To set up an energy harvesting system, you need a harvester, a storage element, and an AEM. The AEM is the central component of the system. It extracts the maximum power provided by the harvester and stores it in the storage element, so that this energy can be used later — and in some cases, it can even be used to directly power the application.
New
SPM10140
Ultra-efficient 5 V charger PMIC with buck converter output
e-peas’ SPM10140 is a high-efficiency Smart Power Management IC that maximizes power extraction from a storage element to supply an application circuit thanks to its highly efficient buck converter.
It offers configurable protection levels and thermal monitoring. The SPM10140 offers full system configuration and power flow monitoring via I²C and integrated 5 V charger capabilities, all in a compact 3 x 3 mm QFN-20 package.
Optimized for efficiency, the SPM10140 is ideal for applications requiring compact and smart power management.
Product Information
Products
5 V charger input
- Storage Element Charge from 5 V Power Supplies
- Up to 400 mA
- Optional Overvoltage Protection Up to 20 V
Storage element
- 1.50 V to 4.60 V
- Configurable Protection Levels
- Temperature Protection
Load output
- High-Efficient Buck Converter
- 2.20 V to 3.30 V
- Up to 50 mA
Extra features
- I²C Interface
- Average Power Monitoring (APM)
- Shipping Mode
Package
- QFN-20 3 x 3 mm
Product compatibility
- AEM11920 and AEM11921
Features and benefits
5 V Charger Input
- Storage element charging capabilities from external 5 V power supplies
- Configurable maximum charging current between 50 and 400 mA
- Optional overvoltage protection circuit to prevent damage to the system for voltages up to 20 V
Cold-start Capabilities
- Cold start from the 5 V charger input or from the storage element energy
Configurable Storage Element Protection Levels
- Configurable overdischarge, charge-ready and overcharge protections to support a wide range of rechargeable storage element types (Li-ion, Li-ion capacitor, LiPo, LiFePO4, NiMH…)
- Configurable temperature thresholds for storage element protection against over-temperature and under-temperature during charging and discharging, independently
Regulated Output for Application Circuit
- Buck converter with efficiency up to 96 %
- Configurable output voltage between 2.20 V and 3.30 V
- Output current up to 50 mA
System Configuration by GPIO or I²C
- System settings are partially configurable through GPIO or fully through I²C (Fast Mode Plus)
- System data is available through I²C
Average Power Monitoring (APM)
- Measurement of the energy drained from the storage element to supply the application circuit
Shipping Mode
- Storage element charge and discharge disabling during shipment
Low BOM
- Reduced external component requirements with only 1 inductor, 3 capacitors, and 1 resistor
Product Compatibility
- Common pinout with AEM11920 and AEM11921 allows for the design of a single PCB layout compatible with both energy harvesting and 5 V charger systems
Block Diagram
Evaluation boards
The SPM10140 Evaluation Board (76 mm x 49 mm) offers a complete solution for testing the features and performances of the SPM10140 PMIC in QFN-20 package. It includes the necessary passive components for optimal operation and a set of jumpers for easy configuration.
Designed for flexibility, the board allows full configuration and provides:
- Connection for the storage element, with configurable protection levels.
- Load output, with output voltage configuration.
- I²C bus access via a dedicated port for advanced configuration.
- 5 V charging input by USB-C or screw terminal, with overvoltage protection circuit and maximum current configuration.
- Connection for thermal sensor, for thermal protection.
- Shipping mode configuration.
For detailed setup and advanced features, refer to the SPM10140 datasheet and EVK documentation.
Quick start guide
SPM10140 Evaluation Board Quick Start Guide
User guide
SPM10140 Evaluation Board User Guide
How it works
Basic Functionality
Load Regulation
Storage Element Protection
DC-DC VS LDO
I²C Interface
Average Power Monitoring (APM)
Support
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Our products are suitable for a wide range of applications
Smart Home & Buildings
Smart Locks
Leak detectors
CO2 sensor
Humidity sensors
Security systems
Occupancy sensors
Temperature sensors
Lighting Controllers
Consumer Electronics
Remote controls
Gaming controllers
Keyboard
Mice
Portable speakers
Headphones
E-readers
Smart scales
Webcams
Industrial IoT
Access control
Asset tracking
Metering
Smart factory
Predictive maintenance
Smart HVAC
Remote Control
Webcams
Smart Retail
Electronic shelf labels
Commercial lighting
Advertising anchors
Direction finding
Wearables
Luxury & Smart watches
Smart hospitals
Portable medical devices
Fitness bands
Wellness trackers
They tried it. They signed up for life for their devices.
Our customers share their experiences.
Toshiya Yamamoto
Vice-President Business Development at Nichicon
The long history of partnership between Nichicon and e-peas proves that both companies can mutually enhance their presence in strategic projects with key customers and at global business events, and that both companies can find great synergy.
Nichicon has developed an energy harvesting evaluation board and provided it to customers. e-peas’ excellent low-power PMIC can maximize battery performance.
Read more 
Niklas Forsgren
FAE Director at Epishine
Collaborating with e-peas has been both rewarding and impactful. Their broad range of configurations, and technical expertise have been instrumental in advancing energy harvesting technologies.
By working together, we’re not just addressing market needs but actively shaping its future. I’m excited to deepen this collaboration as we continue to build a strong ecosystem for sustainable innovation.
Read more 
Hao Yin
CEO of TEGnology
TEGnology and e-peas have had several years’ collaborations in the field of Thermal Energy Harvesting, and there is no reason not to believe the collaboration will continue.
Combining TEGnology’s superior thermal energy harvesters with e-peas’ high efficiency PMICS is enriching each other field presence and customer value proposition. We count on each other’s expertise and reputation, when we propose solutions to the market. By standing together, we can close the deals with better offers. This turns out to be an exciting and fruitful way of collaborating.
Read more 
Giampaolo Marino
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Energous
“e-peas PMICs are an integral part of a wireless power network, enabling RF harvesting for battery-free IoT devices such as sensors and tags. The combination of Energous' PowerBridge transmitter systems and IoT devices powered by e-peas' technology will revolutionize the way organizations power and interact with their connected technologies.”
Read more Contact us
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Any questions?
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO BUILD AN ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM?
WHAT ARE THE POWER RANGES IN AN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT?
The power generated depends on the type of harvester, its size, and the environment.
For example, in the case of Photovoltaic energy harvesting, the output power will depend on the size of the photovoltaic cell, the light intensity, and the PV cell technology used.
- Indoor Photovoltaic energy harvesting generates power in the range of hundreds of microwatts. (These values may vary depending on the size of the cell.)
- Outdoor Photovoltaic energy harvesting generates power that can reach tens of milliwatts. (These values may vary depending on the size of the cell.)
Other types of harvesters include thermal, RF, and vibration harvesters.
- Thermal energy harvesting (TEG) relies on temperature differences and typically generate power in the range of a few microwatts to several milliwatts, depending on the thermal gradient and the efficiency of the thermoelectric materials.
- RF (Radio Frequency) harvesting capture energy from ambient radio waves, such as those emitted by Wi-Fi, GSM, or TV signals. The power levels are usually very low, often in the microwatt range, and highly dependent on the distance from the emitter and the frequency band.
- Vibration or piezoelectric harvesters convert mechanical vibrations into electricity. The harvested power can vary from a few microwatts up to several milliwatts, depending on the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations as well as the mechanical structure of the harvester.
Each harvester type has its strengths and limitations, and the choice depends on the available energy in the environment and the application’s power requirements.
CAN I HARVEST ENERGY FROM MY WIFI?
Wi-Fi transmissions are limited by regulations to a maximum of +20 dBm at the transmitter. In most cases, this power level is insufficient for effective energy harvesting.
Significant losses occur as RF energy propagates through the air and along the RF path on the PCB. These losses are frequency-dependent and tend to be lower at lower frequencies.
To have full control over the emitted power, antenna characteristics, and transmission duty cycle, we recommend using a dedicated RF transmitter.
CAN THE APPLICATION BE POWERED DIRECTLY BY AN AEM?
Some AEMs have a regulated output to power an application circuit. Depending on the AEMs, different converter architectures are available. Some are designed with an LDO, with a BUCK, or with a BUCK_BOOST architecture.
Sometimes, the application circuit can also be supplied directly from the storage element or thanks to an external DCDC connected on the storage element and driven by the status of the AEM. In this case, a regulated output is not mandatory.
HOW CAN WE CONFIGURE AN AEM?
AEMs can be configured using the GPIO pins by connecting them to a high state or to GND. However, some AEMs include I²C communication for the configuration and monitoring. This allows overriding the configurations set by the configuration pins and allows accessing to all the AEMs configurations, enabling wider range of settings and allowing live system monitoring