Journal of Sensor Science and Technology (센서학회지)

The Korean Sensors Society (한국센서학회)
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Performance Test and Evaluations of a MEMS Microphone for the Hearing Impaired

  • Kwak, Jun-Hyuk (Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials) ;
  • Kang, Hanmi (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lee, YoungHwa (Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials) ;
  • Jung, Youngdo (Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials) ;
  • Kim, Jin-Hwan (Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials) ;
  • Hur, Shin (Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials)
  • Received : 2014.06.16
  • Accepted : 2014.08.22
  • Published : 2014.09.30
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Abstract

In this study, a MEMS microphone that uses $Si_3N_4$ as the vibration membrane was produced for application as an auditory device using a sound visualization technique (sound visualization) for the hearing impaired. Two sheets of 6-inch silicon wafer were each fabricated into a vibration membrane and back plate, after which, wafer bonding was performed. A certain amount of charge was created between the bonded vibration membrane and the back plate electrodes, and a MEMS microphone that functioned through the capacitive method that uses change in such charge was fabricated. In order to evaluate the characteristics of the prepared MEMS microphone, the frequency flatness, frequency response, properties of phase between samples, and directivity according to the direction of sound source were analyzed. The MEMS microphone showed excellent flatness per frequency in the audio frequency (100 Hz-10 kHz) and a high response of at least -42 dB (sound pressure level). Further, a stable differential phase between the samples of within -3 dB was observed between 100 Hz-6 kHz. In particular, excellent omnidirectional properties were demonstrated in the frequency range of 125 Hz-4 kHz.

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