An Acoustic Parametric Effect MEMS Amplifier/Transducer for Sonar Applications

Abstract

We have developed the first MEMS parametric amplifier for Sonar applications. The device used is a MEMS time-varying capacitor which is composed of an array of low-stress metalized silicon-nitride diaphragms, and is pumped by a large signal voltage at 1.64 MHz. This induces a large change in the capacitance, and results in parametric amplification of an input signal at 200 kHz. To our knowledge, this device is the first-ever MEMS mechanical up-converter parametric-effect amplifier developed with an up-conversion ratio of 9:1. The measurements agree very well with theory, including the effect the series resistance and the Q of the MEMS time-varying capacitor. The application areas are in amplifiers which operate at very high temperatures (200-600 degrees Celsius), under high particle bombardment (nuclear applications), in non semiconductor-based amplification, and in low-noise systems since parametric amplifiers do not suffer from thermal, shot or ?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA398484

Entities

People

  • Gabriel M. Rebeiz

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplification
  • Amplifiers
  • Capacitance
  • Capacitors
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Conversion
  • Conversion Ratio
  • Converters
  • High Temperature
  • Low Noise
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Noise
  • Parametric Amplifiers
  • Particle Bombardment
  • Semiconductors
  • Transducers

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems