Cantilever sensor with modified resonance frequency
AssigneeSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
InventorsYou Qian, Rakesh Kumar, Guofeng Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cantilever sensor (e.g., piezoelectric sensor) includes a beam with a sensor or electrode at a proximal end and a tip that extends from the sensor to the distal (unsupported) end of the beam. The tip is modified to modify (e.g., tune) the resonant frequency of the cantilever sensor. The resonant frequency of the cantilever sensor is tuned by using a material for the tip with a stiffness (e.g., a Young's Modulus) and/or a mass or density that results in the desired resonant frequency. The resonant frequency of the cantilever sensor can also be tuned by modifying the shape of the tip to have a higher vertical structure in a Z direction transverse to a length of the beam of the sensor.
Claims18
A cantilever sensor with increased resonant frequency, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to an unsupported distal end of the beam;
- and
- an electrode disposed on or in the proximal portion of the beam, a tip of the beam extending distally of the electrode, at least a portion of the tip having a greater height in a Z direction transverse to a length of the beam than the proximal portion of the beam, the tip including a first side edge and a second side edge that have a greater height than a beam portion between the first and second side edges.
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 beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to an unsupported distal end of the beam, and an electrode disposed on or in the proximal portion of the beam, a tip of the beam extending distally of the electrode, at least a portion of the tip having a greater height in a Z direction transverse to a length of the beam than the proximal portion of the beam, the tip including a first side edge and a second side edge that have a greater height than a beam portion between the first and second side edges, the plurality of piezoelectric sensors configured to deflect when subjected to sound pressure.
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 beam having a proximal portion attached to the substrate and extending to an unsupported distal end of the beam, an electrode disposed on or in the proximal portion of the beam, a tip of the beam extending distally of the electrode, at least a portion of the tip having a greater height in a Z direction transverse to a length of the beam than the proximal portion of the beam, the tip including a first side edge and a second side edge that have a greater height than a beam portion between the first and second side edges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.