Session 26-2

MEMS-switch-based Power Management
with Zero-power Voltage Monitoring
for Energy Accumulation Architecture on Dust-size Wireless Sensor Nodes

 

Abstract

A power management scheme using a MEMS switch is proposed as a way to accumulate charge even when the energy-harvesting device generates minute current of <10 pA. Voltage monitoring does not consume any power at all. A node prototype powered by the MEMS switch is implemented. Test chips were fabricated using the 0.35-µm CMOS process and MEMS process. The MEMS-switch power management operation and wireless node operation with nanowatt vibration sensing are confirmed.