Operable membranes device and digital speaker comprising at least one such device

Abstract

An operable membrane device is provided, including a plate, a plurality of membranes suspended from the plate and being a seat of residual mechanical constraints, at least a first actuator configured to deform the plate outside its plane, second actuators, each second actuator being configured to deform a membrane outside its plane, and control electronics configured to generate second control signals at the second actuators in order to vibrate the membranes and configured to generate first control signals at the first actuator to cause a deformation of the plate so that the plate is found in the deformed state, wherein a mechanical constraint is applied to the membranes that at least reduces the residual constraints of the membranes.

Claims

1. An operable membranes device, comprising: a plate; membranes suspended from the plate, the membranes being subject to residual mechanical constraints; at least one first actuator configured to deform the plate outside its plane; second actuators, each second actuator being configured to deform one of the membranes outside its plane; and control electronics configured to generate second control signals at the second actuators in order to vibrate the membranes and configured to generate first control signals at the at least one first actuator to cause a deformation of the plate, wherein the deformation of the plate reduces the residual mechanical constraints of the membranes.

2. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein deformation of the plate cancels out the residual mechanical constraints of the membranes.

3. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the control electronics are further configured to generate additional control signals at the at least one first actuator in order to cause the plate to vibrate, independently of the deformation of the plate.

4. The operable membrane device according to claim 3, wherein the additional control signals causing the vibration of the plate are alternating signals.

5. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the first control signals causing the deformation of the plate are continuous signals.

6. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first actuator and/or the second actuators are piezoelectric and/or ferroelectric actuators.

7. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the total surface of at least one first actuator is between 5% and 40% of the surface of the plate and/or wherein the total surface of the second actuators is between 5% and 40% of the total surface of the membranes.

8. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first actuator comprises several first actuators distributed along at least one edge of the plate.

9. The operable membrane device according to claim 8, wherein the plate is in the form of a disc and the first actuators are in the form of an arc of circle centered on the center of the disc.

10. The operable membrane device according to claim 8, wherein the plate is in the form of a rectangle and the several first actuators extending parallel to at least two opposite edges of the plate.

11. The operable membrane device according to claim 8, wherein the plate is in the form of a disc and the first actuators are in the form of a ring centered on the center of the disc.

12. The operable membrane device according to claim 1, wherein the membranes are situated on one face of the plate.

13. A digital speaker comprising at least one operable membrane device according to claim 1.

14. A hydraulic micro-pump comprising at least one operable membrane device according to claim 1.

15. A ultrasound emission device comprising at least one operable membrane device according to claim 1.

16. A controlling method for controlling a digital speaker comprising at least an operable membranes device comprising a plate, membranes suspended from said plate, the membranes being subject to residual mechanical constraints, at least one first actuator configured to deform the plate outside its plane, second actuators, each second actuator being configured to deform one of the membranes outside its plane, and control electronics configured to generate second control signals at the second actuators in order to vibrate the membranes and configured to generate first control signals at the at least one first actuator to cause a deformation of the plate, wherein the deformation of the plate reduces the residual mechanical constraints of the membranes, the controlling method comprising: generating a first continuous control signal at the at least one first actuator causing the deformation of the plate; and generating second control signals at all or part of the second actuators as a function of a sound to be produced.

17. The controlling method according to claim 16, further comprising generating an additional control signal of alternating type at the at least one first actuator for vibrating the plate.

18. The controlling method according to claim 17, wherein the additional control signal is generated while the first continuous control signal is generated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be better understood based on the following description and the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one example device according to the invention in the form of a disc,

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative of the device of FIG. 1 comprising fewer membranes,

(4) FIG. 3A is a cross-section of the device of FIG. 2 in a first actuating state,

(5) FIG. 3B is a cross-section of the device of FIG. 2 in a second actuating state,

(6) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one alternative of the device according to FIG. 1,

(7) FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one example device with a rectangular shape,

(8) FIG. 6 is a graphic illustration of the variation of the frequency of the digital speaker based on the thickness of the substrate,

(9) FIGS. 7A to 7R are diagrammatic illustrations of steps of an example method for producing a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) In the following description, the invention will primarily be described in an application to digital speakers, but the present invention applies to other fields, for example that of hydraulic micro-pumps and that of ultrasound emission devices.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic example of an operable membrane device that can be implemented in a digital speaker according to one example embodiment.

(12) The device D1 comprises a first element 2 having a plate-shape and second elements forming membranes 4, said membranes 4 being suspended from said plate 2 as shown in FIG. 2. In the illustrated example, the plate 2 is in the form of a disc, as are the membranes 4.

(13) Preferably, the device is made using microelectronics techniques, the first element 2 being a structured substrate.

(14) In the illustrated example, the membranes 4 are made on one face of the plate 4, for example by depositing layers and structuring the substrate and layers.

(15) In FIG. 2, the membranes are shown deformed in order to symbolize the deformation due to the residual constraints. This deformation is not to scale.

(16) The device comprises, for each membrane 4, at least one actuator 6 able to apply an out-of-plane deformation to the membrane 4.

(17) As a variant, the actuators are piezoelectric and/or ferroelectric actuators that can allow an out-of-plane deformation in both directions, i.e., upward and downward in the illustration of FIG. 2, which allows precise control of the acoustic pulses that they generate.

(18) Alternatively and non-limitingly, electrostatic, magnetic, thermal, etc. actuators could be used.

(19) As shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the piezoelectric actuators comprise a piezoelectric material 8 and electrodes 10 on either side of the piezoelectric material 8 to apply an electric field to it and cause its deformation.

(20) When an electric field is applied to the piezoelectric material, the latter deforms, while the membrane is not deformed; a thermal switch effect then occurs that results in curving the membranepiezoelectric material assembly. The direction of the curve varies depending on the electric field applied to the material.

(21) In FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the actuators 6 are positioned at the center of the membranes 4 on their face opposite the plate 2.

(22) The device also comprises at least one actuator 12 for applying an out-of-plane deformation to the plate 2.

(23) Preferably, the actuator 12 is also a piezoelectric and/or ferroelectric actuator, but as a variant it could be an electrostatic, magnetic, thermal actuator.

(24) In the example shown in FIG. 1, the device comprises two actuators in the form of arc of circle segments positioned diametrically opposite one another and positioned at the edge 2.3 on the upper face 2.1 of the plate 2 so as to apply a uniformly distributed force to the plate. The actuators 12 are positioned so as not to act on the membranes 4.

(25) The plate 2 is configured to be maintained by its lateral edges to be able to be at least deformed. The maintenance of the plate 2 is diagrammed in FIG. 2.

(26) As for the actuators 6, the actuators 12 comprise a piezoelectric or ferroelectric material 14 and electrodes 16 on either side of the piezoelectric or ferroelectric material 14 to apply a polarization to it and cause its deformation.

(27) Preferably, the actuators of the substrate will be made at the same time as the actuators of the membranes.

(28) FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the device of FIG. 1 comprising four actuators 12 also in the form of arc of circle segments distributed uniformly on the peripheral edge of the plate on its upper face 2.1 of the plate, so as to apply a uniformly distributed force to the plate.

(29) Also as a variant, a single ring-shaped actuator 12 could be implemented, bordering the outer edge of the plate.

(30) The electrodes of the actuators 6 and 12 are separately electrically connected to a polarization source V, the polarization of each pair of electrodes being controlled individually by the control electronics EP.

(31) Preferably, the surface of the actuators 12, 6 is between 5% and 40% of the surface of the plate 2 and the membranes 4, respectively, preferably equal to 25% so as to obtain sufficient actuation with a limited overall dimensions of the actuators.

(32) The dimensions of the plate are chosen so as to allow its out-of-plane deformation by the actuator(s), in particular the thickness of the plate 2 is chosen to allow this deformation while being able to offer enough mechanical rigidity not to buckle.

(33) Preferably, the maximal deformation of the plate caused by the actuators 12 is such that it remains low relative to the dimensions of the plate, for example, the deflection of the maximal deflected shape is approximately several tens of m. The deformation of the plate is such that it does not damage the plate and does not cause interference to the operation of the membranes.

(34) For example, the plate is made from a semiconductor material, for example silicon, the membranes are for example made from polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, oxide, the electrodes are for example made from platinum, ruthenium, etc., and the piezoelectric or ferroelectric material is for example made from PZT, AlN, ZnO or BST, etc.

(35) The operation of this device will be described.

(36) The digital speaker is controlled by control electronics EP that transcribe the sound to be emitted into electrical commands of the individual membranes as well as the plate.

(37) An electric field is applied to the actuator(s) 12 of the plate 2 beforehand in order to cause its out-of-plane deformation and apply a constraint to the membranes 4. The electric field is generated by applying a direct voltage between the electrodes of the actuators 12. Thus, the plate 4 is continuously deformed at least during the operation of the speaker.

(38) The type of constraint applied to the membranes depends on the deformation direction of the plate 2, and therefore the direction of the electric field.

(39) In the case of the illustrated examples where the membranes are formed on the upper face of the plate, if the plate is deformed downward, a compression is applied to the membranes 4, which makes it possible to compensate the residual tension constraints existing in the membranes 4. If the plate 2 is deformed upwardly, tension is applied to the membranes, which can offset the residual compression constraints existing in the membranes. Conversely, if the membranes were on the lower face of the plate, compression would be applied while deforming the plate upwardly and tension would be applied while deforming the plate downwardly.

(40) The amplitude of the deformation of the plate depends on the value of the electric field applied to the actuator(s) 12.

(41) The membranes 4 are next vibrated based on the sound to be reproduced by polarizing all or part of the actuators of the membranes 4 using an alternating voltage or using a voltage comprising an alternating component and a direct component in the case of ferroelectric materials such as PZT.

(42) Due to the compensating pre-stress applied to all of the membranes 4 by the deformation of the plate 2, which reduces and advantageously eliminates the residual constraints in the membranes, the membrane system has a behavior close to that, or the actual behavior, of a planar membrane system which is controlled.

(43) In the case of a digital speaker, having canceled these internal constraints allows the membranes 4 to operate at a lower frequency than when the internal constraints are not compensated. Owing to the compensation of the internal constraints, the frequencies can be lowered by several tens of percentage points.

(44) In FIG. 3A, one can see the plate 2 deformed upwardly under the action of the actuators 12. Setting the membranes 4 in an out-of-plane vibration results in the thermal switch effect following the deformation in the plane of the actuators symbolized by the arrows F.

(45) The plate can be deformed only to reduce the residual constraints and not to cancel them out. This can be interesting in the case where the plates can, from a constraint threshold, become bistable. The partial compensation of the constraints may for example prevent this phenomenon.

(46) Very advantageously, superimposed on the permanent direct deformation voltage is an alternating voltage that also applies between the electrodes of the actuators 12 to vibrate the plate 2 such that it generates a low frequency, itself forming a membrane of the digital speaker, the sound produced by the plate 2 being added to the sounds produced by the membranes 4. The plate is dimensioned to be able to generate low frequencies.

(47) Due to the large surface area of the plate 2 relative to the membranes 4, it is able to generate low frequencies lower than those generated by the small membranes, and is therefore complementary in the reproduction of sound. The plate may for example generate frequencies from several hundred Hz to several kHz, while the membranes will generate frequencies from several kHz to several tens of kHz, or even several hundred kHz.

(48) The alternating voltage is applied when lower frequencies have to be generated. The alternating voltage is applied briefly, for example during a duration of several s to several ms depending on the geometry of the plate, in order to cause a brief movement of the plate around its position able to partially or completely offset the residual constraints. This movement makes it possible to generate a low-frequency sound pulse.

(49) The frequency of the first resonance mode of a substrate embedded on its periphery can be expressed approximately by the following formula:

(50) $f_0=0.47\frac{t}{a^2}\sqrt{\frac{E}{}}$

(51) With t the thickness of the multilayer, a the radius, E and the average Young's modulus and the average density of the multilayer, respectively.

(52) FIG. 6 shows the variation of the resonance frequency Fq in Hz as a function of the thickness e in m of a plate with a radius of 2 cm. One can see that it is possible to obtain a resonance frequency, and therefore an acoustic contribution, of approximately 500 Hz, corresponding to a sensation of bass with a plate having a thickness of 100 m. This thickness can easily be obtained by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), for example this thickness of 100 m can be obtained from a substrate 725 m thick, which is standard in microelectronics.

(53) The alternating voltage applied to the actuators of the plate and the alternating voltages applied to the actuators of the membranes 4 are applied successively.

(54) In FIG. 3B, the vibration of the plate 2 is symbolized by the arrow F.

(55) A digital speaker in which only a direct voltage is applied to the actuators 12 of the plate does not go beyond the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, it is possible to provide that the plate 2 is vibrated by applying an alternating voltage without a direct voltage being applied. The plate is then alone in generating a sound, the digital speaker then working as an analog speaker.

(56) It will be understood that one could consider having a large plate comprising several plates 2 each bearing membranes 4, the large plate being able to be deformed to offset the residual constraints in the plates 2 making up the membranes, and the plates 2 being deformed to offset the residual constraints of the membranes. This stratification can be repeated several times.

(57) FIG. 5 shows another example embodiment in which the plate 2 is rectangular, the membranes 4 are square and comprise two actuators 12 in strip form each positioned along an opposite edge of the plate. The membranes 4 could have another shape, for example a disc shape, a rectangular shape, etc.

(58) The plate could have another form, for example any polygonal form.

(59) The membranes 4 of the plate 2 are dimensioned so that the deformation of the plate best offsets the residual constraints present in the membranes.

(60) If we consider a system XYZ, with XY the plane of the plate, the dimensions of the plate 2 in the plane XY are generally determined by the number and dimensions of the membranes 4, which are set by the sound volume, the definition of the desired sound, etc. The value of the constraint applied by the deformation of the membrane can then be set by choosing the dimension in the Z direction of the membrane, i.e., its thickness.

(61) Nevertheless, it is possible to dimension the device by varying not only the thickness of the plate, but also its surface, or then only its surface.

(62) The design of the device according to the invention may comprise the following steps:

(63) 1Measuring the stray deformation of the membranes caused by the constraints,

(64) 2extracting constraints from the deformation by using analytic formulas or calculation using the finite elements method,

(65) 3choosing the voltage and therefore deformation to be applied on the plate, which will be able to compensate the constraints on the membranes.

(66) The constraints in a membrane 4 as manufactured for speaker applications is approximately several hundred MPa, typically 300 MPa.

(67) If one considers a silicon plate 4 measuring 44 cm.sup.2, a thickness of 100 m makes it possible to obtain a deflection of approximately 48 m under a voltage of 50 V. This deformation makes it possible to cause a constraint of approximately 50 MPa. Below 200 V, a deformation of 97 m is obtained, and causes a constraint of more than 1800 MPa. We therefore see that a voltage between 50 V and 200 V will be able to offset the residual constraints in the membranes 4. These deformations are for example obtained by implementing two actuators as shown in FIG. 1.

(68) Advantageously, the shape and size of the actuators are determined so as to limit the actuating voltage as a function of the geometry of the plate.

(69) The shape and size of the actuators are for example determined using the finite elements method, for example using the CoventorWare, COMSOL, ANSYS programs.

(70) The device according to the invention is in particular advantageous in producing digital speakers, since it makes it possible to generate low frequencies, and advantageously two levels of low frequencies by using the plate as a membrane. The speakers then offer better sound quality.

(71) The device according to the present invention can be applied in all technical fields in which membranes able to vibrate can be implemented. For example, it can be used in a micro-pump to displace liquid, the membranes displacing a certain volume and the plate advantageously displacing another volume. The compensation of the internal constraints makes it possible to have a known and controlled behavior of the membranes. The device according to the invention can also be used in ultrasound emission devices.

(72) One example method for producing a device according to the invention will now be described. It advantageously involves a method implementing microelectronics techniques. This example method illustrates the production of a device with two actuators per membrane implementing a ferroelectric material. This example method also applies to producing a membrane actuator implementing a piezoelectric material such as AlN.

(73) The steps shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 7A to 7R show a detail of the device at a membrane 4. However, it will be understood that all of the membranes are made simultaneously in a substrate forming the plate. Advantageously, the actuators of the plate are made at the same time as the actuators of the membranes.

(74) For example, a silicon substrate 100 will be used and is shown partially in FIG. 7A, for example having a thickness of 725 m and a diameter of 200 mm. Preferably, one will start from a standard substrate on which several devices will be made, for example with a diameter of 4 cm or a diameter of 6 cm. At the end of the production method, the substrate is cleaved in order to separate the devices.

(75) During a first step, a thermal oxidation of the substrate is done so as to form an oxide layer 102 over all of the surfaces of the substrate with a thickness of 2 m, for example. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7B.

(76) Next, a hard oxide mask 104 is produced on the rear face of the substrate. This mask for example has a thickness of 7 m. The mask is made by turning over the substrate; based on the chosen deposition composition, it is possible only to deposit the mask on this face. This for example involves a deposition of the PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) type. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7C.

(77) Lithography is next done on the hard mask. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7D.

(78) During a following step, one etches, for example by reactive ion etching (RIE), the hard mask and the oxide layer 102 on the rear face so as to reach the rear face of the substrate 100. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7E.

(79) During a following step, the oxide layer is removed from the front face, for example by deoxidation or chemical etching. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7F.

(80) During a following step, an oxide layer 106 is formed on the front face. Advantageously, densification annealing is for example done at a temperature of approximately 800 C. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7G.

(81) During a following step, a layer 108 is formed on the front face intended to form the membrane 2, and a layer 110 on the rear face. Preferably, these layers are for example made from a polysilicon, SiC or SiO.sub.2. The thickness of the layers 108, 110 is for example comprised between several hundred nm and several m, or even several tens of m.

(82) The layers 108, 110 are for example made by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or by epitaxial growth. Preferably, the constraints of the layers 108, 110 are controlled.

(83) The layers 108, 110 can be formed in several operations. For example, for a thickness of 4 m, two layers 1.5 m thick and 1 layer with a thickness of 1 m are produced successively.

(84) Advantageously, an annealing step is next done. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7H.

(85) During a following step, a layer 112 is formed on the layer 108, for example made from SiO.sub.2 or SiN, for example having a thickness comprised between several hundred nm and several m. The layer 112 is for example formed by thermal oxidation or by CVD. Advantageously, a densification annealing takes place, for example at a temperature of about 800 C.

(86) The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7I.

(87) During a following step, the first and second actuators are produced.

(88) To that end, one first produces a layer 114 designed to form the lower electrodes of the actuators, for example made from Pt or Mo. The layer 114 is for example made by deposition on the layer 112. The layer 114 for example has a thickness comprised between several tens of nm and several hundred nm. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7J.

(89) A layer of ferroelectric material 116 is next formed on the layer 114, for example PCT, ZnO, LNO, the thickness of which is for example comprised between several hundreds of nm to several m. As a variant, the layer 116 could be a piezoelectric material, in particular when a single actuator is produced.

(90) The upper electrode is next produced by forming a layer 118 on the piezoelectric material 116, for example made from Ru or Au, for example with a thickness comprised between several tens of nm to several hundred nm. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7K.

(91) The etching steps next take place.

(92) First, the layer 118 is etched so as to define the annular actuator 8 and the disc-shaped actuator 10.

(93) Next, the layer 116 of piezoelectric material is etched.

(94) The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7L.

(95) Next, the remaining layer portions 118 are etched again such that they are removed relative to the layer portions 116.

(96) The layer 114 is next etched, as well as the oxide layer 112. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7M.

(97) Preferably, a stair profile is produced. This is obtained because all of the layers are deposited, then etched, from the upper layer, using different photolithography masks, the second mask being wider than the first, etc. This makes it possible to leave safety margins to avoid overlapping layers, which could appear due to the positioning uncertainty of the masks. One thus avoids any electric short-circuit between the electrodes. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7N.

(98) During the following steps, contact pads 120 are formed. Beforehand, a layer 122 of dielectric material is formed, for example in SiO.sub.2, on the edges of the stacks formed by the lower, upper electrodes and the piezoelectric material, this layer being etched so as to partially free the lower and upper electrodes. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7O.

(99) Next, a layer, for example of AISi or TiAu, is formed and etched, thus forming contact pads at the zones where the electrodes have been released. The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7P.

(100) Advantageously, during the following step, a protective layer 124 is formed on the actuators, for example an oxide layer, in order to protect the actuators from contact with the stop elements. The thickness of this layer can be comprised between several hundred nm and several m, for example 500 nm.

(101) During a following step, the layer 124 is etched, to access the contacts.

(102) The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7Q.

(103) Preferably, during a following step, the actuators are protected, for example by depositing a dry film 126. Next, the rear face is etched so as to free the membrane 2.

(104) The membrane is released by deep etching of the substrate by the rear face until reaching the membrane. All of the membranes are in fact released at the same time.

(105) The element thus obtained is shown in FIG. 7R.

(106) In order to have a functional device, we can cut the substrate in order to individualize the plates. The obtained element is next associated with other elements, in particular with control electronics connected individually to each of the electrodes. Furthermore, the plate provided with the membranes can itself be mounted on the support to be able to be deformed and advantageously able to vibrate.