Improvement of low-frequency characteristics of piezoelectric speakers based on acoustic diaphragms.

The vibrational characteristics of 3 types of the acoustic diaphragms are investigated to enhance the output acoustic performance of the piezoelectric ceramic speaker in a low-frequency range. In other to achieve both a higher output sound pressure level and wider frequency range of the piezoelectric speaker, we have proposed a rubber/resin bi-layer acoustic diaphragm. The theoretical square-root dependence of the fundamental resonant frequency on the thickness and Young's modulus of the acoustic diaphragm was verified by finite-element analysis simulation and laser scanning vibrometer measurement. The simulated resonant frequencies for each diaphragm correspond well to the measured results. From the simulated and measured resonant frequency results, it is found that the fundamental resonant frequency of the piezoelectric ceramic speaker can be designed by adjusting the thickness ratio of the rubber/resin bi-layer acoustic diaphragm. Compared with a commercial piezoelectric speaker, the fabricated piezoelectric ceramic speaker with the rubber/resin bi-layer diaphragm has at least 10 dB higher sound pressures in the low-frequency range of less than 1 kHz.