In this paper a novel type of piezoelectric microelectromechanical loudspeaker is presented. The device concept is based on concentrically cascaded lead zirconate titanate actuators making it the first integrated two-way MEMS speaker reported. As a further novelty, the device is designed to operate without a closed membrane significantly improving the acoustic performance, energy efficiency, and manufacturability. Extensive finite element analysis studies have revealed a very high SPL of more than 79 dB in 10 cm distance at 500 Hz for a device 1 cm² in size operated at 30 V. At higher frequencies even larger SPL values are calculated enabling a flat frequency response with 89 dB for frequencies above 800 Hz. Based on this concept first speaker prototypes have been fabricated using MEMS technology.

Authors: Stoppel, Fabian; Niekiel, Florian; Giese, Thorsten; Gu-Stoppel, Shanshan; Männchen, Andreas; Nowak, Johannes; Beer, Daniel; Wagner, Bernhard
Affiliations: Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT, Itzehoe, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT, Ilmenau, Germany(See document for exact affiliation information.)
AES Convention: 143 (October 2017) Paper Number: 9874
Publication Date: October 8, 2017 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Transducers
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=19271

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