Abstract: The present invention comprises systems, apparatuses, and methods for harvesting ambient mechanical energy at a lower frequency and transforming the harvested energy into electrical energy at a higher frequency. Transforming the energy from relatively lower input frequency energy to relatively higher output frequency energy can help realize greater efficiencies found at higher frequencies. Because the input plane of the ambient mechanical energy is not always predictable, some embodiments of the present invention comprise both in-plane and out-of-plane energy harvesters that produce an electrical output in multiple planes.

Abstract: Microelectromechanical resonators include a resonator body anchored to a substrate by at least one tether containing a coupled-ring linear acoustic bandgap structure therein. The coupled-ring linear acoustic bandgap structure can include a plurality of piezoelectric-on-semiconductor rings connected together by a plurality of piezoelectric-on-semiconductor tether segments. A first electrode may also be provided, which extends on the resonator body and the coupled-ring linear acoustic bandgap structure. This resonator body, which may be suspended opposite a recess in the substrate, may include a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) body having a piezoelectric layer (e.g., AlN) thereon, which extends between the semiconductor body and the first electrode. The coupled-ring linear acoustic bandgap structure may be a periodic structure, where a pitch between each of the plurality of piezoelectric-on-semiconductor rings in the at least one tether is equivalent, or a non-periodic structure.

Abstract: The present invention comprises systems, apparatuses, and methods for harvesting ambient mechanical energy at a lower frequency and transforming the harvested energy into electrical energy at a higher frequency. Transforming the energy from relatively lower input frequency energy to relatively higher output frequency energy can help realize greater efficiencies found at higher frequencies. Because the input plane of the ambient mechanical energy is not always predictable, some embodiments of the present invention comprise both in-plane and out-of-plane energy harvesters that produce an electrical output in multiple planes.