US 11,844,282 B2
Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer with a patterned membrane structure
Andre Guedes, Barcelona (ES); Fabian Goericke, Berkeley, CA (US); Stefon Shelton, Oakland, CA (US); Benedict Costello, Piedmont, CA (US); and David Horsley, Albany, CA (US)
Assigned to InvenSense, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by InvenSense, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/802,436.
Application 16/802,436 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2017/062059, filed on Nov. 16, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0194658 A1, Jun. 18, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 41/083 (2006.01); H10N 30/50 (2023.01); H04R 17/00 (2006.01); H10N 30/057 (2023.01); H10N 30/87 (2023.01); H10N 30/88 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 30/50 (2023.02) [H04R 17/00 (2013.01); H10N 30/057 (2023.02); H10N 30/871 (2023.02); H10N 30/883 (2023.02)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) device, comprising:
a substrate having an open cavity;
a membrane attached to the substrate such that a portion of the membrane overlies the open cavity; and
an actuating structure on a surface of the membrane, the actuating structure including a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the membrane and an upper electrode layer, wherein the actuating structure is patterned so that portions of the actuating structure are selectively removed from portions of the membrane to form a central portion proximate a center of the open cavity and three or more rib portions projecting radially outward from the central portion,
wherein the membrane is attached to the substrate at one or more anchor portions of the membrane proximate the perimeter of the open cavity, and
one or more of the three or more ribs is patterned such that it is mechanically coupled to the central portion but electrically isolated from the central portion.