Micro Cantilever Electrostatic Energy Harvester

In this paper, we present a SDOF model of an energy harvester made up of microcantilever beams with tip mass. We investigate performance utilizing electrostatic actuation mechanism resulted from an electret layer patterned underneath the tip mass. The excitation force is transferred to cantilever beams through the vibration of the fixed end, i.e. the base of the beam. The model accounts for the mechanical and electric parameters as well as the coupling between them, and it includes design parameters by lumping them into nondimensional quantities, thereby allowing an easier understanding of their effects and the interaction between the mechanical and electric forces. We study the static behavior of deflection and electric charge as a function of the DC static voltage. In addition, we simulate the dynamic response, generate the frequency-response curves for a variety of conditions, and notice nonlinear effects.