WORKSHOP PAPER
Self-Powered Ambient Light Sensor Using Energy Harvesting Pixels and Zero Power Communication
B. Sarachi1,2, A. Cook2,3, J. M. Raynor2, I. Todorova2,4, S. Ball2,4, F. Kaklin1,2, J. MacDougall2,3, S. M. Aparicio1,2, R. K. Henderson1
1School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, The University of Edinburgh,
2STMicroelectronics Imaging Division, Edinburgh, UK,
3School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh,
4School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,

Abstract

This paper reports on the development of an energy harvesting (EH) ambient light sensor (ALS) that operates with very low power budgets by harvesting energy from the surrounding environment. The device integrates an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells for energy generation and a photodiode sensing cell within a single chip to provide ambient light measurements. The proposed ALS leverages deep trench isolation (DTI) for power generation and sensing functionality, enhancing its efficiency for potential applications in consumer electronics with limited power resources such as wearables and small IoT devices. Additionally, a novel communication protocol named Zero Power Communication (ZPC) is introduced to facilitate energy-efficient data exchange between ultra-low-power devices.
Publisher: IISS (Int. Image Sensors Society)
Year: 2023
Workshop: IISW
URL: https://doi.org/10.60928/thi9-atou
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Keywords

Energy Harvesting, Ambient Light Sensor, Zero Power Communication,

References

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