AN ACOUSTIC APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

An apparatus comprising a piezoelectric diaphragm positioned between opposing first and second electrodes, the piezoelectric diaphragm comprising a stack of graphene oxide layers between respective electrode-engaging layers of reduced graphene oxide, wherein the apparatus is configured to have one or more of a sound output mode and a sound input mode such that: in the sound output mode, the first and second electrodes are configured to apply a voltage to the reduced graphene oxide layers to generate an electric field across the graphene oxide stack, the generated electric field causing vibration of the piezoelectric diaphragm to produce a sound output wave corresponding to the applied voltage, and in the sound input mode, the reduced graphene oxide layers are configured to collect electrical charge which is induced in the graphene oxide layers by vibration of the piezoelectric diaphragm in response to a sound input wave, the collected electrical charge creating a voltage between the first and second electrodes corresponding to the sound input wave.