Active temperature control of piezoelectric membrane-based micro-electromechanical devices

• US 10,129,656 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buccafusca, Osvaldo
• Primary Examiner(s): Maldonado, Julio J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Isaac, Stanetta
• Application Number:
  US12/363,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,574 Days
• Field of Search: 381190, 381397
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/02 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use of the electrostatic type H04R19/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/022 Cooling arrangements

Abstract

In a representative embodiment, an apparatus, comprises a substrate; a microelectronic ultrasonic transducer (MUT) disposed over the substrate; and a thermoelectric device disposed proximate to the MUT and configured to provide heat to or remove heat from the MUT. A microelectromechanical MEMs device is also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a microelectronic ultrasonic transducer (MUT) disposed over the substrate; and

a thermoelectric device proximate to the MUT and configured to provide heat to, and remove heat from the MUT.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MUT is a piezoelectric MUT (pMUT).

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pMUT comprises a membrane comprising a lower electrode, a piezoelectric element and an upper electrode.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MUT is a capacitive MUT (cMUT).

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier effect device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Thompson effect device.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is disposed over the substrate and between the substrate and the MUT.

8. A microelectromechanical (MEMs) device, comprising:

a microelectronic ultrasonic transducer (MUT); and

a thermoelectric device disposed proximate to the MUT and configured to provide heat to, and remove heat from the MUT.

9. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the MUT is a piezoelectric MUT (pMUT).

10. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the MUT is a capacitive MUT (cMUT).

11. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier effect device.

12. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Thompson effect device.

13. A MEMs device as claimed 8, further comprising a substrate, and the thermoelectric device is disposed over the substrate and between the substrate and the MUT.

14. A MEMs device, comprising:

an apparatus, comprising;

a microelectronic ultrasonic transducer (MUT); and

a thermoelectric device disposed proximate to the MUT and configured to provide heat to, and remove heat from the MUT; and

a control unit configured to set and adjust an operating point of the thermoelectric device.

15. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the control unit comprises a feedback input configured to provide data from the MUT.

16. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the feedback input comprises one or more of a temperature and an operating frequency.

17. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Peltier effect device.

18. A MEMs device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the thermoelectric device is a Thompson effect device.