Biomimetic Acoustic Sensor Using Single Crystal Piezoelectric Cantilever Array

A biomimetic acoustic sensor was fabricated with single crystal PMN-PT piezoelectric cantilever array that can mimic functional properties of mammalian cochlea. Basilar membrane of mammalian cochlea can separate frequency components of input sound source and Ion channel phenomenon of hair cells on basilar membrane can generate action potentials for stimulating a nerve site. The piezoelectric cantilevers have different lengths to get different resonant frequency for frequency range within from 400 Hz to 13 kHz. The fabrication of cantilever array was carried out by semiconductor process. The fabricated biomimetic acoustic sensor was tested with experimental setup. As an experimental result, each cantilever well responds with specific frequency and has proper displacement sensitivity for sound pressure. Thus, it was showed that the single crystal PMN-PT piezoelectric cantilever array has the potential to be used as a biomimetic acoustic sensor.