Energy Autonomous Micro and Nano Systems

Providing a detailed overview of the fundamentals and latest developments in the field of energy autonomous microsystems, this book delivers an in-depth study of the applications in the fields of health and usage monitoring in aeronautics, medical implants, and home automation, drawing out the main specifications on such systems. Introductory information on photovoltaic, thermal and mechanical energy harvesting, and conversion, is given, along with the latest results in these fields. This book also provides a state of the art of ultra-low power sensor interfaces, digital signal processing and wireless communications. In addition, energy optimizations at the sensor node and sensors network levels are discussed, thus completing this overview.

This book details the challenges and latest techniques available to readers who are interested in this field. A major strength of this book is that the first three chapters are application orientated and thus, by setting the landscape, introduce the technical chapters. There is also a good balance between the technical application, covering all the system-related aspects and, within each chapter, details on the physics, materials and technologies associated with electronics.

Marc Belleville is research director and chief scientist of the Architecture, IC Design and Embedded Software division at MINATEC (Center for Innovation in Micro & Nanotechnology), Grenoble, France. His background is mostly focused on the interactions between design and advanced technologies (SOI, heterogeneous or 3D design for instance). He has been an active member of two CATRENE Scientific Committee working groups: 'energy autonomous systems: future trends in devices, technology and systems' and 'towards and beyond 2015: technology, devices, circuits and systems'.

Cyril Condemine works at the CEA-LETI Laboratory at MINATEC (Center for Innovation in Micro & Nanotechnology), Grenoble, France. He has been involved in the development of integrated sensor interfaces, mainly based on sigma-delta modulators, and in the design of integrated DC/DC converters for power management and energy scavenging. Since 2007 he has been the head of the Microsystems IC design team.