Porous silica material and optical microphone using the same

1. A porous silica material in which silica particles are connected to one another three-dimensionally, wherein:

the porous silica material includes a through hole including first pores smaller than 50 nm, and second pores larger than the first pores;

the porous silica material has a density of 100 kg/m 3 or more and 300 kg/m 3 or less; and

two isobutyl groups are bound to silicon of silica of the silica particles.

2. The porous silica material according to claim 1 , wherein the porous silica material does not contain methoxy.

3. An optical microphone comprising:

a reception section including a photoacoustic propagation medium portion formed by the porous silica material according to claim 1 , wherein a sound wave enters the reception section from a space around the reception section and propagates through the photoacoustic propagation medium portion;

a detection section for outputting light of a wavelength that passes through the porous silica material and the light passes through the photoacoustic propagation medium portion through which the sound wave is being propagated so as to detect the light which has been modulated by the sound wave, thereby outputting a detection signal; and

a conversion section for converting the detection signal to a sound pressure to output a received signal.

4. A method for manufacturing a porous silica material comprising the steps of:

mixing tetramethoxysilane and diisobutyldimethoxysilane together in a solvent to obtain a sol;

adding water to the sol and holding the sol for a predetermined period of time to obtain a gel; and

removing the solvent from the gel to dry the gel.

5. The method for manufacturing a porous silica material according to claim 4 , wherein in the step of obtaining the gel, the tetramethoxysilane and the diisobutyldimethoxysilane are mixed together at a mass ratio of 1:0.4 or more and 1:1 or less.