November 18, 2008: Akustica, Inc. maker of CMOS microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones, has introduced its latest generation of digital microphones that improves voice quality in notebook computers and other consumer-electronic devices. The new AKU2002C is the first digital microphone product from Akustica to leverage its new 1mm × 1mm monolithic digital-output microphone.
Earlier this year, Akustica introduced the AKU1126, a fully integrated 1mm×1mm analog microphone die in a compact 2mm×2mm package. This and all other products in Akustica’s portfolio are manufactured using Akustica’s patented CMOS MEMS technology, in which both the transducer and the electronics are fabricated in a single chip, in a CMOS wafer, using standard CMOS processes.
“Laptop manufacturers recognize the improvement in voice quality that can be achieved using digital microphones and are adopting them rapidly,” said Davin Yuknis, VP of marketing and product management for Akustica. “Because our CMOS MEMS technology allows us to quickly innovate and introduce new digital microphones such as the AKU2002C, we provide manufacturers with features and form factors they need now to move forward with next-generation laptop designs.”
The AKU2002C is an omni-directional, digital-output, CMOS MEMS microphone in a 3.76mm×4.72mm industry-standard package. It is pin- and footprint-compatible with earlier generations of the AKU2002. The AKU2002C is lead-free, surface-mountable, RoHS compliant, and automated pick-and-place-compatible for improved manufacturing reliability and efficiency.
The robust digital output of the microphone provides a high degree of immunity to RF and EM interference on the audio path, a problem which is costly and difficult to overcome when placing a traditional analog output microphone into the bezel of a laptop monitor. The AKU2002C provides as good or better power supply rejection and signal-to-noise ratio as previous generations of Akustica digital microphones as well as other digital MEMS microphones in production today.