IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,328,559
Granted Patent B2
US 12,328,559 · App. 17/664,022 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Acoustic devices with improved sensitivity

Inventors: Guofeng Chen (Fremont, CA); Michael Jon Wurtz (Lake Oswego, OR); Rakesh Kumar (Singapore, SG); You Qian (Singapore, SG); Humberto Campanella-Pineda (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
H04R31/006B81B3/0021H04R3/00H04R17/02H10N30/05H10N30/302H10N30/306H10N30/50H10N30/872B81B2201/0257H04R2201/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,328,559
App. No.
17/664,022
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An acoustic sensor (e.g., for use in a piezoelectric MEMS microphone) includes a substrate and a cantilever beam attached to the substrate. The cantilever beam has a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to a distal tip at a free end of the beam. The cantilevered beam has a width in plan view that is greater at a location distal of the proximal portion than at the proximal portion attached to the substrate. One or more electrodes are disposed on or in the proximal portion of the beam.

Claims (26)

1. A piezoelectric sensor for a piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems microphone, comprising:

a substrate;

a cantilever beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to a distal tip at a free end of the cantilever beam, the cantilever beam having a width in plan view that is greater at a location distal of the proximal portion than at the proximal portion attached to the substrate, at least one edge of the cantilever beam extending nonlinearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip; and

one or more electrodes disposed on or in the proximal portion of the cantilever beam.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the width of the cantilever beam is greater at the distal tip than at the proximal portion.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein at least one side edge of the cantilever beam extends linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

4. The sensor of claim 3 wherein both side edges of the cantilever beam extend linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

5. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the cantilever beam is symmetrical about a centerline of the cantilever beam.

6. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the distal tip is linear.

7. A piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems microphone, comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of piezoelectric sensors movably coupled to the substrate, each of the piezoelectric sensors spaced apart from an adjacent piezoelectric sensor by a gap and including: a cantilever beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to a distal tip at a free end of the cantilever beam, cantilever beam having a width in plan view that is greater at a location distal of the proximal portion than at the proximal portion attached to the substrate, at least one edge of the cantilever beam extending nonlinearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip, and one or more electrodes disposed on or in the proximal portion of the cantilever beam,

wherein the plurality of piezoelectric sensors are configured to deflect when subjected to sound pressure.

8. The microphone of claim 7 wherein the width of the cantilever beam is greater at the distal tip than at the proximal portion.

9. The microphone of claim 7 wherein at least one side edge of the cantilever beam extends linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

10. The microphone of claim 9 wherein both side edges of the cantilever beam extend linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

11. The microphone of claim 7 wherein the cantilever beam is symmetrical about a centerline of the cantilever beam.

12. The microphone of claim 7 wherein the distal tip is linear.

13. An audio subsystem, comprising:

an audio codec; and

one or more piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems microphones in communication with the audio codec, each microphone including: a substrate and a plurality of piezoelectric sensors movably coupled to the substrate, each of the piezoelectric sensors spaced apart from an adjacent piezoelectric sensor by a gap and including a cantilever beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to a distal tip at a free end of the cantilever beam, cantilever beam having a width in plan view that is greater at a location distal of the proximal portion than at the proximal portion attached to the substrate, at least one edge of the cantilever beam extending nonlinearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip, and one or more electrodes disposed on or in the proximal portion of the cantilever beam.

14. The audio subsystem of claim 13 wherein the width of the cantilever beam is greater at the distal tip than at the proximal portion.

15. The audio subsystem of claim 13 wherein at least one side edge of the cantilever beam extends linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

16. The audio subsystem of claim 15 wherein both side edges of the cantilever beam extend linearly between the proximal portion and the distal tip.

17. The audio subsystem of claim 13 wherein the cantilever beam is symmetrical about a centerline of the cantilever beam.

18. The audio subsystem of claim 13 wherein the distal tip is linear.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2023
From: CHEN, GUOFENG; WURTZ, MICHAEL JON; KUMAR, RAKESH; QIAN, YOU; CAMPANELLA-PINEDA, HUMBERTO
To: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064710/0438 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63202596 · Jun 17, 2021
Provisional Application 63202599 · Jun 17, 2021
Related Publication 20220402751A1 · Dec 22, 2022
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