Implementation of a maximum power point tracking system and an LDO regulator for interface circuits of solar energy harvesters for wireless sensor nodes

The limited power supply of wireless sensor nodes due to remote deployment inhibits the potential of these nodes. Batteries require periodic replacement, and it is impractical to replace each battery, especially when there are numerous nodes. In order to solve this issue, energy harvesters are proposed to supply the required power. Solar energy is chosen to be the energy source because of its abundance in the environment. This source of energy can replace batteries as power supply. However, energy harvesters cannot be easily connected to the sensor node. This study aims to design a maximum power point tracking system and an LDO Regulator that will be added to an interface circuit between a photovoltaic cell and a remote device, specifically a wireless sensor node. These modules will enable the interface circuit to maximize its power output while maintaining a regulated voltage output. Both modules are modeled and analyzed for better understanding of their behavior. After that, they were implemented with a minimum area consumed and power consumption.