Mini Solar

Bigger isn’t always better, so we’re pushing the boundaries of solar energy to power small devices, like medical implants and IoT sensors, with a sustainable source of energy.

VIP ChallENG research goals

This project aims to design and create millimetre-sized solar energy harvesting devices that can provide continuous power for medical implants and IoT sensors.

Our research includes:

• Design and prototype small silicon photovoltaic devices capable of charging a small lithium ion battery and be integrated on an integrated circuit for ultra-miniaturisation
• Design and prototype mini solid state lithium ion batteries with a high energy density that can either be directly fabricated onto a silicon wafer or easily integrated on.
• Demonstrate and prototype mini-solar harvesting power systems integrated with low-power electrical circuits (e.g. for implants or IoT sensors)  
• Design solar energy harvesting devices for particular operating environments (e.g. under the skin, in the field) 
• Develop computational models of hybrid devices 
• Assess the durability of solar energy harvesting devices in diverse environments 
• Identify new device designs, sensor distribution methods and applications