• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2013

This paper presents a power management system of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) for ubiquitous sensor network (USN) applications. The charge pump with a luminance-controlled oscillator regulates the load impedance of the DSSC to track the maximum power point (MPP) under various light intensities. The low drop-out regulator with a hysteresis comparator supplies intermittent power pulses that are wide enough for USN to communicate with a host transponder even under dim light conditions. With MPP tracking, approximately 50% more power is harvested over a wide range of light intensity. The power management system fabricated using $0.13{\mu}m$ CMOS technology works with DSSC to provide power pulses of $36{\mu}A$. The duration of pulses is almost constant around $80{\mu}s$ (6.5 nJ/pulse), while the pulse spacing is inversely proportional to the light intensity.