Micromachined Capacitive Microphone

• US 20060280319A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wu, Guanghua, Ata, Erhan, Wang, Yunlong
• Application Number:
  US11/160,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20060280319A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/172
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0072 For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials

Abstract

This invention relates to a micromachined capacitive microphone having a shallowly corrugated diaphragm that is anchored at one or more locations on the support has a plurality of dimples to support itself and rest freely on the perforated backplate. The diaphragm whose ends are not anchored is bounded by the taps of edge rail. Also disclosed includes: a fixed perforated backplate having one or more regions; an adjustable cantilever formed by the diaphragm, the support and the backplate; a plurality of dimples maintaining vertical separation between diaphragm and backplate; and the patterning of conductor electrodes carried by diaphragm and backplate.

Claims

1. A micromachined capacitive microphone including

a shallowly corrugated diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples connected to the diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the support;

a remaining diaphragm layer that is loose at other locations is bounded at perimeters by edge rail and tap for lateral and vertical movements and forms a passage at these locations with the tap on edge rail;

a perforated backplate having perforation holes and through holes is spaced in parallel below the diaphragm; and

the said diaphragm, the said support and the said backplate form a cantilever structure that is shaped to release and control the stress in the said diaphragm.

2. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the said support. Adjusting the number of anchoring positions, the said cantilever arm length, the support size and anchoring width of said anchors releases and controls the stress level in the said diaphragm.

3. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said diaphragm has a plurality of support dimples that define the separation of the said diaphragm from the said perforated backplate.

4. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples rests freely on the said backplate and is simply supported on the said backplate by the said dimples.

5. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said diaphragm is loosely supported by the said substrate at positions where the said diaphragm is not anchored onto the said support, and is bounded by the said edge rail and said tap for lateral and vertical movements.

6. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said backplate is conductive, has one conductive region and one non-conductive region. The dimples of said diaphragm are rested on the conductive region, and non-conductive region.

7. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said diaphragm is made of a conductive film material, a non-conductive film and a conductive metal as electrode, and a composite of conductive and non-conductive films.

13. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said backplate is conductive, has one conductive region and one non-conductive region. The dimples of said diaphragm are rested on the conductive region, and non-conductive region.

20. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 1 in which the said backplate is conductive, has one conductive region and one non-conductive region. The dimples of said diaphragm are rested on the conductive region or non-conductive region.

8. A micromachined capacitive microphone including

a shallowly corrugated diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples connected to the diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the support;

a remaining diaphragm layer that is loose at other locations is bounded at perimeters by edge rail and tap for lateral and vertical movements and forms a passage at these locations with the tap on edge rail;

a perforated backplate having perforation holes and through holes is spaced in parallel below the diaphragm; and

the said diaphragm, the said tap on edge rail, and the said perforated backplate having pre-defined through holes forms a low-pass filter for passage of slow varying ambient pressure.

9. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 8 in which the said diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the said support. Adjusting the number of anchoring positions, the said cantilever arm length, the support size and anchoring width of said anchors releases and controls the stress level in the said diaphragm.

10. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 8 in which the said diaphragm has a plurality of support dimples that define the separation of the said diaphragm from the said perorated backplate.

11. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 8 in which the said diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples rests freely on the said backplate and is simply supported on the said backplate by the said dimples.

12. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 8 in which the said diaphragm is loosely supported by the said substrate at positions where the said diaphragm is not anchored onto the said support, and is bounded by the said edge rail and said tap for lateral and vertical movements.

14. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 8 in which the said diaphragm is made of a conductive film material, a non-conductive film and a conductive metal as electrode, and a composite of conductive and non-conductive films.

15. A micromachined capacitive microphone including

a shallowly corrugated diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples connected to the diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the support;

a remaining diaphragm layer that is loose at other locations is bounded at perimeters by edge rail and tap for lateral and vertical movements and forms a passage at these locations with the tap on edge rail;

a perforated backplate having perforation holes and through holes is spaced in parallel below the diaphragm;

the said diaphragm having electrode patterning is made of non-conductive material, and a composite of conductive and non-conductive layers; and

the said backplate having electrode patterning when the said backplate has a conductive region and a non-conductive region.

16. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said diaphragm is anchored at one or more locations on the said support. Adjusting the number of anchoring positions, the said cantilever arm length, the support size and anchoring width of said anchors releases and controls the stress level in the said diaphragm.

17. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said diaphragm has a plurality of support dimples that define the separation of the said diaphragm from the said perorated backplate.

18. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said diaphragm having a plurality of support dimples rests freely on the said backplate and is simply supported on the said backplate by the said dimples.

19. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said diaphragm is loosely supported by the said substrate at positions where the said diaphragm is not anchored onto the said support, and is bounded by the said edge rail for lateral movement.

21. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said diaphragm is made of non-conductive material, and a composite of conductive and non-conductive layers. The electrode so carried by the said diaphragm is patterned to reduce parasitics.

22. A micromachined capacitive microphone as in claim 15 in which the said backplate has a conductive region and a non-conductive region. The conductive region of the said backplate is patterned to reduce parasitics.