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Method of manufacturing a wafer fabricated electroacoustic transducer

  • US 6,308,398 B1
  • Filed: 12/10/1999
  • Issued: 10/30/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of simultaneously producing a plurality of capacitive electroacoustic transducers comprising the steps of:

  • (a) forming a plurality of electrically insulative substrates by cutting a plurality of circular slots through a wafer comprising an electrically insulating material, each circular slot being interrupted by at least two tabs connecting a circular area enclosed by the circular slot and constituting the substrate, with a remainder of the wafer, wherein the tabs are breakable so as to release the substrate from the remainder of the wafer;

    (c) forming a plurality of conductive diaphragms constituting respective second electrodes of each transducer, each diaphragm being deflectable in relation to a respective first electrode;

    (d) forming a plurality of diaphragm mounting rings of electrically conductive material, each diaphragm mounting ring disposed about the periphery of the top surface of the substrate and separated from the first electrode, each diaphragm mounting ring being thicker than the first electrode by an amount corresponding to a desired separation between the diaphragm and the first electrode; and

    (e) attaching the diaphragms to the respective diaphragm mounting rings to separate the first and second electrodes in electrical and physical spaced relationship so as to constitute a capacitor thereat, 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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