FABRICATING AN INTEGRATED LOUDSPEAKER PISTON AND SUSPENSION
First Claim
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1. A method of forming an electroacoustic transducer having a diaphragm and suspension, the method comprising:
- depositing a layer of compliant material on a first surface of a solid substrate; and
removing material from a second surface of the solid substrate, the removal leaving a block of substrate material suspended within an inner perimeter of an outer support ring of the substrate material by the compliant material, the block providing the diaphragm.
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Abstract
A diaphragm and suspension for an electroacoustic transducer are formed by depositing a layer of compliant material on a first surface of a solid substrate and removing material from a second surface of the solid substrate. The removal leaves a block of substrate material suspended within an inner perimeter of an outer support ring of the substrate material by the compliant material, the block providing the diaphragm.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of forming an electroacoustic transducer having a diaphragm and suspension, the method comprising:
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depositing a layer of compliant material on a first surface of a solid substrate; and removing material from a second surface of the solid substrate, the removal leaving a block of substrate material suspended within an inner perimeter of an outer support ring of the substrate material by the compliant material, the block providing the diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A diaphragm and suspension assembly for an electroacoustic transducer, the assembly comprising:
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a piston comprising a disk of silicon having a flat surface and serving as the diaphragm; a support ring of silicon surrounding the piston and separated from the piston by a gap; a layer of compliant material adhered to a top surface of the support ring and to the flat surface of the piston, suspending the piston in the gap. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An electro-acoustic transducer comprising:
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a piston comprising a disk of silicon having a flat surface and serving as a diaphragm of the transducer; a support ring of silicon surrounding the piston and separated from the piston by a gap; a layer of compliant material adhered to a top surface of the support ring and to the flat surface of the piston, suspending the piston in the gap; a bobbin coupled to the piston; a ferromagnetic housing coupled to the support ring; and a magnet/voice-coil system coupled to the housing and bobbin for converting electrical current to motion of the piston. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method of forming a diaphragm and suspension for an electroacoustic transducer from a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer having a top layer of Si, an intermediate layer of SiO2, an inner layer of Si, and a bottom layer of SiO2, the method comprising:
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coating the bottom layer of SiO2 with first photoresist; masking the bottom of the wafer and exposing the wafer to a light source corresponding to the first photoresist; developing the photoresist; etching the bottom SiO2 layer, the etching masked by the photoresist; stripping the first photoresist and coating the bottom of the wafer with a second coat of photoresist; masking the bottom of the wafer and exposing the wafer to a light source corresponding to the second photoresist; developing the second photoresist; deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) through a first thickness of Si on the bottom of the wafer, less than the full thickness of the inner layer of Si, the etching masked by the second photoresist; stripping the second photoresist; DRIE etching from the bottom of the wafer through the complete thickness of the inner Si layer at the locations where the first DRIE etch was performed, the etching masked by the SiO2 left after the first etching of the SiO2, wherein portions of the inner Si layer having the first thickness remain in the area masked by the photoresist during the first DRIE etch, forming the plate of the diaphragm and the top surface of a support ring, and the areas masked by the SiO2 form walls of the diaphragm and support ring; etching the remaining portions of the bottom SiO2 layer and portions of the top SiO2 layer now exposed by the areas etched completely through the inner Si layer; applying a layer of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) on the top of the wafer; and etching through portions of the top Si layer exposed by the areas etched completely through the inner Si layer and upper SiO2 layer, leaving the diaphragm suspended from the support ring by the LSR where both layers of Si were removed.
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42. A method of forming a piston and suspension for an electroacoustic transducer, the method comprising:
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growing first and second layers of SiO2 on top and bottom surfaces of a Si wafer; depositing a layer of Cr on the first layer of SiO2; coating a layer of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) on the Cr layer; coating the top and bottom of the wafer with photoresist; masking the bottom of the wafer and exposing the wafer to a light source corresponding to the photoresist; developing the photoresist; reactive ion etching (RIE) or HF etching the bottom SiO2 layer; stripping the exposed photoresist and coating the wafer with a new coat of photoresist; again masking the bottom of the wafer and exposing the wafer to a light source corresponding to the photoresist; again developing the photoresist; deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) through a first thickness of Si on the bottom of the wafer; stripping the bottom layer of photoresist; DRIE etching from the bottom of the wafer through the complete thickness of Si at the locations where the first DRIE etch was performed, the etching masked by the SiO2, wherein portions of the Si having the first thickness remain in the area masked by the photoresist during the first DRIE etch, forming the plate of the diaphragm and the top surface of a support ring, the areas masked by the SiO2 form rings of the diaphragm and support ring, and the diaphragm is suspended from the support ring by the LSR where the Si was completely removed; and removing the remaining exposed SiO2 and photoresist.
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Specification