US 11,950,052 B2
Acoustic transducer with gap-controlling geometry and method of manufacturing an acoustic transducer
Karl Grosh, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Robert J. Littrell, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to QUALCOMM Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Qualcomm Technologies Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/675,850.
Application 17/675,850 is a continuation of application No. 16/353,934, filed on Mar. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,259,124.
Application 16/353,934 is a continuation of application No. 14/702,319, filed on May 1, 2015, granted, now 10,284,960, issued on May 7, 2019.
Application 14/702,319 is a continuation of application No. 13/398,631, filed on Feb. 16, 2012, granted, now 9,055,372, issued on Jun. 9, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/470,384, filed on Mar. 31, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2022/0248145 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04R 17/02 (2006.01); H01L 41/27 (2013.01); H01L 41/314 (2013.01); H01L 41/332 (2013.01); H04R 7/06 (2006.01); H04R 31/00 (2006.01); H10N 30/05 (2023.01); H10N 30/074 (2023.01); H10N 30/082 (2023.01)
CPC H04R 17/02 (2013.01) [H04R 7/06 (2013.01); H04R 31/003 (2013.01); H10N 30/05 (2023.02); H10N 30/074 (2023.02); H10N 30/082 (2023.02); H04R 17/025 (2013.01); H04R 31/00 (2013.01); H04R 2201/003 (2013.01); H04R 2410/03 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transducer, comprising:
a substrate having a region; and
a plurality of cantilevered beams, each cantilevered beam of the plurality of cantilevered beams comprising:
at least one piezoelectric layer interspersed between electrode layers, wherein the electrode layers cover two-thirds or less of each cantilevered beam of the plurality of cantilevered beams; and
a tapered beam body that extends from a beam base portion to a beam tip portion over the region, with beam base portions supported over portions of the substrate, and with beam tip portions extending towards a common area.