Acoustic transducer and microphone

1. An acoustic transducer comprising:

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 net undergoing deformation, and becomes separated from the void portion and allow pressure to escape by passing through the void portion when the vibrating electrode plate undergoes deformation from being subjected to pressure,

wherein the void portion is a recession that is formed in an edge of the vibrating electrode plate and is recessed toward the interior of the vibrating electrode plate, and

wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is a plate-shaped member that is located in the recession in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

2. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensing portions output signals with different sensitivities.

3. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the void portion is a gap between divided regions of the vibrating electrode plate.

4. The acoustic transducer according to claim 3 , wherein the vibrating electrode plate is divided into a plurality of regions by the gap.

5. The acoustic transducer according to claim 3 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is a plate-shaped member that is accommodated in the gap in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

6. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the void portion is an opening formed in the vibrating electrode plate.

7. The acoustic transducer according to claim 6 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is a plate-shaped member that is accommodated in the opening in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

8. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is located in the void portion in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation, and

wherein a slit is formed between an edge of the leak pressure regulation portion and an edge of the void portion.

9. The acoustic transducer according to claim 8 , wherein the width of the slit is less than or equal to 10 μm.

10. The acoustic transducer according to claim 4 , wherein an end of a slit formed between the leak pressure regulation portion and a divided region of the vibrating electrode plate located on one side across the gap and an end of a slit formed between the leak pressure regulation portion and a divided region of the vibrating electrode plate located on another side across the gap intersect with an angle of 90°.

11. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is a portion of an upper surface of the substrate that is located so as to block the lower opening of the void portion in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

12. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is disposed opposite an upper side or a lower side of the vibrating electrode plate to block one of an upper opening and a lower opening of the void portion in the vibrating electrode plate when the vibrating electrode plate is not undergoing deformation.

13. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein a support portion is disposed on a surface of the back plate that opposes the vibrating electrode plate, and

wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is fixed to the support portion.

14. The acoustic transducer according to claim 13 , wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the support portion is smaller than the area of the leak pressure regulation portion.

15. The acoustic transducer according to claim 13 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is supported by a plurality of support portions.

16. The acoustic transducer according to claim 15 , wherein a through-hole is formed in the back plate between adjacent support portions.

17. The acoustic transducer according to claim 5 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion is fixed to a support portion disposed on an upper surface of the substrate.

18. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein the fixed electrode plate is disposed on the back plate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein a plurality of acoustic holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a portion of the acoustic holes are overlapped with the void portion in a view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate.

19. The acoustic transducer according to claim 8 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein the fixed electrode plate is disposed on the back plate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein a plurality of acoustic holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein a portion of the acoustic holes are overlapped with the slit in a view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate.

20. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein the fixed electrode plate is disposed on the back plate opposite the vibrating electrode plate,

wherein a plurality of acoustic holes are formed in the back plate and the fixed electrode plate, and

wherein the width of the leak pressure regulation portion is greater than the distance between adjacent acoustic holes in a view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate.

21. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate, and

wherein the fixed electrode plate is disposed on the back plate opposite the vibrating electrode plate, and not opposite the leak pressure regulation portion.

22. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fixed electrode plate is divided into a plurality of regions, and

wherein a barrier electrode for blocking electrical signal leakage is disposed between divided regions of the fixed electrode plate.

23. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ,

wherein a back plate is disposed above the substrate opposite the vibrating electrode plate, and

a protrusion is disposed on the back plate so as to oppose a region of the vibrating electrode plate that is adjacent to the void portion.

24. The acoustic transducer according to claim 5 , wherein the divided regions of the vibrating electrode plate and the leak pressure regulation portion are in the same plane and are formed using the same material.

25. The acoustic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the leak pressure regulation portion and the vibrating electrode plate having the void portion are formed by forming a thin film over the substrate and dividing the thin film with a slit in a manufacturing process.

26. A microphone comprising:

the acoustic transducer according to claim 1 ; and

a circuit portion that amplifies a signal from the acoustic transducer and outputs the amplified signal to the outside.