DESIGN FABRICATION OF A NOVEL THERMALLY-ACTUATED NO ELECTRIC POWER EVENT-DRIVEN MEMS SESNOR FOR IOT APPLICATIONS
Dilan Ratnayake, Kevin Walsh · 2024
This paper introduces the emerging field of no-electrical-power (NEP) event-driven sensing as a potential solution to the anticipated energy challenges posed by the growth and proliferation of IoT devices.A novel approach is presented that utilizes smartengineered bistable multilayers to create environmentally sensitive sensors that consume zero electrical power.Building upon our previous research on released multi-layer bistable films, this study demonstrates how they can be innovatively used as the fundamental sensing element for NEP environmental sensors.Through careful mechanical design modeling and fine control of fabrication processing conditions, we show it is feasible to create autonomous bistable NEP devices that achieve successful thermal actuation to specific environmental temperature conditions.Furthermore, each diaphragm design has its own unique snapping temperature identifier consistent with its layout design, material selection, and processing conditions.The findings pave the way for the development of a new wave of MEMS-based no-power event-driven smart switches that help fulfill the promise of the ever-growing and ever-expanding Internet of Things.