Total Harmonic Distortion of a Piezoelectric MEMS Loudspeaker in an IEC 60318-4 Coupler Estimation Using Static Measurements and a Nonlinear State Space Model.

We propose a method to evaluate the Total Harmonic Distortion generated by a cantilever-based PZT loudspeaker inside an IEC 60318-4 coupler. The model is validated using experimental data of a commercial loudspeaker. Using the time domain equations of the equivalent electrical circuit of the loudspeaker inside the coupler and a state space formulation, the acoustic pressure response is calculated and compared to the measurement of the manufacturer. Next, the stiffness, transduction and capacitance nonlinear functions are evaluated with a Double-Beam Laser Interferometer (DBLI) and a nanoindenter on test devices and on the commercial loudspeaker. By introducing the nonlinear functions into the model as amplitude-dependent parameters, the THD generated by the loudspeaker is calculated and compared to the value provided by the manufacturer. The good agreement between the measurement and the simulation could allow for a rather quick simulation of the performance of similarly designed loudspeakers at the early stage of the design, by only estimating the static linearity of the main nonlinearity sources.

Piezoelectric Actuated Glass Plate for Liquid Density and Viscosity Measurement.

This paper reports on a new system for liquid density and viscosity measurement based on a freely suspended rectangular vibrating plate actuated by piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) actuators. The Lamb mode used for these measurements allows us to infer both the density and viscosity in a larger range as compared to the existing gold-standard techniques of MEMS resonators. The combination of the measured resonance frequency and quality factor enables extraction of density and viscosity of the surrounding liquid. The system is calibrated while performing measurements in water glycerol solutions with a density range from 997 to 1264 kg/m3 and viscosity from 1.22 to 985 mPa·s, which is a larger dynamic range compared to existing mechanical resonators showing an upper limit of 700 mPa·s. The out-of-plane vibrating mode exhibits quality factor of 169, obtained in deionized water (1.22 mPa·s viscosity), and 93 for pure glycerol with a viscosity of 985 mPa·s. This Lamb wave resonating sensor can achieve measurement in fairly large viscosity media while keeping a quality factor superior to 90. Measurements performed on oil validate the use of the Lamb system. Oil density is evaluated at 939 kg/m3 and dynamic viscosity at 43 mPa·s which corresponds to our expected values. This shows the possibility of using the sensor outside of the calibration range.

BioMEA: a versatile high-density 3D microelectrode array system using integrated electronics.

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) offer a powerful tool to both record activity and deliver electrical microstimulations to neural networks either in vitro or in vivo. Microelectronics microfabrication technologies now allow building high-density MEAs containing several hundreds of microelectrodes. However, dense arrays of 3D micro-needle electrodes, providing closer contact with the neural tissue than planar electrodes, are not achievable using conventional isotropic etching processes. Moreover, increasing the number of electrodes using conventional electronics is difficult to achieve into compact devices addressing all channels independently for simultaneous recording and stimulation. Here, we present a full modular and versatile 256-channel MEA system based on integrated electronics. First, transparent high-density arrays of 3D-shaped microelectrodes were realized by deep reactive ion etching techniques of a silicon substrate reported on glass. This approach allowed achieving high electrode aspect ratios, and different shapes of tip electrodes. Next, we developed a dedicated analog 64-channel Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) including one amplification stage and one current generator per channel, and analog output multiplexing. A full modular system, called BIOMEA, has been designed, allowing connecting different types of MEAs (64, 128, or 256 electrodes) to different numbers of ASICs for simultaneous recording and/or stimulation on all channels. Finally, this system has been validated experimentally by recording and electrically eliciting low-amplitude spontaneous rhythmic activity (both LFPs and spikes) in the developing mouse CNS. The availability of high-density MEA systems with integrated electronics will offer new possibilities for both in vitro and in vivo studies of large neural networks.