US 11,924,610 B2
MEMS transducer having a diaphragm made of polymer and method of producing same
Andrea Rusconi Clerici Beltrami, Vienna (AT); Ferruccio Bottoni, Graz (AT); and Nick Renaud-Bezot, Vienna (AT)
Assigned to USound GmbH, Graz (AT)
Appl. No. 17/618,655
Filed by USound GmbH, Graz (AT)
PCT Filed Jun. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/065468
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 13, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/249457, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 116 080.4 (DE), filed on Jun. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0360908 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 17/00 (2006.01); B81B 3/00 (2006.01); B81C 1/00 (2006.01); H04R 7/04 (2006.01); H04R 17/02 (2006.01); H04R 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 17/005 (2013.01) [B81B 3/007 (2013.01); B81C 1/00658 (2013.01); H04R 7/04 (2013.01); H04R 17/02 (2013.01); H04R 31/003 (2013.01); B81B 2201/0257 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0127 (2013.01); H04R 2201/003 (2013.01); H04R 2307/025 (2013.01); H04R 2400/01 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a MEMS sound transducer for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength range and/or in the ultrasonic range, the method comprising the following steps:
arranging multiple piezoelectric elements on a support substrate, wherein each of the piezoelectric elements is defined by a base element at a first end of each piezoelectric element and a cantilever arm defined at a second end of each piezoelectric element opposite the first end, wherein each of the base elements of the multiple piezoelectric elements is arranged on the support substrate and is formed to extend away from the support substrate over a first distance measured along a stroke axis, wherein each respective cantilever arm is connected at a first end to each respective base element so that a second end of the respective cantilever arm disposed opposite the first end and extending in a direction generally normal to the stroke axis can oscillate in the direction of the stroke axis, wherein the multiple piezoelectric elements are arranged on the support substrate in such a way that the respective second ends of the cantilever arms of the multiple piezoelectric elements meet in a center, wherein each of the cantilever arms is disposed at a second distance measured in a direction along the stroke axis from the support substrate;
forming a dam arrangement on the support substrate, wherein the dam arrangement is formed to extend away from the support substrate over a third distance measured along a stroke axis and so that the multiple piezoelectric elements are completely bordered by the dam arrangement; and
forming a diaphragm that covers the multiple piezoelectric elements, wherein in order to form the diaphragm, a flowable and curable polymer, which forms the diaphragm after curing, is cast around the multiple piezoelectric elements that are bordered within the dam arrangement.