Electret transducer array

• Main Authors: GOODWIN, MICHAEL MARK, WEST, JAMES EDWARD, ELKO, GARY WAYNE, KUBLI, ROBERT ALFRED
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 02.04.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES ORLIGHT-SENSITIVE DEVICES, OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE; DEAF-AID SETS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL; GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL; LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKEACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICALVIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS; TRANSPORTING

An electret transducer array and fabrication technique are disclosed. The array comprises a foil having a layer of insulating material and a layer of metal in contact therewith. The layer of metal comprises one or more discrete areas of metal which define the active areas of one or more transducers in the array. Electrical leads are coupled to the discrete areas of metal. By means of these leads, electrical signals produced by each transducer in response to incident acoustic signals may be accessed. The areas of metal may be formed by selectively removing metal from the foil, or by selective metal deposition. The layer of insulating material is electrostatically charged. The electret transducer array further comprises a porous backplate of sintered metal. The backplate further comprises a rough surface in contact with the layer of insulating material. The backplate serves as a common electrode for transducers of the array. A second backplate is provided positioned adjacent to the metal layer of the foil forming an air gap therewith. The second backplate provides, among other things, shielding from stray electromagnetic fields.