Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers are compact, scalable alternatives to traditional voice coil speakers, promising improved sound quality through precise semiconductor manufacturing. This review provides an overview of the research landscape, including ultrasound pulse-based and thermoacoustic sound generation, classifying MEMS speakers by actuation principle: electrodynamic, piezoelectric, and electrostatic. A comparative analysis of performance indicators from 1990-2025 highlights the dominance of piezoelectric MEMS with direct air displacement, focusing on miniaturization and efficiency. The review outlines upcoming research challenges and identifies potential candidates for achieving full-spectrum audio performance. A focus on innovative approaches could lead to wideband adoption of MEMS-only speakers.

翻译：微机电系统（MEMS）扬声器是传统动圈扬声器的紧凑型、可扩展替代方案，其通过精密的半导体制造工艺有望提升音质。本综述概述了该领域的研究现状，包括基于超声脉冲和热声效应的声波生成方式，并依据驱动原理（电动式、压电式和静电式）对MEMS扬声器进行分类。通过对1990-2025年间性能指标的比较分析，凸显了采用直接空气位移方式的压电式MEMS扬声器的优势，研究重点聚焦于微型化与效率提升。本文进一步阐述了当前面临的研究挑战，并指出了实现全频段音频性能的潜在技术路径。对创新方法的持续关注或将推动纯MEMS扬声器在宽频带应用中的广泛普及。