Wafer fabricated electroacoustic transducer
First Claim
1. A method of producing a capacitive electroacoustic transducer comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing a conductive first electrode of the transducer upon a portion of a top surface of an electrically insulative substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the top and bottom surfaces each having a periphery thereof;
(b) sizing a diaphragm mounting ring of a conductive material disposed about the periphery of the top surface of the substrate and separated from the first electrode to be thicker than the first electrode by a desired electrode separation distance, the diaphragm mounting ring characterized by physical dimensions thereof;
(c) balancing stresses potentially formed within the substrate due to thermal expansion/contraction of the diaphragm mounting ring by aligning a compensation ring with the diaphragm mounting ring upon the bottom surface of the substrate, the compensation ring to have the same physical dimensions as the diaphragm mounting ring, the compensation ring being formed of the same conductive material as the diaphragm mounting ring;
(d) mounting a diaphragm to the diaphragm mounting ring, the diaphragm constituting a conductive second electrode of the transducer, the first and second electrodes being separated in electrical and physical spaced relationship so as to constitute a capacitive relationship therebetween; and
(e) deflecting the diaphragm constituting the second electrode in relation to the first electrode such that an electric field formed between the first and second electrodes varies in relationship with deflections of the second electrode to permit conversion between electrical and acoustic signals.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of producing a capacitive electroacoustic transducer comprising the initial step forming a substrate having top and bottom surfaces each having a periphery thereof. A first electrode of the transducer is formed upon a portion of the top surface of the substrate. A diaphragm mounting ring of a conductive material is disposed about the periphery of the top surface and separated from the first electrode, and is sized to be thicker than the first electrode by a desired electrode separation distance. The diaphragm mounting ring is characterized by physical dimensions thereof. A compensation ring is aligned with the diaphragm mounting ring upon the bottom surface, and is formed of the same conductive material as the diaphragm mounting ring. The compensation ring is sized to have the same physical dimensions as the diaphragm mounting ring. A diaphragm constituting a conductive second electrode of the transducer is formed and attached to the diaphragm mounting ring to separate the first and second electrodes in electrical and physical spaced relationship so as to constitute a capacitive relationship therebetween, such that an electric field formed between the first and second electrodes varies in relationship with deflections of the second electrode to permit conversion between electrical and acoustic signals.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of producing a capacitive electroacoustic transducer comprising the steps of:
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(a) depositing a conductive first electrode of the transducer upon a portion of a top surface of an electrically insulative substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the top and bottom surfaces each having a periphery thereof; (b) sizing a diaphragm mounting ring of a conductive material disposed about the periphery of the top surface of the substrate and separated from the first electrode to be thicker than the first electrode by a desired electrode separation distance, the diaphragm mounting ring characterized by physical dimensions thereof; (c) balancing stresses potentially formed within the substrate due to thermal expansion/contraction of the diaphragm mounting ring by aligning a compensation ring with the diaphragm mounting ring upon the bottom surface of the substrate, the compensation ring to have the same physical dimensions as the diaphragm mounting ring, the compensation ring being formed of the same conductive material as the diaphragm mounting ring; (d) mounting a diaphragm to the diaphragm mounting ring, the diaphragm constituting a conductive second electrode of the transducer, the first and second electrodes being separated in electrical and physical spaced relationship so as to constitute a capacitive relationship therebetween; and (e) deflecting the diaphragm constituting the second electrode in relation to the first electrode such that an electric field formed between the first and second electrodes varies in relationship with deflections of the second electrode to permit conversion between electrical and acoustic signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification