ACTIVE TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF PIEZOELECTRIC MEMBRANE-BASED MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICES

• US 20100195851A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: BUCCAFUSCA, OSVALDO
• Granted Patent: US 10,129,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/190
• 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 or 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 1, wherein the MUT is a capacitive MUT (cMUT).

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

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

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

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

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 or 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 or 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.