In an energy harvesting communication system, energy is derived from outside sources and becomes partially available at different points in time. The constraints induced by this property on energy consumption plays an active role in the design of efficient communication systems. This thesis focuses on the optimal design of transmission and networking schemes for energy harvesting wireless communication systems. In particular, an energy harvesting transmitter broadcasting data to two receivers in an AWGN broadcast channel assuming that energy harvests and data arrivals occur at known instants is considered. In this system, optimal packet scheduling that achieves minimum delay is analyzed. An iterative algorithm, DuOpt, that achieves the same structural properties as the optimal schedule is proposed. DuOpt is proved to obtain the optimal solution when weaker user data is ready at the beginning. A dual problem is defined and shown to be strictly convex. Taking advantage of the dual problem, uniqueness of the solution of the main problem is proved. Finally, it is observed that DuOpt is almost two orders of magnitude faster than the SUMT (sequential unconstrained minimization technique) algorithm that solves the same problem.

In this study the relationship between the dynamic response of the flexible substrate and the power generation for energy harvesting system is proposed. High electro-mechanical transformation of piezoelectric materials, high efficient energy transfer of mechanical structure and controlled circuit make the piezoelectric generator a high performance. The devices of cantilevers with lump structures on the flexible substrate and piezoelectric film (ZnO) are designed. Then some individual layers of power generator are stocked in parallel to form a multi-layer system with a broad resonant band width. When the generator is operated in a wide frequency range vibration environment, the multi-layer piezoelectric films in the form of cantilever structures can induce current. First the finite element method for the piezoelectric cantilever beam is constructed by using ANSYS software. Both modal analysis and harmonic response analysis are performed to obtain the structural modal parameters and frequency response functions, respectively. Besides, the beam structure is modeled by 3D coupled field piezoelectric element. This research will apply Taguchi¡¦s method to design including variations of dimensions and material properties for energy harvesting system. The flexible substrate is polymeric film (PET). Imprinting process is applied to transfer the simulated geometric configuration onto a flexible substrate to obtain a maximum power output. The results show the single devices can improve efficiently by using lump structures on the flexible substrate, the generator could achieve maximum OCV of 2.25V which is 0.276£gW every centimeter squared when attached to a stable source of vibration. The multi-layer system can be used in 50~500Hz of low frequency environment. Furthermore, the output voltage (OCV) is upward when the flexible substrate with low Young¡¦s modulus.

The wireless transfer of power is the enabling technology for realizing a true internet-of-things. Broad sensor networks capable of monitoring environmental pollutants, health-related biological data, and building utility usage are just a small fraction of the myriad of applications which are part of an ever evolving ubiquitous lifestyle. Realizing these systems requires a means of powering their electronics sans batteries. Removing the batteries from the billions or trillions of these envisioned devices not only reduces their size and lowers their cost, but also avoids an ecological catastrophe. Increasing the efficiency of microwave-to-DC power conversion in energy-harvesting circuits extends the range and reliability of passive sensor networks. Multi-frequency waveforms are one technique that assists in overcoming the energy-harvesting circuit diode voltage threshold which limit the energy-conversion efficiency at low RF input powers typically encountered by sensors at the fringe of their coverage area. This thesis discusses a systematic optimization approach to the design of energy-conversion circuits along with multi-frequency waveform excitation. Using this methodology, a low-power 5.8 GHz rectenna showed an output power improvement of over 20 dB at -20 dBm input power using a 3-POW (power-optimized waveform) compared to continuous waveforms (CW). The resultant efficiency is the highest reported efficiency for low-power 5.8 GHz energy harvesters. Additionally, new theoretical models help to predict the maximum possible range of the next generation of passive electronics based upon trends in the semiconductor industry. These models predict improvements in diode turn-on power of over 20 dB using modern Schottky diodes. This improvement in turn-on power includes an improvement in output power of hundreds of dB when compared to CW.

Le développement de systèmes de récupération d’énergie (ou energy harvesting systems en anglais) va de pair avec l’émergence de l’Internet des Objets et notamment la prolifération de réseaux de capteurs devant répondre aux besoins croissants en informations, que ce soit dans le domaine de l’industrie, de la sante, de la domotique ou de l’environnement qu’il soit urbain ou naturel. Les progrès réalisés ces dernières années dans le domaine des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication ont permis de lever certains verrous technologiques au déploiement de ces réseaux de capteurs intelligents et autonomes, notamment grâce a l’amélioration des performances intrinsèques des composants microélectroniques (vitesse, consommation), la conception de circuits plus économes en énergie, ou bien la mise en place de standards de communications radio adaptes a ces contraintes énergies. Etant donné l’ubiquité des sources d’énergie, la fabrication de générateurs permettant d’alimenter directement ces capteurs à partir de ces sources représente une alternative viable à l’utilisation de batteries pour prolonger la durée de vie de ces capteurs communicants. Diverses technologies de générateurs ont ainsi été proposes pour s’adapter aux différentes formes que peut prendre l’énergie, qu’elle soit d’origine thermique, mécanique, solaire ou électromagnétique.Le présent travail est une contribution au développement de certains dispositifs de récupération thermiques basés sur l’exploitation des propriétés thermiques et mécaniques de bilames thermostatique. Ce type de générateurs, propose et développe au sein de STMicroelectronics à Crolles, se veut être une alternative fiable et bas cout a l’utilisation de matériaux thermoélectriques exploitant l’effet Seebeck pour générer de l’énergie électrique. Divers dispositifs ont déjà été fabriqués, démontrant la capacité des moteurs thermiques à base de bilames thermostatiques à alimenter des capteurs autonomes en fonctionnement synchrone et asynchrone. L’objectif de cette thèse est alors de démontrer la possibilité de miniaturiser de tels moteurs thermiques grâce aux techniques de fabrications utilisées en microélectronique. Afin de garantir le fonctionnement de ces systèmes a micro-échelle, un important travail de fond a d’abord été effectue sur la compréhension et la modélisation des phénomènes de couplages thermomécaniques a l’origine du comportement bistable des membranes bimétalliques. Ce travail a débouché sur la démonstration théorique du fonctionnement des moteurs thermiques a base de bilames et sur l’évaluation de leur performances énergétiques (énergie disponible, efficacité thermique, efficacité de Carnot relative). Dans la continuité de ce premier modèle, d’autres travaux ont été menés pour évaluer les performances de moteurs thermiques exploitant différents phénomènes de couplage électromécanique en vue de convertir l’énergie mécanique générée par les bilames thermostatiques en énergie électrique exploitable par les capteurs autonomes. La simulation du comportement des micro-générateurs à l’aide de ces divers modèles a debouché sur des lois d’échelles sur les performances des moteurs thermiques. Finalement, divers procédés de fabrications ont ete développé pour permettre la fabrication de microstructures thermiquement bistables. / The development of energy harvesting systems is linked to the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and especially the proliferation of Wireless Sensors Networks that should respond to the growing needs for monitoring data in domains as diverse as the industry, the urban or natural environments, the home, or the human body etc. Recent progress in the field of information technologies have enabled to remove some of the technical obstables to the deployment of these smart and autonom devices, in particular thanks to the improvement of the performances of microelectronic components, the design of ultra-low-power circuits, or the creation of wireless communications standards adapted to the energy needs of wireless sensors. Given the great availability of energy sources, energy harvesters are reliable alternatives to batteries in order to extend the autonomy of these sensors. Various technologies of generators have been developped to adapt to the type of local energy sources (heat, vibration, light, radio-frequencies).The present work is a contribution to the development of thermal energy harvesters exploting the thermal and mechanical properties of bimetal thermostats. This type of technology developped at STMicroelectronics are intended to be a reliable and low-cost alternative to the use of thermoelectric materials exploing Seebeck effect to generate electricity from heat. Various devices were already fabricated at the macro-scale, demonstrating their ability to power wireless sensor nodes. In the continuity of these works, this PhD thesis aims to demonstrate the operation of these generators at the sub-millimetric scale. As a consequence, an important work on the modeling of the thermo-mechanical instability of bimetallic strips was made to understand the operation of bimetallic strip heat engines. This work enabled to theoretically demonstrate the capability of bimetallic to transform heat into mechanical energy and to evaluate the performances of such heat engines. Coupling between bimetallic strip heat engines and electro-mechanical transducers was also modeled to compare the performances of the current prototypes of generators. We then modeled the thermo-mechanical behavior of composite beams at the microscale and established scaling rules of the performances of the bimetallic strip heat engines, We finally developped microlectronic fabrication process to manufacture thermo-mechanically bistable beams at the microscale.

Augmenter la durée de vie d'une pile, voire s'en passer est aujourd'hui devenu une obligation pour les microsystèmes. En effet, à cette échelle, le remplacement des piles et leur rejet dans l'environnement sont problématiques. La voie préconisée pour répondre à cet enjeu est d'utiliser des sources d'énergie renouvelables (solaire, thermique et mécanique). Pour cela, nous proposons de développer une plateforme de récupération d'énergie multi-sources/multi-charges (MANAGY) capable de s'adapter à son environnement pour en extraire le maximum d'énergie et répondre à des applications diverses. L'architecture est constituée de chemins directs et de chemins indirects où l'énergie provenant des sources est d'abord transférée dans une unité de stockage avant d'être réutilisée par les charges du microsystème. L'utilisation de cette nouvelle architecture permet d'optimiser le transfert d'énergie entre sources et charges et améliore le rendement du système de 33%. Avant de développer une architecture multi-sources, nous avons cherché à améliorer le rendement de la source photovoltaïque (PV) qui, au vu de l'état de l'art, a la densité de puissance la plus élevée. La recherche du rendement maximum de la source PV revient à la recherche du point de puissance maximum (MPPT). Il existe pour chaque condition d'irradiance, de température, et d'énergie extraites un couple tension-courant permettant à la source de fournir un maximum de puissance (MPP). Grâce à l'utilisation de deux chemins de puissance, nous arrivons simultanément à créer une boucle de régulation faible puissance agissant sur le rapport cyclique du système de gestion d'énergie (MPPT) et une boucle de régulation de la tension de sortie agissant sur le transfert de l'énergie. La modélisation du système nous a permis de spécifier ses performances. Pour atteindre les performances requises, des architectures innovantes ont été réalisées qui ont fait l'objet de trois brevets. De plus, des blocs ne sont activés qu'aux instants de changement d'état du système et sont conçus, quand cela a été possible, avec des transistors fonctionnant en mode faible inversion. Toutes ces optimisations permettent au système de fonctionner sur une large plage de variation de l'éclairement (de conditions intérieures supérieures à 500 lux à extérieures) avec un rendement proche de 90%. / Enhancing the life time of battery or being able to work without it is today mandatory for microsystems. Most of systems are nowadays limited by the capacity of the embedded battery. Moreover the replacement and waste of baterries is no more possible at this scale. One way to achieve longer life time is the use of renewable energy sources (solar, thermal, or kinetic). This work proposes to develop a new energy harvesting platform with numerous sources and loads (MANAGY) able to adapt itself to the surrounding environment in order to extract the maximum of energy while answering to various of applications. The architecture is composed of directs and indirects power paths where the extracted energy coming from renewable sources is firstly transferred to a storage unit before being used by loads. This novel architecture makes it possible to optimize the energy transfer between sources and loads and to achieve a 33% gain. Before developing this architecture with numerous sources, we have searched to enhance the efficiency of the photovoltaic source which has the best power density at the state of the art. Looking for improving the efficiency of the PV source is the same as tracking the maximum power point (MPPT). There is for each irradiance, temperature and quantity of energy extracted a couple of voltage and current enabling the PV source to deliver the maximum of power (MPP). Thanks to the two power paths used we are able to create a low power feedback loop adjusting the duty cycle from the power management unit (MPPT) while having a second feedback loop optimizing the power transfer and regulating the output voltage. Thanks to a high level model we have specified the system performances. To achieve the performances required we have realized novel architectures protected through three patents. Moreover, blocs are only activated when the system changes its state and furthermore there are designs, when achievable, with transistors working in weak inversion. All these optimizations make the system working for a large range of irradiance (from inside conditions higher than 500 lux to outdoor conditions) with an efficiency close to 90%.

Nanostructuring functional materials can lead to a variety of enhanced intrinsic material properties. In particular, nanowires (NWs) have large surface-to-volume ratio and large aspect ratio (length / diameter), which makes them sensitive to low-amplitude vibrations and have increased flexibility compared to the bulk form of the material. In this thesis, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, ferromagnetic and magnetoelectric (ME) NWs have been explored in the context of vibrational energy harvesting and magnetic energy harvesting and sensing; because of their increased piezoelectric coefficients and ME coupling compared to bulk. Low-temperature, solution-processable and hence scalable fabrication techniques have been used throughout this work. Electrochemical deposition or electrodeposition (ED) in conjunction with nanoporous templates i.e. template-assisted electrodeposition (TAED) have been used to grow piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) and ferromagnetic nickel (Ni) NWs and three template-wetting based techniques have been used to grow ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) NWs and nanotubes (NTs). Both techniques have been optimised and subsequently combined to synthesise core-shell or (1-1) Ni - P(VDF-TrFE) composite NWs. The structural and crystalline properties of each type of nanostructure has been studied using a variety of techniques including: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and all of the NWs have been shown to be polycrystalline. The energy harvesting performance of vertically aligned ZnO NW arrays embedded in flexible, polycarbonate (PC) templates when incorporated into a flexible nanocomposite nanogenerator (NG), has been tested via periodic impacting and flexing of the NG at different frequencies. The voltage ($V$), current ($I$) and power were recorded during testing and measured across a range of external load resistances. The aligned nature of the embedded NWs ensures good piezoelectric performance across the entire device under impacting, while the PC template ensures mechanical stability and longevity of the device, confirmed by good fatigue performance over 24 hours of continuous testing, which is rarely studied in this field. The power density ($P_\mathrm{d}$) was found to be 151 mW m$^{-3}$ for low-amplitude (0.68 mm) and low-frequency (5 Hz) impacting, resulting in energy conversion efficiencies ($\chi$) and device efficiencies ($\chi$') of $\approx$ 4.2 \% and $\approx$ 3.76 x 10$^{-3}$ \% respectively. The nanoscale or surface piezoelectric charge coefficient ($d_{33}$) was measured to be $\approx$ 12.5 pm V$^{-1}$ on an individual ZnO NW, using a combination of Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and non--destructive piezoresponse force microscopy (ND-PFM). Both nanoscale and bulk ME measurements have been performed on Ni - P(VDF-TrFE) ME composite (1-1) NWs, nanocomposite (1-3) films and (2-2) laminates. The latter two structures have been fabricated using TAED and ED for the Ni NW and film respectively, in combination with drop-casting and spin-coating for the P(VDF-TrFE) films. The scanning probe microscopy (SPM) measurements used here include atomic force microscopy (AFM), KPFM, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and it has been found that the ME coupling in the (1-1) composites NWs is enhanced compared to the other structures, confirmed by approximating the converse ME coupling coefficient ($\alpha^\mathrm{C}$) of each composite. Additionally, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) has been used to confirm the ferromagnetic nature of the Ni phases in the composite structures. ME composite devices based on (2-2) and (1-3) composite materials and have been fabricated and preliminary bulk ME measurements of the ME coupling coefficient ($\alpha^\mathrm{E}$) plus energy harvesting measurements have also been performed as a proof of concept that the nanoscale ME coupling translates to the bulk, to some extent.

The wireless sensor network (WSN) is increasingly used in many areas nowadays. It can be applied to provide the solutions to environmental problems, help increasing security and safety systems, and make the detection of the problems more efficient, e.g. the earthquake or tidal wave, which will harmful to humans. The WNS is durable and resistant to all types of terrain and climate, but while the WSN system is more and more widespread, one of the obstacles hindering the growth of this technology and the demand for WSN applications is the limited battery lifespan. Consequently, there is a significant requirement for techniques for prolonging the battery’s lifespan. Therefore, one potential solution is to use alternative energy sources combined with the sensor nodes in WSN, specifically energy harvesting from existing environmental sources. This research project reviews the characteristics of each kind of energy harvesting, understanding the various energy sources (solar energy, vibration energy and wind power), including wireless power transfer (WPT) by using electromagnetic (EM) radiation energy transfer or RF radio-frequency emission and magnetic coupled energy transfer. They are adopted for extending node’s life in the WSN, based on published information. Then it compares these diverse alternative energy methods and identifies for the most suitable energy harvesting method for application to wireless sensor nodes in order to prolong the lifespan of the battery. The major findings from the researcher include that wireless power transfer energy harvesting (WPT) using the magnetic field is the most appropriate tool for extending the lifespan of the WSN system. In addition, the author also designed an experiment to test this alternative energy, achieving by modelling the wireless power transfer with four coils. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the WPT technique using energy harvesting with magnetic inductive source can be applied to prolong the lifespan of the WSN system.

abstract: Recently, nanostructured metamaterials have attracted lots of attentions due to its tunable artificial properties. In particular, nanowire/nanohole based metamaterials which are known of the capability of large area fabrication were intensively studied. Most of the studies are only based on the electrical responses of the metamaterials; however, magnetic response, is usually neglected since magnetic material does not exist naturally within the visible or infrared range. For the past few years, artificial magnetic response from nanostructure based metamaterials has been proposed. This reveals the possibility of exciting resonance modes based on magnetic responses in nanowire/nanohole metamaterials which can potentially provide additional enhancement on radiative transport. On the other hand, beyond classical far-field radiative heat transfer, near-field radiation which is known of exceeding the Planck’s blackbody limit has also become a hot topic in the field. This PhD dissertation aims to obtain a deep fundamental understanding of nanowire/nanohole based metamaterials in both far-field and near-field in terms of both electrical and magnetic responses. The underlying mechanisms that can be excited by nanowire/nanohole metamaterials such as electrical surface plasmon polariton, magnetic hyperbolic mode, magnetic polariton, etc., will be theoretically studied in both far-field and near-field. Furthermore, other than conventional effective medium theory which only considers the electrical response of metamaterials, the artificial magnetic response of metamaterials will also be studied through parameter retrieval of far-field optical and radiative properties for studying near-field radiative transport. Moreover, a custom-made AFM tip based metrology will be employed to experimentally study near-field radiative transfer between a plate and a sphere separated by nanometer vacuum gaps in vacuum. This transformative research will break new ground in nanoscale radiative heat transfer for various applications in energy systems, thermal management, and thermal imaging and sensing. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2017

abstract: Energy harvesting from ambient is important to configuring Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) for environmental data collecting. In this work, highly flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have been studied and fabricated to supply power to the wireless sensor notes used for data collecting in hot spring environment. The fabricated flexible TEGs can be easily deployed on the uneven surface of heated rocks at the rim of hot springs. By employing the temperature gradient between the hot rock surface and the air, these TEGs can generate power to extend the battery lifetime of the sensor notes and therefore reduce multiple batteries changes where the environment is usually harsh in hot springs. Also, they show great promise for self-powered wireless sensor notes. Traditional thermoelectric material bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and advanced MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) thin film techniques were used for the fabrication. Test results show that when a flexible TEG array with an area of 3.4cm2 was placed on the hot plate surface of 80°C in the air under room temperature, it had an open circuit voltage output of 17.6mV and a short circuit current output of 0.53mA. The generated power was approximately 7mW/m2. On the other hand, high pressure, temperatures that can reach boiling, and the pH of different hot springs ranging from <2 to >9 make hot spring ecosystem a unique environment that is difficult to study. WSN allows many scientific studies in harsh environments that are not feasible with traditional instrumentation. However, wireless pH sensing for long time in situ data collection is still challenging for two reasons. First, the existing commercial-off-the-shelf pH meters are frequent calibration dependent; second, biofouling causes significant measurement error and drift. In this work, 2-dimentional graphene pH sensors were studied and calibration free graphene pH sensor prototypes were fabricated. Test result shows the resistance of the fabricated device changes linearly with the pH values (in the range of 3-11) in the surrounding liquid environment. Field tests show graphene layer greatly prevented the microbial fouling. Therefore, graphene pH sensors are promising candidates that can be effectively used for wireless pH sensing in exploration of hot spring ecosystems. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Exploration Systems Design 2018

Issus de l'industrie de la microélectronique, les MEMS envahissent progressivement le marché avec des applications dans de nombreux domaines tels que l'aérospatiale, la médecine, l'industrie ou encore le grand public. Une des vocations de ces microstructures est de permettre le déploiement de réseaux de capteurs autonomes. Grâce à la miniaturisation, les systèmes deviennent de moins en moins consommateurs d'énergie et ceci permet de concevoir de nouvelles sources d'énergie basées sur la récupération de l'énergie ambiante (soleil, gradients de température,…). Il est par exemple possible de récupérer l'énergie des vibrations ambiantes à l'aide de systèmes piézoélectriques, électromagnétiques ou encore électrostatiques. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous nous concentrons sur l'étude de structures électrostatiques utilisant les électrets (diélectriques chargés électriquement). / Developed from the microelectronics industry, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) gradually invade the market with applications in many fields such as aerospace, medicine, industry or the general public. One of the purposes of these microstructures is to allow the deployment of autonomous sensor networks, that is to say a set of structures that can collect information from their environment, process, transmit and interact between them, without any human intervention. How to power these autonomous Microsystems? Use batteries… Unfortunately, the major flaw of batteries is their lifetimes, since it will be necessary to replace or to refill them after some months or some years. Actually, thanks to miniaturization, microsystems consume less and less energy, giving them the opportunity to harvest energy from their surrounding environment (sunlight, temperature gradients…). It is also possible to harvest energy directly from ambient vibration using piezoelectric, electromagnetic or electrostatic devices. In this mid-thesis work, we focus on the study of electrostatic structures using electret (electrically charged dielectrics). From the study of electrets to the fabrication and the optimization of electrostatic energy harvesters, we expose in this report, the results we obtained during this thesis.