Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mesh-membrane nebulizers are described. The MEMS mesh-membrane nebulizers may include a piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane. The piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may include a piezoelectric active layer patterned with openings for making droplets. One electrode of the piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may serve as an electrode for electroplating. Activation of the piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may generate droplets suitable for delivery of medicines or other uses.

In a piezoelectric device, a piezoelectric driving portion includes layers and is directly or indirectly supported by a base portion. The piezoelectric driving portion includes a piezoelectric layer, an upper electrode layer, and a lower electrode layer. The upper electrode layer is disposed on the upper side of the piezoelectric layer. The lower electrode layer faces at least a portion of the upper electrode layer with the piezoelectric layer interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric driving portion includes a through groove extending through the piezoelectric driving portion in the vertical direction, so that a pair of inner side surfaces are provided. The pair of inner side surfaces each include a first small-width portion in which the width of the through groove decreases in a downward direction from an upper end surface of the piezoelectric layer.

An oscillator frequency modulation method includes: providing a piezoelectric material having a surface and an interior; and performing a pattern process on the piezoelectric material by a laser. A patterned processing zone is formed on the surface and/or in the interior of the piezoelectric material. The pattern process may be a material removal and/or a material modification. Therefore, without changing the appearance of the piezoelectric material, the pattern process on the piezoelectric material through the laser can accurately adjust the frequency of the oscillator and block unnecessary mode at the same time. An oscillator piezoelectric structure with frequency modulation is also provided.

A diaphragm for a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) is presented having resonance frequency and bandwidth characteristics which are decoupled from one another into independent variables. Portions of at least the piezoelectric material layer and backside electrode layer are removed in a selected pattern to form structures, such as ribs, in the diaphragm which retains stiffness while reducing overall mass. The patterned structure can be formed by additive, or subtractive, fabrication processes.

A piezoelectric thin-film suspended above a carrier substrate. An input interdigital transducer (IDT) having first interdigitated electrodes is disposed at different locations along the horizontal axis and on the first side of the piezoelectric thin-film. Each opposing pair of the first interdigitated electrodes is to selectively transduce a particular frequency range of an input electrical signal that varies in frequency over time into an acoustic wave of a laterally vibrating mode based on a pitch between electrodes of the opposing pair. An output IDT that includes second interdigitated electrodes is disposed at different locations along the horizontal axis and on the second side of the piezoelectric thin-film. Each opposing pair of the second interdigitated electrodes is to convert the acoustic wave transduced by the respective opposing pair of the first interdigitated electrodes into a compressed pulse.

A piezoelectric transducer includes a semiconductor body with a bottom electrode of conductive material. A piezoelectric element is on the bottom electrode. A first protective layer, on the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric element, has a first opening through which a portion of the piezoelectric element is exposed, and a second opening through which a portion of the bottom electrode is exposed. A conductive layer on the first protective layer and within the first and second openings is patterned to form a top electrode in electrical contact with the piezoelectric element at the first opening, a first biasing stripe in electrical contact with the top electrode, and a second biasing stripe in electrical contact with the bottom electrode at the second opening.

A method for fabricating an array of front ends for an array of packaged electronic components that each comprise: an electrical element packaged within a package comprising a front part of a package comprising an inner section with a cavity therein opposite the resonator defined by the raised frame and an outer section sealing said cavity; and a back part of the package comprising a back cavity in an inner back section, and an outer back section sealing the cavity, said back package further comprising a first and a second via through the back end around said at least one back cavity for coupling to front and back electrodes of the electronic component; the vias terminating in external contact pads that are coupleable in a ‘flip chip’ configuration to a circuit board; the method comprising the stages of: i. Obtaining a carrier substrate having an active membrane layer attached thereto by its rear surface, with a front electrode on the front surface of the active membrane layer; ii. Obtaining an inner front end section; iii. Attaching the inner front end section to the exposed front surface of the front electrode; iv. Detaching the carrier substrate from the rear surface of the active membrane layer; v. Optionally thinning the inner front section; vi. Processing the rear surface by removing material to create an array of at least one island of active membrane on at least one island of front electrode; vii. Creating an array of at least one front cavity by selectively removing at least outer layer of the inner front end section, such that there is one cavity opposite each island of membrane on the front side of the front electrode on the opposite side to the island of active membrane; viii. Applying an outer front end section to the inner front end section and bonding the outer front end section to an outer surface of the inner front end section such that the outer front end section spans across and seals the at least one cavity of the array of front cavities.

A transducer of the preferred embodiment including a transducer and a plurality of adjacent, tapered cantilevered beams. Each of the beams define a beam base, a beam tip, and a beam body disposed between the beam base and the beam tip. The beams are arranged such that each of the beam tips extends toward a common area. Each beam is joined to the substrate along the beam base and is free from the substrate along the beam body. A preferred method of manufacturing a transducer can include: depositing alternating layers of piezoelectric and electrode onto the substrate in block, processing the deposited layers to define cantilever geometry in block, depositing metal traces in block, and releasing the cantilevered beams from the substrate in block.

A MEMS piezoelectric device includes a monolithic semiconductor body having first and second main surfaces extending parallel to a horizontal plane formed by first and second horizontal axes. A housing cavity is arranged within the monolithic semiconductor body. A membrane is suspended above the housing cavity at the first main surface. A piezoelectric material layer is arranged above a first surface of the membrane with a proof mass coupled to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, along the vertical axis. An electrode arrangement is provided in contact with the piezoelectric material layer. The proof mass causes deformation of the piezoelectric material layer in response to environmental mechanical vibrations. The proof mass is coupled to the membrane by a connection element arranged, in a central position, between the membrane and the proof mass in the direction of the vertical axis.

A MEMS piezoelectric device includes a monolithic semiconductor body having first and second main surfaces extending parallel to a horizontal plane formed by first and second horizontal axes. A housing cavity is arranged within the monolithic semiconductor body. A membrane is suspended above the housing cavity at the first main surface. A piezoelectric material layer is arranged above a first surface of the membrane with a proof mass coupled to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, along the vertical axis. An electrode arrangement is provided in contact with the piezoelectric material layer. The proof mass causes deformation of the piezoelectric material layer in response to environmental mechanical vibrations. The proof mass is coupled to the membrane by a connection element arranged, in a central position, between the membrane and the proof mass in the direction of the vertical axis.