Cantilever configurations in vibration-based piezoelectric energy harvesting: a comprehensive review on beam shapes and multi-beam formations

Abstract Vibration-based energy harvesting technology is a well-established research area that has attracted tremendous interest over the last decade. This interest is primarily owing to its extension into a wide range of engineering domains, particularly in microelectromechanical systems. The cantilever beam is the most common and widely used model for vibration-based energy harvester, driven by two key factors: (a) simplicity in design, and (b) high output power density. Numerous studies over the years have focused on optimizing the cantilever beam design to increase output power capacity and/or widen the frequency bandwidth of the harvester. While researchers have proposed a plethora of cantilever beam configurations for specific purposes (e.g. low-frequency harvesting, multi-directional frequency harvesting, etc), there is a notable lack of detailed literature on the types and configurations of cantilever beams. This gap hinders researchers from gaining a comprehensive understanding of the cantilever beams already introduced. Following the need, in this article a comprehensive review is made to list the types of cantilever beams proposed by the researchers over the years. This review covers the working principles of piezoelectric energy harvesting, analyses existing solutions geared towards increasing power output and widening working frequency, and discusses diverse configurations including single and multiple beam setups. The listed beams are categorized based on their structural shape and organization such that it can be helpful for a reader to anticipate which cantilever beam design can be suitable for a specific need. Power output capacity and operating frequency for every beam design are also presented in a tabular form, under each beam category. This would enable the researchers to tailor their designs for specific applications, enhance material efficiency, drive innovation, and open new application possibilities.