Patent ID: 9404860
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: B81C,G01N,H04R

Claim Text:
1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical sensor comprising: a substrate having a base portion and a vertically extending support portion; a top plate having a compliant membrane configured to vibrate in response to acoustic waves, the top plate connected to the support portion so as to tilt, the compliant membrane having a reflective surface portion; a back plate connected to the support portion so as to tilt, and being spaced apart from the compliant membrane, the back plate having a grating portion positioned below the reflective surface portion; a base plate connected to the support portion at a position below the back plate; a light emitter positioned on the base portion below the back plate and configured to transmit a laser light through the grating portion and toward the reflective surface portion of the compliant membrane; a light detector positioned on the base portion below the back plate and configured to detect a diffracted pattern of the laser light after reflection from the reflective surface; and circuitry operable to apply a voltage to one or more of the back plate and the top plate, relative to the base plate, that causes tilting of the top plate and the back plate with respect to the base plate.