Accelerometer Contact Microphones And Methods Thereof
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsFarrokh Ayazi, Pranav Gupta, Yaesuk Jeong
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Abstract
Small form-factor MEMS devices and methods of using the devices. An exemplary MEMS device includes an ACM. Certain devices comprise nanometer scale sensing gaps in the out-of-plane direction to increase vibration sensitivity in a vacuum casing. Certain devices described herein provide a differential sensing mechanism. Accelerometer contact microphones having an operational bandwidth ranging from 0 Hz and 10,000 Hz are also disclosed. The vibration acceleration sensitivity of certain devices described herein is better 100 μg√Hz.
Claims24
A device for contact with a contact source comprising:
- a suspended proof mass;
- and
- a sensing electrode separated from the suspended proof mass by a sub-micron sensing gap;
- wherein the device is sensitive to vibrations from the contact source;
- wherein the device is without sensitivity to air-borne acoustic emissions;
- and
- wherein the device has out-of-plane sensitivity and micro-g resolution.
A hermetically-sealed contact microphone device comprising:
- a suspended proof mass;
- and
- a nano-gap capacitive electrode separated from the suspended proof mass;
- wherein the device has out-of-plane sensitivity;
- and
- wherein the device operates in a vacuum of smaller than or equal to 50 Torr.
An out-of-plane differential accelerometer comprising:
- a suspended proof mass;
- and
- a sensing electrode separated from the suspended proof mass by a nano sensing gap;
- wherein the accelerometer has out-of-plane sensitivity and micro-g resolution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.