IP Library Granted Patent US 8,542,851
Granted Patent B2
US 8,542,851 · App. 13/105,440 · Granted Sep 24, 2013

Acoustic sensor and microphone

Inventor: Takashi Kasai (Kusatsu, JP)
Assignee: OMRON Corporation
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,542,851
App. No.
13/105,440
Granted
Sep 24, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An acoustic sensor includes a semiconductor substrate with a back chamber, a conductive diaphragm arranged on an upper side of the semiconductor substrate, an insulating fixed film fixed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate covering the conductive diaphragm with a gap, a conductive fixed electrode film arranged on the insulating fixed film facing the diaphragm, an extraction wiring extracted from the conductive fixed electrode film, and an electrode pad to which the extraction wiring is connected. The acoustic sensor converts an acoustic vibration to change electrostatic capacitance between the conductive diaphragm and the conductive fixed electrode film. A plurality of acoustic perforations are opened in a back plate including the insulating fixed film and the conductive fixed electrode film. An opening rate of the plurality of acoustic perforations is smaller in the extraction wiring and a region in the vicinity thereof than in other regions.

Claims (30)

1. An acoustic sensor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate comprising a back chamber;

a conductive diaphragm arranged on an upper side of the semiconductor substrate;

an insulating fixed film fixed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to cover the conductive diaphragm with a gap;

a conductive fixed electrode film arranged on the insulating fixed film at a position facing the conductive diaphragm;

an extraction wiring extracted from the conductive fixed electrode film; and

an electrode pad, to which the extraction wiring is connected,

wherein the acoustic sensor converts an acoustic vibration to change electrostatic capacitance between the conductive diaphragm and the conductive fixed electrode film,

wherein a plurality of acoustic perforations are opened in a back plate comprising the insulating fixed film and the conductive fixed electrode film, and

wherein an opening rate of the plurality of acoustic perforations is smaller in the extraction wiring and a region in the vicinity thereof than in other regions.

2. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein an opening area per one acoustic perforation is smaller in the extraction wiring and a region in the vicinity thereof than in other regions.

3. The acoustic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein an inter-center distance between adjacent acoustic perforations is longer in the extraction wiring and a region in the vicinity thereof than in other regions.

4. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the acoustic perforation arranged in the extraction wiring and in the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring, and the acoustic perforation in other regions, excluding the extraction wiring and in the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring, are arrayed according to a same rule.

5. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the acoustic perforation having a relatively small opening area arranged in the extraction wiring or the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring is smaller than twice a spaced distance between the acoustic perforations.

6. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the acoustic perforation having a relatively large opening area arranged in other regions, excluding the extraction wiring and the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring, is greater than a spaced distance between the acoustic perforations.

7. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the acoustic perforation having a relatively large opening area arranged in other regions, excluding the extraction wiring and the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring, is smaller than four times a spaced distance between the acoustic perforations.

8. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein an inter-center distance between the adjacent acoustic perforations of the acoustic perforations having a relatively small opening area arrayed in the extraction wiring and the region in the vicinity of the extracting wiring is equal to an inter-center distance between the adjacent acoustic perforations of the acoustic perforations having a relatively large opening area arranged in other regions, excluding the extraction wiring and the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring.

9. The acoustic sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the acoustic perforation contained in five or less zones, including the acoustic perforation of the extraction wiring when counting from the acoustic perforation arranged at the extraction wiring, is the acoustic perforation having a relatively small opening area.

10. An acoustic sensor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate comprising a back chamber;

a conductive diaphragm arranged on an upper side of the semiconductor substrate;

an insulating fixed film fixed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to cover the conductive diaphragm with a gap;

a conductive fixed electrode film arranged on the insulating fixed film at a position facing the conductive diaphragm;

an extraction wiring extracted from the conductive fixed electrode film; and

an electrode pad, to which the extraction wiring is connected,

wherein the acoustic sensor converts an acoustic vibration to change electrostatic capacitance between the conductive diaphragm and the conductive fixed electrode film,

wherein a plurality of acoustic perforations are opened in a back plate comprising the insulating fixed film and the conductive fixed electrode film, and

wherein at least the extraction wiring, and a region in the vicinity thereof, does not comprise the acoustic perforation or comprise an acoustic perforation of small opening rate compared to an acoustic perforation arranged in other regions, except in a case in which an acoustic perforation is not arranged in the extraction wiring, and an opening rate of an acoustic perforation arranged in the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring and an opening rate of an acoustic perforation arranged in other regions, excluding the extraction wiring and the region in the vicinity of the extraction wiring, are equal.

11. A microphone in which the acoustic sensor according to claim 1 and a signal processing circuit for processing an electrical signal output from the acoustic sensor are accommodated in a housing.

12. A microphone in which the acoustic sensor according to claim 10 and a signal processing circuit for processing an electrical signal output from the acoustic sensor are accommodated in a housing.

Assignments (3)
DE-MERGER Recorded May 20, 2022
From: OMRON CORPORATION
To: SHIGA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060132/0451 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded May 20, 2022
From: SHIGA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: MMI SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060132/0466 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2011
From: KASAI, TAKASHI
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026384/0166 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2010-110945 · May 13, 2010 · national
JP 2011-074454 · Mar 30, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110280419A1 · Nov 17, 2011