A new design of Aluminium cantilever with embedded piezoelectric ceramic film in RF MEMS devices for energy harvesting

Mobile wireless communication systems are omnipresent, the chief area of concern in mobile wireless devices is power consumption and frequent battery discharge. This paper involves a calibrated research in the fields of energy scavenging from RF MEMS which are employed extensively in wireless transmission circuitry. We investigate the potential and viability of three piezoelectric materials, namely, Zinc Oxide, Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT-2) and Quartz, when embedded in Aluminium cantilevers of resonators providing RF functionality and thereby converting the lost mechanical energy into electrical energy by analyzing the suitable frequencies of operation through Eigen frequency analysis. Multiphysics simulation software was used for simulation and analysis of the beams and piezoelectric materials. Eigen frequencies for the beams were studied. These results of our study give a prospect to estimate viability of using piezoelectric materials in RF MEMS devices to reduce power consumption and their feasibility of being self-powered, also, they shed light on prospective applications it may fit. The work is indicative of the potential of the piezoelectric material being embedded in the resonator to scavenge mechanical energy that would otherwise be lost.