OPS - Energy Harvesting

1. OPS - Energy Harvesting • Name: Alex Phipps 1/10/2006 • Goals: • Mount solar cells to board. • Gather simulation data for paper on solar harvester • Key accomplishments. • Solar cells are mounted. • 75% of wire-bonding completed. • Key issues • One of the solar cells cracked in the oven (the last one of that size was used to replace it) • Bimorph Ropt values have changed since first measured. • Next steps • Begin to test solar board (when cells are complete). • Get UFNF certified. • Re-evaluate model parameter for PZT and exmine Ropt. • Continue on paper.

2. Action Items • Mount solar cells and wire bond. • Al Ogden • Characterize light intensity and figure out how to reproduce it in simulation. • Use non-linear controlled current sources. • Work on paper for solar converter. • Examine PZT models to account for change in Ropt.

3. Action Items - Progress • Mount solar cells and wire bond. • 3 of 4 are wirebonded. • Silver epoxy was used to attach the cells to the PCB. • One of the cells was damaged by the epoxy. • One of the cells cracked during curing and had to be replaced. • The overlap by the negative terminal was the point of the break.

4. Action Item - Progress • Characterize light intensity and figure out how to reproduce it in simulation. • Still researching. • Work on paper for solar converter. • Simulating and comparing to theory. • There is still some error between theory and simulation. • Examine PZT models to account for change in Ropt. • Need to speak with Anurag and determine best course of action.