Toward CMOS-Compatible Triboelectric Generator to Operate MEMS

Abstract

In this paper, a shock detector is introduced using a micro-scale triboelectric generator and an electrostatic MEMS switch. The fabrication of a micro-scale tribo-electric-nano generator is carried out using MEMS technology for the first time. The fabrication technique enabled reducing the size by 85% compared to a prior work. The generator has aluminum-polyimide on the bottom layer, a gap, and a top layer of Al and amorphous silicon (a-Si), The generator produces 0.4 $V$ pulses as a response to impulse excitation, the produced voltage is used to trigger switch closure by adding it to a DC voltage that is enough to bend the beam down but not enough to close it. The combination of MEMS-triboelectric generator and MEMS electrostatic actuators is ideal because both are fabricated with CMOS technology and can be integrated on the same chip. The proposed system enables creating event-powered micro-switches.