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Evolution From Single to Hybrid Nanogenerator: A

Contemporary Review on Multimode Energy Harvesting


for Self-Powered Electronics
Abstract:
Energy harvesting devices have strong potential to not only meet growing global energy demand but also support a wide range of self-
powered electronics applications. Solar cells, electrochemical cells, piezoelectric/triboelectric/pyroelectric nanogenerators, and
magnetoelectric energy harvesters are enabling technologies for converting solar, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and magnetic energy to
electricity. Merging these harvesters to form hybrid energy cells can help optimize operation of self-powered systems, providing
multimode energy harvesting capability that can leverage several energy sources either simultaneously or individually. Energy produced
from these hybrid energy cells even can be stored in Li-ion batteries to power various personal electronics, sensors, and next generation
technology for the Internet of Things. Ultimately, hybridization provides another degree of freedom in terms of more effective energy
utility. This review presents the evolution of the hybrid energy cell concept and development, explores the fabrication approaches taken,
and provides insights on the limitations of existing devices, steps toward performance optimization, and the enormous potential for these
technologies to benefit myriad applications. Hybrid energy cells show higher output performance by providing better charging
characteristics than individual energy harvester unit.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology ( Volume: 18 )
Page(s): 21 - 36
Date of Publication: 24 October 2018
ISSN Information:
DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2018.2876824

On the Carrier Transport for InGaN/GaN Core-Shell


Nanorod Green Light-Emitting Diodes
Abstract:
In this paper, we model and investigate the carrier transport for the core-shell nanorod (NR) structured green light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) for which the InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells are grown on the nonpolar surface of the NR. Our results show the absence of
polarization fields in the m -plane quantum wells for the core-shell NR LEDs, which manifest the flat energy band condition, the
improved electron injection efficiency, and the high electron-hole wave functions overlap for the quantum wells, leading to the high
radiative recombination rate and the enhanced quantum efficiency. We further find that the quantum efficiency is also affected by the
vertical charge injection for the core-shell NR LEDs. The vertical charge injection is more sensitive to the doping concentration and the
thickness of the p -GaN layer than of the n -GaN layer. Moreover, the increase of the NR height also leads to the nonuniform vertical
charge injection.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology ( Volume: 18 )
Page(s): 176 - 182
Date of Publication: 12 November 2018
ISSN Information:
DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2018.2879817

Automated Noncontact Micromanipulation Using


Magnetic Swimming Microrobots
Abstract:
This letter reports an approach to automated microfluidic trapping and manipulation using a peanut-like magnetic-drive swimming
microrobot of about 0.8-μm diameter and 3 μm in length. A hybrid electromagnetic actuator was developed to drive the microrobot in
two motion modes: rolling and kayaking. The rolling mode can generate strong vortex flows for two-dimensional trapping and
manipulation of a microparticle several hundred times the volume of the microrobot by pushing, pulling, and steering. Because of its
weaker trapping force, kayaking mode is more effective for the release operation. A vision- and behavior-based controller is proposed to
iteratively correct emerging manipulation behaviors for improved performance in complicated trajectory tracking and transportation of
microparticles in complex environments. The experimental results demonstrate the capability and flexibility of the microrobot in
trapping and transporting microparticles of up to 15-μm diameter along trajectories defined by scattered points, even steering
microparticle out of a micromaze along the automatically generated trajectory point by point.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology ( Volume: 17 , Issue: 4 , July 2018 )
Page(s): 666 - 669
Date of Publication: 24 January 2018
ISSN Information:
INSPEC Accession Number: 17896683
DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2018.2797325

GPS-Inspired Stretchable Self-Powered Electronic Skin


Abstract:
Electronic skin has attracted much attention for their profound implications for human/machine interaction and medicine recently. To
imitate the unique characteristics of skin, the electronic skin is moving towards stretchable, multifunctional, biodegradable, more
sensitive and accurate. Here, we present a novel stretchable self-powered electronic skin, to detect the touch location in an analog
method. Thanks to triboelectrification and planar electrostatic induction, the generation of location signals does not need an extra power
supply. Inspired by Global Positioning System, the electronic skin has simple structure of a single layer poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)
substrate and three carbon nanotube-PDMS (CNT-PDMS) composite electrodes, which not only reduce the electrode amount but also
make the device stretchable. The less electrode number means the less fabrication cost, extra difficulties on electrode extraction, and in
particular, less signal interference and data processing. Stretchability extends the application scenarios of the electronic skin to the
curvilinear surfaces, such as cylindrical surfaces and spherical surfaces. Through special location method, the touch position can be read
out easily and directly with averaged error sums of ~1 mm. This new electronic skin takes a significant step forward in practical
application.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology ( Volume: 17 , Issue: 3 , May 2018 )
Page(s): 460 - 466
Date of Publication: 28 February 2018
ISSN Information:
INSPEC Accession Number: 17753130
DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2018.2810780

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