Power-conditioning circuitry for a self-powered system based on micro PZT generators in a 0.13-μm low-voltage low-power technology

The concept and design of a power-conditioning circuit for an autonomous low-power System-in-Package (SiP) is presented in this paper. The SiP's main power source is based on the use of micropiezoelectric generators. The electrical model of the power source, which has been obtained based on experimental measurements and implemented on Cadence Analog Artist's Spectre simulation environment, is explained. The model has been used to simulate the power source with the power-conditioning electronics over the entire design process. Finally, the simulated and experimental results of the developed integrated power circuits, which are formed by a rectifier and a low-power bandgap reference voltage source to define the threshold voltage for the closed-loop regulation process, are also shown. These circuits have been designed using a commercial 0.13-mu m technology from ST Microelectronics through the Multi-Projects Circuits(CMP) Techniques of informatics and Microelectronics for Integrated Systems Architecture (TIMA) service.