| Author | Dakua, Indrani |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Engineering in Microelectronics and Embedded Systems Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | An innate attribute of certain ceramic (e.g. lead zirconate titanate and polyvinylidene fluoride) materials to generate electric potential when mechanically stressed or deformed was discovered in 1880, by Jacques and Pierre Curie and is termed as piezoelectricity. Ceramic piezoelectricity has been extensively used for energy generation in the macro scale and to an extent in the micro scale. Certain inorganic crystals like zinc oxide, barium titanate and aluminium nitride have been found to possess similar piezoelectric properties. Metal oxide semiconductors having high piezoelectric coefficient can be cost effectively manufactured by a simple hydrothermal method using low temperature processes. These nanostructures are capable of transforming mechanical deformations into electrical power. The nanostructure morphologies and dimensions can be controlled by controlling the growth conditions. When subjected to mechanical deformations, these nanostructures undergo a charge separation due to inherent structural asymmetry. Tapping of the separated charges and subsequent accumulation can give a manifestation of mechanical to electrical energy transformation and lead to energy harvesting. This has been done at macro levels quite easily, while tapping the separated charges at the nanoscale still remains a topic of intent research. The synthesis of nanostructures of metal oxide semiconductors for using their unique property of piezoelectric energy generation under mechanical deformation combined with a metal electrode capable of converting that into electrical energy with high efficiency and the ability to transfer the energy generated to the outside world will lead to new dimensions for battery size reduction and self-powering of micro/nano systems. |
| Year | 2016 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Industrial Systems Engineering (DISE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Microelectronics (ME) |
| Chairperson(s) | Afzulpurkar, Nitin V. ; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Mongkol Ekpanyapong;Amporn Poyai;Chumnarn Punyasai; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | AIT Fellowship ; |