An Electret-based Implantable Energy Harvester with Liquid Cells (MEMS vs. 3D Printing Fabrication)

Abstract

In this paper, we report on a novel liquid cell unit for energy harvester device that is composed of a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) micro chamber, a metal electrode, and an electret plate. The fixed-charges in the electret are formed and polarized by K⁺-doping into a silicon oxide layer that generates power due to the variation of the dielectric constant on the air-liquid interface in the micro fluidic chambers. We foresee the heartbeat as an external vibrational source to pump the fluids in liquid cell units. Electrical currents can be generated to charge small implantable medical electronics such as diaphragm pace maker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.