Patent Application
20180139542
The present disclosure generally relates to acoustoelectric conversion technology, and more particularly, to a piezoelectric speaker and a method for forming the same.
As terminals for personal voice communication and data communication are rapidly developed, piezoelectric speakers are developed in recent years. In a piezoelectric speaker, a piezoelectric material is used as an electro-acoustic transducer element. A sound output mechanism of the piezoelectric speaker is that, an application of an AC voltage to two surface of the piezoelectric element causes a generation of shape distortion of the piezoelectric element, so that a metal diaphragm is vibrated, thereby generating a sound.
However, most of conventional piezoelectric speakers are fabricated by MEMS technologies, which results in a complex fabrication process and a high cost.
In one embodiment, a method for forming a piezoelectric speaker is provided. The method may include: providing a piezoelectric actuator which includes a piezoelectric layer, a bottom electrode and a top electrode, wherein the bottom electrode and the top electrode are on two opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric layer; providing a speaker frame which includes a base and a bump structure on the base; forming a solder layer on a top surface of the bump structure; and combining the bottom electrode of the piezoelectric actuator with the speaker frame through the solder layer.
In some embodiments, the step of providing a piezoelectric actuator includes: providing a piezoelectric substrate, and forming a top electrode on the piezoelectric substrate; providing a supporting substrate, and forming an adhesive layer on the supporting substrate; turning the supporting substrate over, and combining the top electrode with the supporting substrate through the adhesive layer; thinning the piezoelectric substrate to form a piezoelectric layer; and forming a bottom electrode on the piezoelectric layer.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: after combining the bottom electrode of the piezoelectric actuator with the speaker frame through the solder layer, removing the supporting substrate and the adhesive layer.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric layer includes piezoelectric ceramic, and has a thickness ranging from 3 μm to 50 μm.
In some embodiments, the bottom electrode and the top electrode include Ti, Ag, Cr, Pt or Au, and have a thickness ranging from 0.01 μm to 0.5 μm.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: forming a metal base layer on the top electrode, wherein the metal base layer is combined with the supporting substrate through the adhesive layer; and the metal base layer comprises Ni, Cu or TiW, and has a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 20 μm.
In some embodiments, the base has a bottom venting hole therethrough, and the bump structure surrounds the bottoming venting hole.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: forming a first electrode on a surface of the base opposite to the bump structure, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected with the bottom electrode of the actuator through the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: forming a second electrode on a surface of the base opposite to the bump structure; and forming a shell to case the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker frame, wherein the second electrode is electrically connected with the top electrode of the actuator through the shell.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator covers an entire area surrounded by the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator covers a part of an area surrounded by the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the bump structure surrounds a rectangle area, and two piezoelectric actuators cover two side parts of the rectangle area and expose a middle part.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: forming a diaphragm layer on the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the diaphragm layer and the piezoelectric actuator cover the entire area surrounded by the bump structure.
In one embodiment, a piezoelectric speaker is provided. The piezoelectric speaker may include: a piezoelectric actuator which includes a piezoelectric layer, a bottom electrode and a top electrode, wherein the bottom electrode and the top electrode are on two opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric layer; a speaker frame which includes a base and a bump structure on the base; a solder layer on a top surface of the bump structure, wherein the bottom electrode of the piezoelectric actuator is combined with the speaker frame through the solder layer.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric layer includes piezoelectric ceramic, and has a thickness ranging from 3 μm to 50 μm.
In some embodiments, the bottom electrode and the top electrode include Ti, Ag, Cr, Pt or Au, and have a thickness ranging from 0.01 μm to 0.5 μm.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator further includes a metal base layer on the top electrode, and the metal base layer includes Ni, Cu or TiW, and has a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 20 μm.
In some embodiments, the base has a bottom venting hole therethrough, and the bump structure surrounds the bottoming venting hole.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric speaker further includes: a first electrode disposed on a surface of the base opposite to the bump structure, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected with the bottom electrode of the actuator through the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric speaker further includes: a second electrode disposed on a surface of the base opposite to the bump structure; and a shell casing the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker frame, wherein the second electrode is electrically connected with the top electrode of the actuator through the shell.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator covers an entire area surrounded by the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator covers a part of an area surrounded by the bump structure.
In some embodiments, the bump structure surrounds a rectangle area, and two piezoelectric actuators cover two side parts of the rectangle area and expose a middle part.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric speaker further includes: a diaphragm layer on the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the diaphragm layer and the piezoelectric actuator cover the entire area surrounded by the bump structure.
The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.
The piezoelectric speaker shown in
As shown in
Hereunder, a method for forming the piezoelectric speaker will be described step-by-step.
As shown in
The piezoelectric substrate 110 includes piezoelectric material. A mechanical stress can be induced in the piezoelectric material by applying a voltage thereon. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric material may include piezoelectric ceramics, for examples, pbbased lanthanumdoped zirconate titanate (PZT), modified PZT, lead metaniobate, Lead-Barium Metaniobate (PBLN), modified lead titanite, etc. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric may include piezoelectric crystal. However, material of the piezoelectric substrate 110 is not limited thereto, and different materials may be adopted in different applications.
The top electrode 121 is conductive. For example, the top electrode 121 is metal. The top electrode 121 may be formed by a PVD, CVD or plating process. Thickness of the top electrode depends on specific applications of the piezoelectric speaker, and is not limited herein. In some embodiments, the top electrode 121 may include Ti, Ag, Cr, Pt or Au, and have a thickness ranging from 0.01 μm to 0.5 μm.
The metal base layer 130 also can be formed by PVD, CVD or plating. In some embodiments, the metal base layer 130 may be a hard metal for supporting the top electrode 121 and the piezoelectric material, or serving as a diaphragm. In some embodiments, the metal base layer 130 may include Ni, Cu or TiW, and have a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 20 μm.
It should be noted that, in some embodiments, only the top electrode 121 is formed on the piezoelectric substrate 110, and there is no need to form the metal base layer.
Then, referring to
The supporting substrate 140 has a flat surface so as to provide mechanical supporting and protection in subsequent processes. In some embodiments, the supporting substrate 140 may be glass, ceramic chips, semiconductor chip, etc.
The adhesive layer 150 may be polymer. The polymer may be selected from conventional adhesive polymers used in semiconductor or machinery area, and is not limited herein. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 150 may be formed by a deposition process or a coating process, and have a thickness ranging from 1 μm to 20 μm.
Then, referring to
Specifically, the metal base layer 130 are attached to the adhesive layer 150, and then UV lights are employed to cure the adhesive layer 150, so that the piezoelectric substrate 110 and the supporting layer 140 can be combined through the adhesive layer 150.
It should be noted that, in other embodiments, the metal base layer 130 or the top electrode 120 can be connected with the supporting substrate 140 by other combination methods, which are not limited herein.
Then, referring to
Specifically, a grinding process is employed to thin the piezoelectric substrate 110. After the grinding process, the remaining piezoelectric substrate 110 forms the piezoelectric layer 111. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric layer 111 has a thickness ranging from 3 μm to 50 μm. Preferably, the piezoelectric layer 111 has a thickness ranging from 5 μm to 10 μm. The grinding process can control Total Thickness Variation (TTV) of the piezoelectric layer 111 under 1 μm. In some embodiments, in order to obtain a flatter surface or accurately control the thickness of the piezoelectric layer 111, a polishing process may be performed after the grinding process.
Before the thinning process, the piezoelectric substrate 110 has been combined with the supporting substrate 140 through the adhesive layer 150, so that the supporting substrate 140 can provide mechanical support and protection for the piezoelectric substrate 110 in the grinding process. Therefore, a damage of the piezoelectric substrate 110 is avoided.
The bottom electrode 122 can be formed on the piezoelectric layer 111 by a PVD, CVD or plating process. The bottom electrode 122 is conductive. The bottom electrode 122 and the top electrode 121 may include same or different materials. In some embodiments, the bottom electrode 122 may include Ti, Ag, Cr, Pt or Au, and have a thickness ranging from 0.01 μm to 0.5 μm.
In some embodiments, the bottom electrode 122, the piezoelectric layer 111, top electrode 121 and the metal base layer 130 together constitute a piezoelectric actuator 100. When audio voltages are applied on the bottom electrode 122 and the top electrode 121, a corresponding extension or contraction may be produced in the piezoelectric layer 111 to push the metal base layer 130 and air, so as to generate a sound. In other embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator 100 doesn't include the metal base layer 130.
In a specific application, a piezoelectric actuator structure having a large area can be manufactured on a supporting substrate by the above steps. Then, the piezoelectric actuator structure is diced according to dimensions of piezoelectric speaker to be formed, so that a plurality of piezoelectric actuators can be manufactured simultaneously, and manufacturing efficiency is improved.
Referring to
Specifically, the base 210 may be a PCB, a semiconductor substrate or an insulator substrate. The bump structure 220 on the base 210 is conductive. For example, the bump structure 220 is metal. The base 210 has a bottom venting hole 240 therethrough, and the bump structure 220 surrounds the bottoming venting hole 240. In some embodiments, the bump structure 220 surrounding the bottoming venting hole 240 forms a rectangle ring, a circular ring or a closed ring having other shapes. A first electrode 261 and a second electrode 262 are disposed on a surface of the base 210 opposite to the bump structure 220. The first electrode 261 and the bump structure 220 are electrically connected.
In some embodiments, a pad 250 is formed on a surface of the base 210, and the bump structure 220 is on the pad 250. An interconnection plug 270 is formed in the base 210, and the first electrode 261 is electrically connected with the bump structure 220 through the interconnection plug 270 and the pad 250. After the piezoelectric actuator 100 is connected with the speaker frame 200 in subsequent steps, the first electrode 261 can be electrically connected with the bottom electrode 122 of piezoelectric actuator 100 the through the bump structure 220.
In another embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
It should be noted that, in
Referring to
Specifically, after the solder layer 230 is formed on the top surface of the bump structure 230, the piezoelectric actuator 100 is turn over so that the bottom electrode 122 of the piezoelectric actuator 100 can contact the solder. Then a reflow process is performed to combine the bottom electrode 122 of the piezoelectric actuator 100 and the speaker frame.
In some embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator 100 covers an entire area surrounded by the bump structure 220. As shown in
In other embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator only covers a part of an area surrounded by the bump structure. Referring to
It should be noted that, as shown in
Then, referring to
Specifically, the supporting substrate is exposed under an IR laser, so that the polymer of the adhesive layer 150 degenerates. Then, the supporting substrate 140 can be lifted off from the metal base layer 130. Subsequently, remaining adhesive layer 150 is also removed from the metal base layer 130. In some embodiments, a plasma ashing process is further performed to remove the remaining adhesive layer 150.
Then, referring to
As shown in
In some embodiments, the shell 310 and the supporting structure 320 are conductive, for example, conductive metals. The second electrode 262 contacts the shell 310, and is electrically connected with the top electrode 121 through the shell 310, the supporting structure 320 and the metal base layer 130.
In subsequent steps, the piezoelectric speaker can be mounted on an electronic product through the first electrode 261 and the second electrode 262. The first electrode 261 and the second electrode 262 receive acoustic electrical signals. Then, the acoustic electrical signals are transmitted to the bottom electrode 122 and the top electrode 121 of the piezoelectric actuator 100, so that the piezoelectric layer 111 vibrates, and a sound is generated.
In other embodiments, referring to
Referring to
As shown in
The method according to embodiments of the present disclosure only employs Back-End-of-Line (BEOL) processes to form the piezoelectric speaker. Therefore, cost for fabricating the piezoelectric speaker is reduced.
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2015/077765 | 4/29/2015 | WO | 00 |
