A self-powered analog sensor-data-logging device based on Fowler-Nordheim dynamical systems

Continuous, battery-free operation of sensor nodes requires ultra-low-power sensing and data-logging techniques. Here we report that by directly coupling a sensor/transducer signal into globally asymptotically stable monotonic dynamical systems based on Fowler-Nordheim quantum tunneling, one can achieve self-powered sensing at an energy budget that is currently unachievable using conventional energy harvesting methods. The proposed device uses a differential architecture to compensate for environmental variations and the device can retain sensed information for durations ranging from hours to days. With a theoretical operating energy budget less than 10 attojoules, we demonstrate that when integrated with a miniature piezoelectric transducer the proposed sensor-data-logger can measure cumulative “action” due to ambient mechanical acceleration without any additional external power.