Comb IDE Patterned Piezoelectric MEMS Cantilever

for Sensing Applications

Neha Mukhija, Nidhi Paliwal and Deepak Bhatia
Department of Electronics Engineering, Rajasthan Technical University
Kota-324010,India.
Email ID-nmukhija2@gmail.com
Abstract---Power scavenging is a method of extracting energy
from the surrounding and converting it into electrical energy. In
this paper two element array of dimensions 304 m 2 with IDE
pattern on top is proposed. An insulation layer of SiO 2 is
sandwiched in between Si and PZT layer. This layer provides the
bow control of cantilever beam. Cantilever array is simulated
using COMSOL multiphysics. The effect of various parameters
on the performance of cantilever beam is studied. Effect of
thickness of PZT layer and length of the cantilever on
displacement and stress generated across the cantilever is
studied.

For this conversion to be more proficient IDE pattern of

electrodes is used [2].
B. Interdigitated Electrode Pattern
It is a comb like pattern of electrode. It is designed to
boost up the energy scavenged from cantilever beam.

KeywordsIDE;bow control; PZT.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Batteries have been the foundation of power for most

wireless, medical and mobile applications. Now, with chronic
computing requirement in the field of medical, wireless
sensors, embedded systems and low power mechanical
systems like MEMS devices, an alternate source of power is
essential. With inadequate capability of power sources and
need for providing power for life span, there is obligation for
self-powered devices. To operate these devices, the electric
power needed can be acquired from thermal, acoustic, wind,
mechanical or wave energies existing in the surroundings.
Consequently the method of translating existing mechanical
energy in surroundings into utilizable electrical energy is
called energy scavenging or power harvesting. Devices which
are energized by energy scavengers offer essential information
and can be placed at the location which is not accessible later.
A. Sources of Energy
Different sources of energy harvester are available viz.
thermoelectric, wind turbines, mechanical vibrations,
piezoelectric, photovoltaic cells etc [1]. Among all these
sources piezoelectric energy harvesters have maximum power
density about 330W/cm3. So, in this paper we have used
piezoelectric energy scavengers. When a device is forced to
vibrate, it starts moving [3]; this movement is converted to
electrical energy using three methods(1) Piezoelectric (2) Electrostatic (3) Electromagnetic
Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical energy into
electrical energy. This property of piezoelectric material is
believed to develop piezoelectric scavengers. There are wide
varieties of piezoelectric material available and according to
their property of sensing and harvesting it is chosen. Lead
Zirconate Titanate (PZT) is preferred as it shows the high
efficiency of mechanical to electrical energy conversion.

Fig.1. Comb like pattern of IDE.

There are two piezoelectric modes used in piezoelectric

transducers- d31 and d33 mode.
These are distinguished as if E-field direction is
perpendicular to input strain direction it is d 31 mode and if Efield direction is parallel to input strain direction then it is d 33
mode. Generated open circuit voltage of a d 33 type device is
much higher than that of d31 type device. d31 type mode has top
and bottom electrode and d33 type mode eliminates the need
for bottom electrode. IDE pattern has d33 mode of operation so
in this paper IDE pattern is utilized.
To enhance the capability of single cantilever beam array
is utilized [4], [5]. In this paper two element array of
piezoelectric cantilever beam with IDE pattern is utilized. An
insulation layer of SiO2 is inserted in between PZT and the
structural steel material.
Insulating SiO2 layer is used to control the bow of the
cantilever beam due to its property of residual stress. It act as a
buffer layer.
Geometric Structure
A cantilever beam of size 304 m2 dimensions is
simulated. At the top of the beam an IDE pattern is used as
shown in the figure below-

A
l

PZT5H

978-1-4673-7231-2/15/$31.00 2015 IEEE

SiO
2

S
i

Where E is youngs modulus, d is width, l is length and t is

thickness of the beam.
Resonance frequency of the cantilever beam is-

kc
m

(4)

Here m is mass.
Displacement of the cantilever is given by-

q
ld

(5)

Here ld is surface area of cantilever and q is

accumulated charge which is given as-

Fig.2. side view of the cantilever beam

dd (ld )
s

(6)
Stored energy of the cantilever is presented as-

E c 0.5qV
II.

Fig.3. Geometric structure of two element array.

As shown in the figure above array is comprised of four

layers. First bottom layer of base material structural steel is of
1 m thickness; above it an insulation layer of SiO 2 of
thickness 0.4 m is added. Above the insulation layer PZT-5H
material layer of thickness 1.5 m is inserted. And at the top
electrode of aluminium in finger like pattern of thickness
0.2m is added. The structure is simulated using COMSOL
multiphysics.

(7)

SIMULATION AND RESULTS

Proposed array structure was simulated using FEM (Finite

Element Method) with the help of software tool COMSOL
Multiphysics. Different simulation studies were carried out to
observe the effect of various parameters on the harvester
performance. Stationary solver analysis was carried out
primarily. In the first step the effect of piezoelectric thickness
on the stress was observed while keeping other layers
parameters constant. From fig.4 it is observed that as the
thickness of PZT increase stress generated also increases up to
1.5m and then decreases with increase in PZT thickness. It
shows the maximum stress at 1.5m so the optimized value of
PZT thickness is 1.5m.
In next step variation of stress with respect to applied force
is observed.

A. Modelling Equations
As already mentioned that piezoelectric material has two
modes of operation d31 and d33. The following equations show
relation between stress yy or strain y3 generated and electric
field Ej or voltage V3j.

y3 d 3 j E j

(1)

V3 j yy g 3 j l j

(2)

Where d3j mode in V/m, g3j is piezoelectric constant in

Vm/N, lj is piezoelectric thickness tPZT. d3j is directly
proportional to piezoelectric constant g3j through dielectric
coefficient of PZT.
Stiffness constant of the cantilever beam fixed at one end
is given by-

t
k c 0.66 Ed
l

(3)

Fig.4. Plot between generated stress and piezoelectric thickness for applied
force 15N.

Fig.5. plot between generated stress and force applied at the tip of the
cantilever for piezoelectric thickness 1.5m.

It is illustrated from fig.5 for the PZT thickness of 1.5m as

the force at the tip of cantilever is increased generated stress
across the cantilever also increases linearly. Now in
subsequent step we draw plot between length and
displacement.
As shown in fig.6 as length of cantilever beam increases
displacement of the cantilever increases.

Fig.6. Graph between displacement and cantilever length for PZT thickness
1.5m and force applied is 15N

Fig.7. Plot between generated stress and length of cantilever for PZT thickness
1.5m and force applied is 15N

Effect of cantilever length on generated stress is observed

in following step. As shown in the fig.7, as the length of the
cantilever increases stress generated across the cantilever
decreases up to certain value and then after 29m it gets
saturated. There is no variation in stress after 29m.
Finally eigen frequency analysis is performed. Total
displacement of beam for various eigen frequencies is shown
in fig.8 and fig.9.

Fig.8. displacement of the cantilever beam for eigen frequencies 2.75 MHz
and 3.59 MHz.

III. CONCLUSION
A two element array of MEMS piezoelectric cantilever for
sensing application is simulated and optimized using
COMSOL multiphysics software tool. Stationary and eigen
frequency analysis were performed using software. In first
step stress generated across the cantilever for various value of
PZT layer thickness for the force applied of 15N is studied.
According to this study piezoelectric layer thickness is
optimized as 1.5m as shown in the fig.4. Further the effect of
force on stress is studied and according to fig.5 as force
increases stress . Similarly the effect of length of cantilever on
stress and displacement is studied as shown in the fig. 6 and
fig.7. In fig.8 and 9 displacement of cantilever for various
eigen frequencies is shown.

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Fig.9. displacement of the cantilever beam for eigen frequencies 16.27 MHz
and 20.8 MHz.