Super-sensitive graphene nano-fabric drum at the macroscale

Achieving conversion of sound with both high sensitivity and efficiency is a challenging task due to the intrinsic mechanical and geometrical limitations of existing materials. Here, we present a graphene-based nano-fabric drum, fabricated via a laser reduction method, mimicking the structural properties of biological drums. This enhanced performance is achieved through optimized parameters such as reduced modulus, ultrathin thickness, and low pre-stress. In an optical fiber Fabry-Perot sensor, our graphene nano-fabric (GNF) drum demonstrates a record-high mechanical sensitivity of 354 nm/Pa compared to other state-of-the-art materials. Furthermore, an electrostatic microphone incorporating a large GNF drum of 2 cm exhibits a high attenuation factor of 2.2 near its resonant frequency. Finally, we present an intelligent auditory system for robotic interactions based on a GNF microphone, capable of high-performance audio recognition. These findings highlight the promising potential of next-generation acoustic human-machine interfaces.