Title:
Nanogenerator and Nano-Piezotronics
Nanogenerator and Nano-Piezotronics
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Author(s)
Wang, Z. L. (Zhong Lin)
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Abstract
Developing wireless nanodevices and nanosystems is of critical importance for sensing, medical
science, environmental/infrastructure monitoring, defense technology and even personal electronics. It
is highly desirable for wireless devices to be self-powered without using battery. This is a new initiative
in today’s energy research for mico/nano-systems in searching for sustainable self-sufficient power
sources [1]. It is essential to explore innovative nanotechnologies for converting mechanical energy,
vibration energy, and hydraulic energy into electric energy that will be used to power nanodevices. We
have invented an innovative approach for converting nano-scale mechanical energy into electric energy
by piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowire arrays [2]. The operation mechanism of the nanogenerator relies
on the piezoelectric potential created by an external strain; a dynamic straining of the nanowire results
in a transient flow of the electrons in the external load due to the driving force of the piezopotential.
We have developed the nanogenerator from fundamental science, to engineering integration and to
technological scale-up [3-6]. As today, a gentle straining can output 1.2 V from an integrated
nanogenerator [6], using which a self-powered nanosensor has been demonstrated [6]. A commercial
LED has been lid up [7]. This is a key step for developing a totally nanowire-based nanosystem [6].
Alternatively, by substituting the gate voltage in a field effect transistor (FET) with the piezopotential
creating by an external strain, we have fabricated a series of devices that rely on a coupling between
semiconductor and piezoelectric properties and are controlled/tuned by externally applied
force/pressure, such as diode, strain sensor and strain-gated logic unites, which are a new field called
piezotronics [8]. A three way coupling among piezoelectricity, semiconductor and photonic excitation
has demonstrated the piezo-phototronic effect [9].
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Date Issued
2010-08-31
Extent
61:43 minutes
Resource Type
Moving Image
Resource Subtype
Lecture