Process for producing capacitive electromechanical conversion device, and capacitive electromechanical conversion device

• US 8,665,672 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Soeda, Yasuhiro, Ezaki, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HULKA, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US12/996,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 367/181
• US Class Current: 367/181
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device by bonding together a substrate and a membrane member to form a cavity sealed between the substrate and the membrane member, the process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device comprises the steps of: providing a gas release path penetrating from a bonded interface between the substrate and the membrane member to the outside, and forming the cavity by bonding the membrane member with the substrate with the gas release path provided; the gas release path being provided at a location where the path does not communicate with the cavity.

Claims

1. A process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device by bonding together a substrate and a membrane member to form a cavity sealed between the substrate and the membrane member, the process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device comprising the steps of:

providing a gas release path in at least one of the substrate and the membrane member, and

forming the cavity by bonding the membrane member with the substrate after providing the gas release path;

wherein the gas release path protrudes along a bonded interface between the substrate and the membrane member, communicates with the outside, and does not communicate with the cavity.

2. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that

a depressed portion is formed on the surface of the substrate, and the membrane member on the whole is in thin film form, and

the cavity is formed at the depressed portion by bonding the membrane member with the substrate.

3. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas release path is provided so that the path extends around the bonded interface and communicates with the outside.

4. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas release path is provided so that the path extends from the bonded interface through the membrane member and communicates with the outside.

5. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas release path is provided so that the path extends from the bonded interface through the substrate and communicates with the outside.

6. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that in bonding the membrane member with the substrate, the bonding is carried out with the membrane member supported by a membrane support layer, and the gas release path is provided so that the path extends from the bonded interface through the membrane member and the membrane support layer and communicates with the outside.

7. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 6, characterized in that the membrane support layer is removed after bonding the membrane member with the substrate.

8. The process for producing a capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that bonding the membrane member with the substrate is carried out at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

9. A capacitive electromechanical conversion device obtained by bonding together a substrate and a membrane member to form a cavity sealed between the substrate and the membrane member, comprising:

a path which protrudes along a bonded interface between the substrate and the membrane member, communicates with the outside, and does not communicate with the cavity, provided in at least one of the substrate and the membrane member,

wherein an end of the path opens to the outside at a portion between the substrate and the membrane member.

10. The capacitive electromechanical conversion device according to claim 9, characterized in that the substrate is a substrate on the surface of which a depressed portion is formed, the membrane member on the whole is in thin film form, and the depressed portion forms the cavity.