Stanford University engineer Nathan Salowitz has developed piezoelectric transducers designed for economical mass production of large arrays of mezzo-scale transducers based on nanofabrication processes.
These transducers have a novel, planar, omni-directional electrode pattern which reduces the functional complexity and simplifies the CMOS-compatible manufacturing. This technology has applications in ultrasonic actuators/sensors for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) - the design facilitates integration with current SHM hardware and algorithms. In addition, the transducers could be used for microphone or speaker systems in a variety of consumer electronics.
Salowitz has demonstrated feasibility in individual prototypes using Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) ceramic on solid substrates and flex circuits with various electrode spacing, electrode materials and PZT dimensions. Salowitz continues to refine the design and fabrication technique.
Applications include:
- Structural Health Monitoring - acoustic ultrasound actuator/sensor
- Microphone/speaker systems for:
- cell phones
- hearing aids
- consumer electronics
Advantages include:
- Easy fabrication, directly on integrated circuit:
- scalable
- CMOS-compatible
- few steps and less layers
- economical
- Omni-directional - radial array of electrodes actuates and is sensitive to waves in all directions
- Robust - design eliminates out of plane features which eliminates failure points
- Small transducer - overall networking and wiring is thinner and thus less intrusive in a host structure
- Compatible - functional similarity to current designs allows for implementation with current SHM hardware and algorithms.
Licensing Contact
Luis Mejia, Senior Licensing Associate
luis.mejia@stanford.edu
luis.mejia@stanford.edu
Office of Technology Licensing
1705 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Tel: 650-723-2300
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