Electroacoustic transducer of the so-called "electret" type, and a method of making such a transducer

• US 4,908,805 A
• Filed: 10/27/1988
• Issued: 03/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonionmicrotronic Nederland B.V.
• Original Assignee: Microtel B.V.
• Inventors: Bergveld, Piet, Sprenkels, Adrianus J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kyle, Deborah L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eldred, J. Woodrow
• Application Number:
  US07/263,196
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 367/170, 367/181, 367/174, 381/191, 381/174, 381/113, 381/116
• US Class Current: 367/181
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/01 characterised by the use of electrets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

This invention provides an electroacoustic transducer and a method of making it. The transducer according to the invention comprises a substrate of a semiconductor material with a recessed portion. A membrane is stretched across the recessed portion, which membrane is set in vibration in response to an input signal comprising audio and/or ultrasonorous frequencies. A pair of electrodes is provided, which form a capacitor, and between which an electric field is present. The electrodes are so arranged relatively to the membrane that the capacitance of the capacitor can vary under the influence of vibrations of the membrane, so that acoustic signals are converted into electric signals. A layer of an electrically insulating material functions as a carrier for an electric charge to provide an auxiliary electric field between the electrodes. The transducer is characterized in that the peripheral edge of the substrate, which is raised relatively to the recessed portion, has a set of openings formed in it, each extending through the substrate. The membrane is attached through the openings to the peripheral edge.

Claims

1. An electroacoustic transducer comprising

a substrate of a semi-conductor material with a recessed portion;

a membrane across said recessed portion, set in vibration in response to an input signal comprising sound frequencies;

a pair of electrodes forming a capacitor and between which an electric field is present, said substrate comprising one of the electrodes of said pair of electrodes, the electrodes being so arranged relatively to the membrane that the capacitance of the capacitor can vary under the influence of vibrations of the membrane, so that acoustic signals are converted into electric signals; and

a layer of an electrically insulating material functioning as a carrier for an electric charge providing an auxiliary electric field between the electrodes, the substrate having a peripheral edge which is raised relatively to said recessed portion, said peripheral edge having a set of openings formed therein, each extending through the substrate; and

attachment means extending through said openings to attach the membrane to said peripheral edge.

2. An electroacoustic transducer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of each of said openings gradually decreases in a direction towards the membrane.

3. An electroacoustic transducer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the other electrode of said pair of electrodes is secured to the membrane;

and the circumferential contour of said other electrode falls within the confines of the peripheral edge bounding the recessed portion.

4. An electroacoustic transducer as claimed in claim 3, and a metal case housing the same, an electronic hybrid amplifier housed in said metal case therewith, said amplifier having a signal input terminal and an input terminal with a common potential, said other electrode secured to the membrane is coupled to the signal input terminal of the amplifier, and said one of the electrodes together with the metal case are coupled to said input terminal with the common potential.

5. An electroacoustic transducer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the layer of electrically insulating material functioning as a carrier for an electric charge is attached to the bottom of the recessed portion and covers said recessed portion.