Graphene-polymer MEMS membrane for miniature microphones and
This technology creates a microscale membrane by bonding a sheet of graphene onto a thin polymer film, then stretching that composite across a rigid frame with a small stiff plate anchored at its center. When voltage is applied to the graphene layer, the membrane flexes electrostatically, enabling it to either produce or detect sound at very small scales. The result is a MEMS-based microphone or speaker element that exploits graphene's exceptional strength and electrical conductivity to achieve performance in an extremely thin, lightweight package. The manufacturing method is designed to be compatible with standard microfabrication processes, making batch production feasible.
What you could build
A next-generation MEMS microphone or micro-speaker chip built on graphene-polymer membranes, targeting consumer electronics OEMs, hearing aid manufacturers, and IoT device makers seeking thinner, more sensitive acoustic components.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense electronics and communications hardware companies in Northern Virginia, as well as semiconductor and MEMS suppliers serving government sensor programs, would be natural partners or licensees.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Gabriel ZELTZER, Gavriel SPEYER, Meir SHAASHUA, Vlada ARTEL, Adi LEVI, Doron NAVEH, Assad U. KHAN, Yi Chen GUO, Guoliang LIU
- Granted
- November 17, 2020
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10841709
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.