We demonstrate that an electrostatic levitation microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch can be operated by applying mechanical pressure to a triboelectric generator. The toggling mechanism of the switch draws no current but requires a high actuating voltage, while the generator can supply a high voltage but only produces microwatts of power. The synergistic combination results in an entirely self-powered sensor and switch; the normally closed MEMS switch can be toggled open by applying a threshold force to the generator without the need for any outside power or supplementary circuitry. A model of the MEMS switch and electrostatic force is validated with experimental data. An output voltage vs input force relationship for the generator is experimentally extracted.
Skip Nav Destination
CHORUS
Article navigation
23 September 2019
Research Article|
September 24 2019
Pairing electrostatic levitation with triboelectric transduction for high-performance self-powered MEMS sensors and actuators
Mark Pallay;
Mark Pallay
a)
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, Binghamton University
4400 Vestal Parkway East Binghamton, New York 13901, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Alwathiqbellah I. Ibrahim;
Alwathiqbellah I. Ibrahim
b)
2
Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd. Tyler, Texas 75799, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Ronald N. Miles
;
Ronald N. Miles
c)
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, Binghamton University
4400 Vestal Parkway East Binghamton, New York 13901, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Shahrzad Towfighian
Shahrzad Towfighian
d)
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, Binghamton University
4400 Vestal Parkway East Binghamton, New York 13901, USA
d)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
d)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
Appl. Phys. Lett. 115, 133503 (2019)
Article history
Received:
July 13 2019
Accepted:
September 10 2019
Citation
Mark Pallay, Alwathiqbellah I. Ibrahim, Ronald N. Miles, Shahrzad Towfighian; Pairing electrostatic levitation with triboelectric transduction for high-performance self-powered MEMS sensors and actuators. Appl. Phys. Lett. 23 September 2019; 115 (13): 133503. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5119814
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Roadmap on photonic metasurfaces
Sebastian A. Schulz, Rupert. F. Oulton, et al.
Superconducting flip-chip devices using indium microspheres on Au-passivated Nb or NbN as under-bump metallization layer
Achintya Paradkar, Paul Nicaise, et al.
Related Content
Performance comparison of hybrid and non-hybrid contact mode triboelectric energy harvester
AIP Conf. Proc. (November 2018)
A flexible single-electrode-based triboelectric nanogenerator based on double-sided nanostructures
AIP Advances (July 2019)
Low-cost elastomer-based flexoelectric devices
J. Appl. Phys. (June 2021)
Biomechanical energy harvesting triboelectric nanogenerator as a self powered sensor
AIP Conf. Proc. (November 2020)
A self-powered triboelectric sensor for basketball monitoring
AIP Advances (January 2024)