the integrated circuit for vibration energy harvesting and power management for IoT applications.