Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones
The calibration of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones remains a critical challenge due to their miniaturized geometry and sensitivity to non-uniform acoustic fields. This study presents an advanced calibration methodology that integrates Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations with e...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/5/1312 |
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| author | Fabio Saba María Campo-Valera Davide Paesante Giovanni Durando Mario Corallo Diego Pugliese |
| author_facet | Fabio Saba María Campo-Valera Davide Paesante Giovanni Durando Mario Corallo Diego Pugliese |
| author_sort | Fabio Saba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The calibration of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones remains a critical challenge due to their miniaturized geometry and sensitivity to non-uniform acoustic fields. This study presents an advanced calibration methodology that integrates Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations with experimental corrections to improve the accuracy of pressure comparison calibrations using active couplers. A key innovation is the incorporation of asymmetric acoustic field analysis, which systematically quantifies and corrects discrepancies arising from cavity geometry, sensor positioning, and resonance effects peculiar of MEMS microphones. The proposed approach significantly reduces measurement uncertainties, especially in the high-frequency range above 5 kHz, where standard calibration techniques face challenges in taking into account localized pressure variations. Furthermore, the implementation of a measurement set-up, which includes the insert voltage technique, allows for an accurate assessment of the preamplifier gain and minimizes systematic errors. Experimental validation shows that the refined calibration methodology produces highly reliable correction values, ensuring a robust performance over a wide frequency range (20 Hz–20 kHz). These advances establish a rigorous framework for standardizing the calibration of MEMS microphones, strengthening their applicability in acoustic monitoring, sound source localization, and environmental sensing. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-14T01:34:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2489ebbcea254d55b7356372e3a4775f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-14T01:34:31Z |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-2489ebbcea254d55b7356372e3a4775f2025-03-12T13:59:28ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-02-01255131210.3390/s25051312Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS MicrophonesFabio Saba0María Campo-Valera1Davide Paesante2Giovanni Durando3Mario Corallo4Diego Pugliese5Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), 10135 Torino, ItalyTelecommunication Research Institute (TELMA), Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, SpainIstituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), 10135 Torino, ItalyIstituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), 10135 Torino, ItalyIstituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), 10135 Torino, ItalyIstituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), 10135 Torino, ItalyThe calibration of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones remains a critical challenge due to their miniaturized geometry and sensitivity to non-uniform acoustic fields. This study presents an advanced calibration methodology that integrates Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations with experimental corrections to improve the accuracy of pressure comparison calibrations using active couplers. A key innovation is the incorporation of asymmetric acoustic field analysis, which systematically quantifies and corrects discrepancies arising from cavity geometry, sensor positioning, and resonance effects peculiar of MEMS microphones. The proposed approach significantly reduces measurement uncertainties, especially in the high-frequency range above 5 kHz, where standard calibration techniques face challenges in taking into account localized pressure variations. Furthermore, the implementation of a measurement set-up, which includes the insert voltage technique, allows for an accurate assessment of the preamplifier gain and minimizes systematic errors. Experimental validation shows that the refined calibration methodology produces highly reliable correction values, ensuring a robust performance over a wide frequency range (20 Hz–20 kHz). These advances establish a rigorous framework for standardizing the calibration of MEMS microphones, strengthening their applicability in acoustic monitoring, sound source localization, and environmental sensing.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/5/1312MEMS microphonepressure comparison calibrationacoustic fieldsound field correctionsFEMacoustic metrology |
| spellingShingle | Fabio Saba María Campo-Valera Davide Paesante Giovanni Durando Mario Corallo Diego Pugliese Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones Sensors MEMS microphone pressure comparison calibration acoustic field sound field corrections FEM acoustic metrology |
| title | Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones |
| title_full | Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones |
| title_short | Effectiveness of Sound Field Corrections for High-Frequency Pressure Comparison Calibration of MEMS Microphones |
| title_sort | effectiveness of sound field corrections for high frequency pressure comparison calibration of mems microphones |
| topic | MEMS microphone pressure comparison calibration acoustic field sound field corrections FEM acoustic metrology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/5/1312 |
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