Simulation and Performance Comparison of PZT and PVDF based MEMS Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters on Gold Substrates

This research examines the effectiveness of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin films when utilized as MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters on gold (Au) substrates. Employing the Nanohub MEMS harvester simulator, 40 simulations were conducted across two groups (PVDF and PZT), ensuring an 80% pre-test power and an alpha error of 0.05. Using the Nanohub MEMS harvester simulator, 40 simulations were carried out in two categories (PVDF and PZT), maintaining a pre-test power of 80% and a significance level of 0.05. The analysis of the mean harvested power showed that PZT/Au $(513.64 \mu \mathrm{~W})$ generated significantly more power than PVDF/Au ($174.98 \mu \mathrm{~W}$), with a p-value of 0.0001 confirming the statistical significance. This superior performance of PZT is attributed to its inherent piezoelectric properties, dielectric constants, and Young’s modulus.