Selected papers from the 10th International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2010)

Abstract

This special section of Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering featurespapers selected from the 10th International Workshop on Micro andNanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications(PowerMEMS 2010). The workshop was organized in Leuven, Belgium from 30November to 3 December 2010 by Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and theimec/Holst Centre.This was a special PowerMEMS Workshop, for several reasons. First of all,we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the workshop: the first PowerMEMSmeeting was organized in Sendai, Japan in 2000. None of the organizers orparticipants of this first meeting could have predicted the impact of the workshopover the next decade. The second reason was that, for the first time, theconference organization spanned two countries: Belgium and the Netherlands.Thanks to the advances in information technology, teams from KatholiekeUniversiteit Leuven (Belgium) and the imec/Holst Centre in Eindhoven (theNetherlands) have been able to work together seamlessly as one team.The objective of the PowerMEMS Workshop is to stimulate innovation inmicro and nanotechnology for power generation and energy conversionapplications. Its scope ranges from integrated microelectromechanical systems(MEMS) for power generation, dissipation, harvesting, and management, to novelnanostructures and materials for energy-related applications. True to the objectiveof the PowerMEMSWorkshop, the 2010 technical program covered a broad rangeof energy related research, ranging from the nanometer to the millimeter scale,discussed in 5 invited and 52 oral presentations, and 112 posters. This specialsection includes 14 papers covering vibration energy harvesters, thermalapplications and micro power systems.Finally, we wish to express sincere appreciation to the members of theInternational Steering Committee, the Technical Program Committee and last butnot least the Local Organizing Committee. This special issue was edited incollaboration with the staff of IOP Publishing.PowerMEMS 2010 contentsHarvesting energy from airflow with a michromachined piezoelectric harvester inside a Helmholtz resonator S P Matova, R Elfrink, R J M Vullers and R van SchaijkAnalysis and characterization of triangular electrode structures for electrostatic energy harvesting Daniel Hoffmann, Bernd Folkmer and Yiannos ManoliA smart and self-sufficient frequency tunable vibration energy harvester C Eichhorn, R Tchagsim, N Wilhelm and P WoiasPower output enhancement of a vibration-driven electret generator for wireless sensor applications Tatsuakira Masaki, Kenji Sakurai, Toru Yokoyama, Masayo Ikuta, Hiroshi Sameshima, Masashi Doi, Tomonori Seki and Masatoshi ObaHarvesting traffic-induced vibrations for structural health monitoring of bridges T V Galchev, J McCullagh, R L Peterson and K NajafiDispenser-printed planar thick-film thermoelectric energy generators A Chen, D Madan, P K Wright and J W EvansSilicon nanowire arrays as thermoelectric material for a power microgenerator D Dávila, A Tarancón, M Fernández-Regúlez, C Calaza, M Salleras, A San Paulo and L FonsecaA micro thermal switch with a stiffness-enhanced thermal isolation structure Takashiro Tsukamoto, Masayoshi Esashi and Shuji TanakaA dielectric liquid contact thermal switch with electrowetting actuation A R McLanahan, C D Richards and R F RichardsA self-regulating valve for single-phase liquid cooling of microelectronics Radu Donose, Michaël De Volder, Jan Peirs and Dominiek ReynaertsA MEMS-enabled 3D zinc–air microbattery with improved discharge characteristics based on a multilayer metallic substructure A Armutlulu, Y Fang, S H Kim, C H Ji, S A Bidstrup Allen and M G AllenDesign, fabrication and testing of an air-breathing micro direct methanol fuel cell with compound anode flow field Luwen Wang, Yufeng Zhang, Youran Zhao, Zijiang An, Zhiping Zhou and Xiaowei LiuA shadow-mask evaporated pyroMEMS igniter D A de Koninck, D Briand and N F de RooijAerodynamic journal bearing with a flexible, damped support operating at 7.2 million DN Tobias Waumans, Jan Peirs, Farid Al-Bender and Dominiek ReynaertsThermoelectric energy harvester on the heated human machine Vladimir Leonov