Solid state silicon-based condenser microphone

USRE42346E1 · kind E1 · reissue

Assignee

• Epcos Pte Ltd · SG

Inventors

• Pirmin Hermann Otto Rombach · Munich, DE
• Matthias Mullenborn · Avenue Madeleine, DK
• Ole Hansen · Greve Strand, DK
• Matthias Heschel · Copenhagen, DK
• Siebe Bouwstra · Amsterdam, NL
• Maja Amskov Gravad · Copenhagen, DK
• Henrick Laurids Hvims · Paseo Los Muchachos, DK

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 11, 2002
• Grant date: May 10, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

A solid state silicon-based condenser microphone comprising a silicon transducer chip (1). The transducer chip includes a backplate (13) and a diaphragm (12) arranged substantially parallel to each other with a small air gap in between, thereby forming an electrical capacitor. The diaphragm (12) is movable relative to the backplate (13) in response to incident sound. An integrated electronic circuit chip (3) or ASIC is electrically coupled to the transducer chip (1). An intermediate layer (2) fixes the transducer chip (1) to the integrated electronic circuit chip (3) with the transducer chip (1) on a first side of the intermediate layer (2) and the integrated electronic circuit chip (3) on a second side of the intermediate layer (2) opposite the first side. The intermediate layer (2) has a sound inlet (4) on the same side as the ASIC giving access of sound to the diaphragm.