Microchip harvests its own energy
1 min read
Researchers claim to have manufactured a microchip that can harvest its own energy from its surroundings, without depending on batteries or mains electricity.
Scientists from the University of Twente in The Netherlands and the Institute for Nanotechnology placed an efficient solar cell on top of a microchip to form a sensor chip, complete with the necessary intelligence, as well as an antenna for wireless communication.
They used the chip as a base and applied the solar cell to it layer by layer, allowing them to use fewer materials and increase performance. They discovered that as long as the chip's energy was below 1milliwatt, it could even operate indoors.
Solar cells made of amorphous silicon or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) were used to eliminate damage in the production of the cell, and according to the researchers, produced sufficient power even in low light.
The university claims extensive testing has proven that the electronics and the solar cells function properly, and that the manufacturing process is suitable for industrial serial production with the use of standard processes.
