Energy Harvesting with Functional Materials and Microsystems (Devices, Circuits, and Systems)

For decades, people have searched for ways to harvest energy from natural sources. Lately, a desire to address the issue of global warming and climate change has popularized solar or photovoltaic technology, while piezoelectric technology is being developed to power handheld devices without batteries, and thermoelectric technology is being explored to convert wasted heat, such as in automobile engine combustion, into electricity.

Featuring contributions from international researchers in both academics and industry, Energy Harvesting with Functional Materials and Microsystems explains the growing field of energy harvesting from a materials and device perspective, with resulting technologies capable of enabling low-power implantable sensors or a large-scale electrical grid.

In addition to the design, implementation, and components of energy-efficient electronics, the book covers current advances in energy-harvesting materials and technology, including:

• High-efficiency solar technologies with lower cost than existing silicon-based photovoltaics
• Novel piezoelectric technologies utilizing mechanical energy from vibrations and pressure
• The ability to harness thermal energy and temperature profiles with thermoelectric materials

Whether you’re a practicing engineer, academician, graduate student, or entrepreneur looking to invest in energy-harvesting devices, this book is your complete guide to fundamental materials and applied microsystems for energy harvesting.

Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran holds a BE, MEng, and Ph.D from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. The recipient of the Australian Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2010-2013 currently serves as senior research fellow and joint leader of the RMIT University Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group. In 2011, she received worldwide media coverage for her use of in situ nanoindentation in characterizing the nanoscale piezoelectric energy generation properties of thin films. She has published 80 peer-reviewed publications, including 50 journal articles over the last five years.

Dr. Sharath Sriram holds a Ph.D from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Recipient of the Australian Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2011-2014, he is senior research fellow and joint leader of the RMIT University Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group. The highly decorated Dr. Sriram has published in leading nanoscience journals and received over $1.4 million in research and infrastructure funding over the last three years. His expertise includes the synthesis and characterisation of functional thin films, underpinned by skills in microelectronic fabrication techniques.

Dr. Krzysztof (Kris) Iniewski is managing R&D at Redlen Technologies Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a leading manufacturer of high resolution cadmium zinc telluride semiconductor radiation detectors. He is also president of CMOS Emerging Technologies Research Inc., Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, an organization hosting high-tech events on communications, microsystems, optoelectronics, and sensors. A popular speaker and consultant, he has published over 100 research papers, written and edited several books, and held faculty and management positions at University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; and PMC-Sierra Inc., Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.