Acoustic transducer and method of making the same
US6271620A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49156
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides an transducer and a method of making the same. The transducer is comprised of a plurality of transducer cells, and conductive interconnects between the cells. Each transducer cell contains a bottom electrode formed on a layer of insulator material, a lower insulating film portion formed over the bottom electrode, a middle insulating film portion that includes an air/vacuum void region, and an upper insulating film portion that includes a top electrode formed within a portion of the upper insulating film portion. A first layer of interconnects electrically connect the bottom electrodes of each transducer cell and a second layer of interconnects electrically connect the top electrodes of each transducer cell. The top and bottom layers of interconnects are patterned to avoid overlap between them, thus reducing the parasitic capacitance. Further, as noted, the top electrode is preferably formed within the upper insulating film portion, closer to the air/vacuum void than to the top surface of the insulating film, to increase the electric field for a given voltage. Still furthermore, the electrodes within each transducer cell are preferably formed to have d…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.