Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation
In this work, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based directional acoustic sensors operating in an underwater environment are explored. The studied sensors consist of a free-standing single wing or two wings pivoted to a substrate. The sensors operate in a narrow frequency band determined by the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/5/1245 |
| _version_ | 1828354310278217728 |
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| author | Alberto Espinoza Fabio Alves Renato Rabelo German Da Re Gamani Karunasiri |
| author_facet | Alberto Espinoza Fabio Alves Renato Rabelo German Da Re Gamani Karunasiri |
| author_sort | Alberto Espinoza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this work, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based directional acoustic sensors operating in an underwater environment are explored. The studied sensors consist of a free-standing single wing or two wings pivoted to a substrate. The sensors operate in a narrow frequency band determined by the resonant frequency of the mechanical structure. The electronic readout of the mechanical response is obtained using interdigitated comb finger capacitors attached to the wings. The characteristics of MEMS sensors immersed in silicone oil are simulated using finite element modeling. The performance of the sensors is evaluated both in air and underwater. For underwater testing and operation, the sensors are packaged in a housing containing silicone oil, which was specially developed to present near unity acoustic transmission. The measurements show that the resonant frequency of the sensors obtained in air shifts to a lower frequency when immersed in silicone oil, which is primarily due to the mass loading of the liquid. The peak sensitivity of the MEMS sensors is approximately 6 mV/Pa or −165 dB re 1 V/μPa, and the directional response shows a dipole pattern. The signal-to-noise ratio was found to be about 200 or 23 dB at 1 Pa incident sound pressure. The results show the potential of MEMS sensors to be used in underwater applications for sound source localization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:22:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-edd651f69922416cbcd510d7605b630c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:22:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-edd651f69922416cbcd510d7605b630c2022-12-22T02:18:00ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202020-02-01205124510.3390/s20051245s20051245Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater OperationAlberto Espinoza0Fabio Alves1Renato Rabelo2German Da Re3Gamani Karunasiri4Department of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USADepartment of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USADepartment of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USADepartment of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USADepartment of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USAIn this work, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based directional acoustic sensors operating in an underwater environment are explored. The studied sensors consist of a free-standing single wing or two wings pivoted to a substrate. The sensors operate in a narrow frequency band determined by the resonant frequency of the mechanical structure. The electronic readout of the mechanical response is obtained using interdigitated comb finger capacitors attached to the wings. The characteristics of MEMS sensors immersed in silicone oil are simulated using finite element modeling. The performance of the sensors is evaluated both in air and underwater. For underwater testing and operation, the sensors are packaged in a housing containing silicone oil, which was specially developed to present near unity acoustic transmission. The measurements show that the resonant frequency of the sensors obtained in air shifts to a lower frequency when immersed in silicone oil, which is primarily due to the mass loading of the liquid. The peak sensitivity of the MEMS sensors is approximately 6 mV/Pa or −165 dB re 1 V/μPa, and the directional response shows a dipole pattern. The signal-to-noise ratio was found to be about 200 or 23 dB at 1 Pa incident sound pressure. The results show the potential of MEMS sensors to be used in underwater applications for sound source localization.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/5/1245memsdirectionalunderwatersensor |
| spellingShingle | Alberto Espinoza Fabio Alves Renato Rabelo German Da Re Gamani Karunasiri Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation Sensors mems directional underwater sensor |
| title | Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation |
| title_full | Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation |
| title_fullStr | Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation |
| title_short | Fabrication of MEMS Directional Acoustic Sensors for Underwater Operation |
| title_sort | fabrication of mems directional acoustic sensors for underwater operation |
| topic | mems directional underwater sensor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/5/1245 |
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