Omron Corporation

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Yuki Uchida

Takashi Kasai

Sebastiano Conti

Filippo David

Igino Padovani

Shobu Sato

Koji Momotani

Luca Molinari

Tadashi Inoue

Yasuhiro Horimoto

Martino Zerbini

An acoustic sensor has a semiconductor substrate having an opening, a back plate that is disposed facing the opening of the semiconductor substrate, that is configured to function as a fixed electrode, and that has sound holes that allow passage of air, a vibration electrode film disposed facing the back plate through a void, and a casing configured to house the substrate, the back plate, and the vibration electrode film, and having a pressure hole that allows inflow of air. The acoustic sensor converts transformation of the vibration electrode film into a change in capacitance between the vibration electrode film and the back plate to detect sound pressure.

Acoustic sensor and capacitive transducer

Provided is an acoustic transducer including: a semiconductor substrate; a vibrating membrane, provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a vibrating electrode; and a fixed membrane, provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a fixed electrode, the acoustic transducer detecting a sound wave according to changes in capacitances between the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode, converting the sound wave into electrical signals, and outputting the electrical signals. At least one of the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode is divided into a plurality of divided electrodes, and the plurality of divided electrodes outputting the electrical signals.

Acoustic transducer and microphone using the acoustic transducer

A capacitive transducer includes a substrate having an opening in a surface thereof, a back plate facing the opening in the substrate, a vibration electrode film facing the back plate across a space, the vibration electrode film being displaceable to have a displacement converted into a change in capacitance between the vibration electrode film and the back plate, an airflow channel defined by a gap between a protrusion integral with the back plate and a part of the vibration electrode film, the airflow channel being configured to increase an area of air flow when the vibration electrode film deforms under pressure to move relative to the protrusion integral with the back plate and relieve the pressure applied to the vibration electrode film to serve as a pressure relief channel, and an extension formed at a periphery of a hole in the vibration electrode film defining the pressure relief channel.

Capacitive transducer and acoustic sensor

A capacitive transducer system has a capacitive transducer, and a controller. The capacitive transducer includes a first fixed electrode, a second fixed electrode, and a vibration electrode disposed between the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode so as to face the first and second fixed electrodes through gaps. A first capacitor is formed by the first fixed electrode and the vibration electrode. A second capacitor is formed by the second fixed electrode and the vibration electrode. The capacitive transducer is configured to convert transformation of the vibration electrode into changes in capacitance in the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The controller is configured to process voltages supplied to the first capacitor and the second capacitor and/or signals based on the changes in capacitance of the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

Capacitive transducer system, capacitive transducer, and acoustic sensor

Provided is an acoustic transducer including: a semiconductor substrate; a vibrating membrane provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a vibrating electrode; and a fixed membrane provided above the semiconductor substrate, including a fixed electrode, the acoustic transducer detecting a sound wave according to changes in capacitances between the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode, converting the sound wave into electrical signals, and outputting the electrical signals. At least one of the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode is divided into a plurality of divided electrodes, and the plurality of divided electrodes outputting the electrical signals.

Acoustic transducer

An acoustic transducer has a back plate having a fixed electrode, a diaphragm that is opposed to the back plate with a gap interposed therebetween and that serves as a movable electrode, and a stopper protruding from a face of the back plate or the diaphragm, which is on a side of the gap. The stopper includes a conductive section electrically isolated from the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. The conductive section comes in contact with a front face of the fixed electrode or the movable electrode opposed to the stopper through deformation of the diaphragm.

An acoustic sensor is provided for improving shock resistance performance, along with a method for manufacturing the acoustic sensor. In the acoustic sensor, a fixing plate is provided by a semiconductor manufacturing process, a frame wall has a curved shape in at least a portion of the periphery of the fixing plate, the frame wall being coupled to the semiconductor substrate. A sacrifice layer removed from the inner side of the fixing plate in the manufacturing process remains at least on a portion of the inner side of the frame wall. Roughness of the remaining sacrifice layer is smaller than roughness of a sound shape reflecting structure in which a shape similar to the external shape of sound holes is repeated. Roughness of the sound shape reflecting structure is formed when removing the sacrifice layer using etching liquid supplied from the plurality of sound holes in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

Acoustic sensor and manufacturing method of the same

A chamber that penetrates vertically is formed in a silicon substrate. A diaphragm is arranged on the upper surface of the silicon substrate so as to cover the upper opening of the chamber. The diaphragm is divided by slits into a region located above the chamber (first diaphragm) and a region located above the upper surface of the silicon substrate (second diaphragm). A fixed electrode plate is arranged above the first diaphragm, and a low-volume first acoustic sensing portion is formed by the first diaphragm and the fixed electrode plate. Also, a high-volume second acoustic sensing portion is formed by the second diaphragm and the upper surface (electrically conducting layer) of the silicon substrate.

Capacitance type sensor, acoustic sensor, and microphone

An acoustic transducer includes a slit having higher passage resistance than in conventional structures and having a lower rate of decrease in the passage resistance than in conventional structures when, for example, the vibration electrode plate warps. The acoustic transducer includes a stationary electrode plate, and a vibration electrode plate facing the stationary electrode plate with a space between the electrode plates. The vibration electrode plate includes a slit that allows sound to pass through. The vibration electrode plate includes a resistance increasing section including at least one pair of high-resistance surfaces that constitute side surfaces of the slit in a width direction thereof, and are thicker than a middle portion of the vibration electrode plate.

Acoustic transducer and microphone

An acoustic transducer has a substrate having a cavity, a vibrating electrode plate disposed above the substrate and having a void portion that allows pressure to escape, a fixed electrode plate disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate, a plurality of sensing portions configured by the vibrating electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate, at least one of the vibrating electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate being divided into a plurality of regions, and a sensing portion being configured by the vibrating electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate in each of the divided regions, and a leak pressure regulation portion that hinders leakage of air pressure passing through the void portion when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

An acoustic transducer has a substrate having a cavity, a vibrating electrode plate disposed above the substrate and having a void portion that allows pressure to escape, a fixed electrode plate disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate, and a leak pressure regulation portion that hinders leakage of air pressure by passing through the void portion when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation, and that becomes separated from the void portion and allows pressure to escape by passing through the void portion when the vibrating electrode plate undergoes deformation from being subjected to pressure.

A diaphragm is arranged on the upper surface of a silicon substrate so as to cover a chamber in the silicon substrate. Multiple anchors are provided on the upper surface of the silicon substrate, and the lower surfaces of corner portions of the diaphragm are supported by the anchors. Also, a fixed electrode plate is provided above the diaphragm with an air gap therebetween. In a view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the silicon substrate, the entire length of the outer edge of the diaphragm located between adjacent anchors is located outward of a line segment that circumscribes the edges of the adjacent anchors on the side distant from the center of the diaphragm. Also, one or two or more through-holes are formed in the diaphragm in the vicinity of the anchors.

Capacitive sensor, acoustic sensor and microphone

A capacitance type sensor has a substrate, a vibration electrode plate formed over the substrate, a back plate formed over the substrate so as to cover the vibration electrode plate, and a fixed electrode plate provided on the back plate so as to be opposite to the vibration electrode plate. At least one of the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate is separated into a plurality of regions, each of the plurality of regions being formed with a sensing section including the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate. A barrier electrode is provided between respective sensing sections of at least one adjacent pair of regions of the plurality of regions to prevent signal interference between the respective sensing sections.

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Otsu, Japan

Yuki Uchida