Patent ID: 7146016
Filing Date: 2006-12-05
Classification: B81B,H01L,H04R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An acoustic transducer comprising: a supporting substrate; an electrode formed on the substrate; a diaphragm positioned over the electrode, said diaphragm including an indentation to maintain a selected distance between said diaphragm and said electrode when a bias voltage is applied between the electrode and the diaphragm; and a suspension structure formed on the substrate and attached to the diaphragm to support the diaphragm, said suspension structure having a restoring force equal to or greater than surface contact forces between the diaphragm and supporting substrate; whereby an electrostatic force associated with the bias voltage overcomes the restoring force of the suspension structure, causing the diaphragm to be pulled towards the supporting substrate; and whereby said electrode includes a plurality of holes to allow air in a gap between the electrode and the diaphragm to escape, thereby reducing acoustical damping in the transducer.