At&t Bell Laboratories

W Stewart Lindenberger

James Edward West

Ilene J Busch-Vishniac

Tommy L Poteat

Disclosed is an electroacoustic transducer, such as a microphone, which may be integrated into a semiconductor chip and a method of fabrication. The semiconductor is etched to produce a membrane having a sufficiently small thickness and an area so as to vibrate at audio frequencies. Electrodes are provided in relation to the membrane so that an electrical output signal can be derived from the audio frequencies, or vice versa, due to variable capacitance. Preferably, the sensitivity of the device is made to be an approximately linear function of sound pressure level to be compatible with amplification.

Integrated capacitive transducer

Disclosed is an electroacoustic transducer structure which can be formed in a semiconductor substrate and incorporated as part of an integrated circuit, and which provides a built-in dc bias for operation. An appropriate density of fixed charge is provided in an insulating layer adjacent to one of the electrodes in the gap between electrodes. Methods of manufacture are also disclosed including means for introducing the charge by contacting the insulating layer with a liquid medium, plasma charging, or by ion beam implanting into the layer.

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Somerset, NJ, United States of America

W Stewart Lindenberger