Analysis of Power Generating Performance for Unimorph Cantilever Piezoelectric Beams With Interdigitated Electrodes

A great amount of research has been done to determine whether piezoelectric materials can be used as power generators for a variety of portable and low power consuming devices. Among the possibilities for energy harvesters, the 31-type cantilever piezoelectric benders have been generally used. In this work a unimorph piezoelectric cantilever beam with the interdigitated electrode pattern was examined. The focus of this paper was to develop a model and propose design parameters to improve the power generating performance of the interdigitated piezoelectric power harvester.Copyright © 2005 by ASME