PiezoMEMS applications
Piezoelectric MEMS can fulfil many of the requirements of future smart devices:
- Low power requirements
- Small volume
- High performance
- Ease of manufacture
Piezoelectric thin films can be useful in:
- Ultrasonic speakers and transducers
- Positioning systems
- Pressure and flow sensors
(e.g. disposable blood pressure sensors) - Gas sensors
- Vibration energy harvester
- Accelerometers
- Micropumps
Within the field of microfluidics, PZT can be utilized for making pumps and valves. For acoustic applications, piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUT’s) can be used for both sending and receiving ultrasound. Within optics, bending mode actuators can be used for making spectrometers (Fabry‐Perot and FTIR) and mirrors as well as coherence modifying devices.
| Direct effect: | Converse effect: | Converse effect: | Both effects in resonance: |
| sensors and energy conversion |
linear actuators | with resonant ultrasound excitation |
resonant transducer |
| Vibration sensor Accelerometer Microphone Photoacoustic sensors Energy scavenging from vibrations |
Vibration damper Optical scanner Optical switch Micro and nano probes Switch/relay, RF switch Valve Droplet ejector/inkjet |
Ultrasonic stator for micromotor Liquid delivery |
Ultrasonic imaging RF filters Transformers Proximity sensors |