A Self-Powered Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Interface with Wide Input Range in 65 nm CMOS Process

ABSTRACT

A self-powered piezoelectric energy harvesting interface circuit (PEHIC) with wide input range and good performance is presented in this paper. The proposed PEHIC consists of a two-stage active charge pump rectifier and an ultra-low power intermittent power management unit (IPMU). Active diodes based on unbalanced-biased comparators improve the reverse leakage current problem that conventional active diodes faced. By limiting the output voltage between 1.2 and 0.8 V, the IPMU working in intermittent mode can provide an expanded input range and ensure that the interface circuit has a large transient output power. Implemented in a 65 nm standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the PEHIC has been simulated and verified. Simulation results show that an AC signal with amplitude ranging from 0.32 to 1.5 V and frequencies of 20 Hz–3 kHz can be rectified. The maximum output current is as large as 5 mA. The peak power conversion efficiency is up to 81% when the input voltage is 0.8 V at 200 Hz. The PEHIC can be self-powered without the need for additional power supply.

KEYWORDS:

• Charge pump rectifier
• Intermittent power management unit
• Piezoelectric energy harvesting
• Ultra-low power
• Unbalanced-biased

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 61376033], [grant number 61574103]; and the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province [grant number 2017ZDXM-GY-006].

Notes on contributors

Lianxi Liu

Lianxi Liu was born in Lichuan, Hubei Province, P. R. China, in 1979. He received the BS, MS, and PhD degrees in microelectronics engineering from Xidian University, Xi'an, China, in 2001, 2004, and 2006, respectively. From 2004 to 2006, he was a research assistant with the Microelectronics School of Xidian University. From 2009 to 2015, he was an associated professor with the Microelectronics School of Xidian University. Since 2016, he has been a professor with the same affiliation. Mr Liu is the author of one book, more than 50 articles, and more than 30 inventions. His research interests include high-speed CMOS data converters, mixed-signal integrated circuits design, and low voltage low power analogue circuits design.

Yanbo Pang

Yanbo Pang was born in China in 1991. He received the BS degree in Microelectronics from Xidian University, Xi'an, China, in 2015, where he is presently working towards his MS degree. His research interests include ultra-low power analogue circuit design, energy harvester circuit, and PE circuit design.

E-mail: [email protected]

Wenzhi Yuan

Wenzhi Yuan was born in Shannxi, China in 1989. He received his BS degree in School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering from Xidian University, Xi'an, China, in 2014. He is presently working towards his MS degree in microelectronics from Xidian University. His current research interests include AC–DC converters, DC–DC converters, and piezoelectric energy harvester.

E-mail: [email protected]

Junchao Mu

Junchao Mu was born in China in 1991. He received the BS and MS degrees in Microelectronics from Xidian University, Xi'an, China, in 2013 and 2015, respectively, where he is presently working towards his PhD degree. From July 2015 to August 2015, he served as an analogue design intern at Texas Instruments, Shanghai, China. His research interests include ultra-low power analogue circuit design, energy harvester circuit, and RF circuit design.

E-mail: [email protected]