An Efficient and Robust MEMS Vector hydrophone for Earthquake detections in Underwater Applications

This study presents the development of an efficient and robust MEMS-based vector hydrophone designed for underwater earthquake detection. The proposed hydrophone leverages microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology and piezoelectric sensing to achieve high sensitivity, directional detection, and low power consumption. Its compact and scalable design enables deployment in deep-sea environments for real-time seismic monitoring.The suggested miniature hydrophone is made up of six different sectioned beams with one round proof mass mounted in the center. The hydrophone is made up of a polysilicon substrate at the bottom, a piezoelectric 5H array on the top surface, and a polysilicon circular proof mass. It is designed to work at a resonant frequency of 21 hertz. The suggested device's analysis and simulations are carried out using Comsol Multiphysics, which ensures accurate and dependable results. Simulation results reveal the displacement profile of the hydrophone ranges from 0.28 µm to 28.7 µm and exhibits electric potential between 3 mV to 3 volts with enhanced sensitivity of -91dB ref 1v/µPa @ 22 Hz. Simulation Analysis and validation demonstrates the hydrophone's ability to detect low-frequency seismic signals with high fidelity, proving its potential as an advanced tool for ocean-based earthquake monitoring.