2016/09/07 by Ananya Renuka Balakrishna, John E. Huber, John E Huber · 1 citation
Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials #Domain (mathematical analysis) #Electrode #Energy (signal processing) #Energy harvesting #Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials #Innovative Energy Harvesting Technologies #Power (physics) #Power density #Stability (learning theory) #Time domain #Work (physics) #physics.app-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0964-1726/25/10/104001
published as Smart Materials and Structures, 25(10), 104001 (2016) · 8 pages, 9 figures
openalex publication_date 2016/09/07 · openalex created_date 2016/09/16 · arxiv created 2018/03/17 · arxiv updated 2018/03/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
The current work employs a phase-field model to test the stability of nanoscale periodic domain patterns, and to explore the application of one pattern in an energy harvester device. At first, the stability of several periodic domain patterns with in-plane polarizations is tested under stress-free and electric field-free conditions. It is found that simple domain patterns with stripe-like features are stable, while patterns with more complex domain configurations are typically unstable at the nanoscale. Upon identifying a stable domain pattern with suitable properties, a conceptual design of a thin film energy harvester device is explored. The harvester is modeled as a thin ferroelectric film bound to a substrate. In the initial state a periodic stripe domain pattern with zero net charge on the top electrode is modeled. On bending the substrate, a mechanical strain is induced in the film, causing polarized domains to undergo ferroelectric switching and thus generate electrical energy. The results demonstrate the working cycle of a conceptual energy harvester which, on operating at kHz frequencies, such as from vibrations in the environment, could produce an area power density of about 40 W m −2 .