Solid state condenser and microphone devices

• US 5,490,220 A
• Filed: 05/05/1994
• Issued: 02/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Knowles Electronics Incorporated (Knowles Corporation)
• Inventors: Loeppert, Peter V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Application Number:
  US08/238,965
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 381/113, 381/116, 381/191, 381/173, 381/174, 381/168, 310/324
• US Class Current: 381/355
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• 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: G01H 11/06 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers

Abstract

A solid state miniature condenser and condenser microphone of good sensitivity is disclosed. The microphone comprises a fixed perforated backplate that constitutes a fixed electrode in a parallel plate condenser, a diaphragm sensitive to incident sound pressure waves that constitutes a moveable plate in the parallel plate condenser, keepers to position the diaphragm in relationship to the backplate without applying appreciable tension to the diaphragm, and FET circuitry which provides an output proportional to the change in capacitance of the condenser when the diaphragm moves in relationship to the backplate.

Claims

1. A solid state condenser device comprising:

a backplate constituting a fixed electrode in a parallel plate condenser;

a diaphragm having a thickness, said diaphragm being sensitive to incident sound pressure waves, said diaphragm constituting a moveable electrode in said parallel plate condenser; and

means comprising a keeper, said keeper being formed of a thin-film dielectric and having a keeper gap to receive said diaphragm in operative positional relationship with said backplate, said keeper gap having a thickness greater than the thickness of said diaphragm to retain said diaphragm without physical attachment thereto, to avoid applying appreciable tension to said diaphragm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said backplate is perforated.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said keeper is disposed at the periphery of said diaphragm.

4. The solid state condenser device of claim 1 wherein the means to retain the diaphragm includes clamps and a tail member fixed to the backplate.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said keeper support extends from said keeper arm at an angle of substantially 90 degrees.

6. The device of claim 1 including a plurality of said keepers disposed about the periphery of said diaphragm.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said plurality of keepers are substantially equally spaced about the periphery of said diaphragm.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said keeper is disposed radially inward of the periphery of said diaphragm.

9. The device of claim 1 including a plurality of said keepers disposed radially inward of the periphery of said diaphragm.

10. The solid state condenser microphone device of claim 7 wherein the means to retain the diaphragm includes clamps and a tail member fixed to the backplate.

11. A solid state condenser device comprising:

a fixed backplate constituting a fixed electrode in a parallel plate condenser;

a diaphragm having a thickness, said diaphragm being sensitive to incident sound pressure waves, said diaphragm constituting a moveable electrode in said parallel plate condenser; and

means comprising a plurality of keepers, each of said keepers being formed of a thin-film dielectric and having a keeper gap to receive said diaphragm in operative positional relationship with said backplate, said keeper gap having a thickness greater than the thickness of said diaphragm to retain said diaphragm, without physical attachment thereto to avoid applying appreciable tension to said diaphragm.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said backplate is perforated.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said plurality of keepers are disposed about the periphery of said diaphragm.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said plurality of keepers are equally spaced about the periphery of said diaphragm.

15. The device of claim 11 wherein said plurality of keepers are disposed radially inward of the periphery of said diaphragm.

17. The solid state condenser microphone device of claim 14 wherein the means to retain the diaphragm clamps and a tail member fixed to the backplate.

16. A solid state condenser device comprising:

a fixed perforated backplate which constitutes a fixed electrode in a parallel plate condenser;

a diaphragm sensitive to incident sound pressure waves which constitutes a moveable electrode in said parallel plate condenser; and

means to retain said diaphragm in operative relation to said backplate without applying appreciable tension to said diaphragm, said retaining means comprising a plurality of keepers, each of said keepers being formed of a thin-film dielectric and having a keeper gap to receive said diaphragm, said keeper gap having a thickness greater than the thickness of said diaphragm to retain said diaphragm.

18. The solid state condenser device of claim 16 wherein the diaphragm is a silicon nitride diaphragm.

19. A solid state condenser microphone device prepared on a single silicon wafer which comprises:

a fixed perforated backplate, prepared from said silicon wafer, which constitutes a fixed electrode in a parallel plate condenser;

a diaphragm sensitive to incident sound pressure waves which constitutes a moveable electrode in said parallel plate condenser;

means to retain said diaphragm in operative relation to said backplate without applying appreciable tension to said diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm is retained in relation to said backplate by a plurality of thin-film dielectric keepers fixed to the backplate; and

a Field Effect Transistor circuit electrically connected to said backplate and said diaphragm to provide an output when said diaphragm moves in relationship to said backplate.

20. The solid state condenser microphone device of claim 19 wherein the backplate is prepared from a boron doped silicon wafer.

21. The solid state condenser microphone device of claim 19 wherein the diaphragm is a silicon nitride diaphragm.

22. The solid state condenser microphone device of claim 19 wherein the Field Effect Transistor circuitry is integrated on the silicon wafer.