Surface mountable transducer system

• US 7,221,767 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sonion Mems A/S
• Inventors: Kuhmann, Jochen F., Scheel, Peter, Mullenborn, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US10/323,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 381173-174, 381/175, 381/182, 381/191, 381/361, 381/190, 381/356, 381/358, 367/181, 367/174, 367/188, 737/15, 737/16, 731/78, 361/283.3, 361/283.4, 307/400
• US Class Current: 381/174
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622

Abstract

The present invention relates to a surface mountable acoustic transducer system, comprising one or more transducers, a processing circuit electrically connected to the one or more transducers, and contact points arranged on an exterior surface part of the transducer system. The contact points are adapted to establish electrical connections between the transducer system and an external substrate, the contact points further being adapted to facilitate mounting of the transducer system on the external substrate by conventional surface mounting techniques.

Claims

1. A silicon condenser microphone, comprising:

a transducer element including a silicon based moveable diaphragm and back plate, said moveable diaphragm opposing said back plate;

processing circuitry electrically coupled to said transducer element and receiving an input signal from said transducer element, said processing circuitry providing an output signal that corresponds to said input signal from said transducer element; and

a carrier having a first surface and a second surface substantially parallel and opposite to said first surface, said first surface including an indentation, said first surface holding said transducer element such that said transducer element is located over said indentation, said second surface including a plurality of contact points, at least one of said contact points being electrically coupled to said processing circuitry and transmitting said output signal from said processing circuitry to an external substrate, said silicon condenser microphone being surface mountable to said external substrate via said contact points.

2. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed over said transducer element, said cover including an aperture formed in said cover, said cover further including a conductive portion forming a shield against electromagnetic interference.

3. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 2, wherein said conductive portion includes a conductive layer formed in said cover.

4. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 2, wherein said conductive portion includes a conductive polymer layer.

5. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 2, further in comprising an environmental protection structure adjacent to said aperture.

6. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, wherein said indentation comprises a back volume for said transducer element.

7. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, wherein said first surface includes a plurality of transducer solder bumps for holding said transducer element on said carrier, said transducer element being flip chip mounted on said first surface via at least some of said plurality of transducer solder bumps.

8. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, wherein said transducer element is connected to said first surface of the carrier by a conductive sealing ring.

9. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry includes a silicon based integrated circuit mounted on said carrier.

10. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 9, wherein said carrier includes a plurality of processing circuit solder bumps for mounting said processing circuitry on said carrier.

11. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 10, wherein said carrier includes etched feed through openings for electrically coupling at least one of said plurality of processing circuit solder bumps with one of said contact points on said second surface of said carrier.

12. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 10, wherein said first surface includes a plurality of transducer solder bumps for holding said transducer element on said carrier.

13. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 12, wherein at least one of said plurality of transducer solder bumps and said plurality of processing circuit solder bumps are interconnected via a metallic layer on said carrier.

14. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 13, wherein said plurality of processing circuit solder bumps are located on said first surface of said carrier.

15. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 1, wherein said plurality of contact points include a solderable material.

16. The silicon condenser microphone of claim 15, wherein said plurality of contact points are electrically coupled to said processing circuitry via etched feed through openings located between said first and second surfaces.