ELECTROACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER, AND ASSOCIATED ASSEMBLY AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Disclosed is an acoustic transducer for converting a sound signal into an electric signal, including a mobile element movable under the effect of the sound signal, a fixed element opposite the mobile element, a recess, and a dissipative element between the mobile and fixed elements. The coupled system has a natural frequency corresponding to a resonance frequency of the transducer set at maximum sensitivity. The mobile element, the fixed element, the dissipative element and the recess are configured so the quality factor of the acoustic transducer>2. The recess has a straight prismatic, cylindrical, or frustoconical shape, the mobile element forming a first base of the prism, cylinder, or frustum, the fixed element being inside the prism, cylinder or frustum, over the second base of the prism, cylinder or frustum. Such a transducer also incorporates an analogue filtering function for filtering the signal around the natural frequency of same.

Claims

1. Acoustic transducer capable of converting an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, comprising an element that is mobile under the effect of said acoustic signal, a fixed element arranged opposite the mobile element, a cavity (4), and a dissipative element (3) interposed between the mobile element and the fixed element, the coupled system constituted by the mobile element, the dissipative element (3) and the cavity (4) having a natural frequency corresponding to a resonance frequency of the transducer at which its sensitivity is maximum, the mobile element, the fixed element, the dissipative element (3) and the cavity (4) being configured so that the quality factor of the acoustic transducer is greater than two, wherein the cavity (4) has a straight prismatic or cylindrical or frustoconical general shape, the mobile element forming a first base of the prism, cylinder or frustum, the fixed element being arranged inside said prism, cylinder or frustum, raised with respect to the second base of the prism, cylinder or frustum.

2. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the fixed element has a surface area less than the surface area of the mobile element.

3. Acoustic transducer according to claim 2, wherein the ratio between the surface area of the mobile element and that of the fixed element is less than or equal to ⅙.

4. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the dissipative element (3) is constituted by a gas or a mixture of gases.

5. Acoustic transducer according to claim 4, wherein the dissipative element (3) is constituted by air.

6. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the mobile element and the fixed element are circular.

7. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the cavity (4) has a generally rotationally symmetrical shape.

8. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the coupled system constituted by the mobile electrode, the dissipative element (3) and the cavity (4), is configured so that its natural frequency is comprised between 20 Hz and 20 KHz.

9. Acoustic transducer according to claim 1, the mobile element being a mobile electrode (1), the fixed element being a fixed electrode (2), the transducer being a capacitive transducer.

10. Transducer according to claim 9, wherein the mobile electrode (1) comprises a deformable membrane.

11. Transducer according to claim 9, configured so that that the exposure of the mobile electrode (1) to a sound wave with a frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the transducer causes contact between the mobile electrode (1) and the fixed electrode (2), so that that the transducer forms a switch.

12. Transducer according to claim 1, comprising moreover a device for balancing the static pressure prevailing on either side of the mobile element.

13. Transducer according to claim 12, wherein the device for balancing the static pressure comprises a capillary tube.

14. Acoustic transducer according to claim 2, wherein the dissipative element (3) is constituted by a gas or a mixture of gases.

15. Acoustic transducer according to claim 3, wherein the ratio between the surface area of the mobile element and that of the fixed element is less than or equal to 1/12.

16. Acoustic transducer according to claim 2, wherein the mobile element and the fixed element are circular.

17. Acoustic transducer according to claim 3, wherein the mobile element and the fixed element are circular.

18. Acoustic transducer according to claim 4, wherein the mobile element and the fixed element are circular.

19. Acoustic transducer according to claim 5, wherein the mobile element and the fixed element are circular.

20. Acoustic transducer according to claim 2, wherein the cavity (4) has a generally rotationally symmetrical shape.

Description

[0031] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the description hereinafter.

[0032] In the attached drawings, given as non limitative examples:

[0033] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an electroacoustic transducer according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows on a graph the behaviour of an electroacoustic transducer according to a first configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows on a graph similar to FIG. 2 the behaviour of an electroacoustic transducer according to a second configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows on a graph similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 the behaviour of an electroacoustic transducer according to a third configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0037] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a transducer according to an embodiment of the invention, in a cross section view. In the embodiment shown here by way of example, the electroacoustic transducer is rotationally symmetrical about a main axis z.

[0038] An electroacoustic capacitive transducer as shown comprises a mobile electrode 1 constituting a mobile element. In the embodiment shown here, the mobile electrode 1 is a deformable membrane constituting an electrical conductor (or comprising an electrically conductive covering). A fixed electrode 2, constituting a fixed element, is arranged opposite the mobile electrode 1. An air space between the mobile electrode 1 and the fixed electrode 2 constitutes a dissipative element 3. The dissipative element is also resistive. The dissipative element 3 causes an effect of viscous damping of the movement of the mobile element. In other embodiments, not shown, other dissipative fluids can be used, such as another gas or mixture of gases, or a layer of polymer. The electroacoustic transducer comprises moreover a cavity 4, having an annular shape in the example shown due to the particular configuration of the transducer. In the example shown here, the cavity thus has a general shape of a cylinder of revolution. The mobile electrode 1 and the fixed electrode 2 form the armatures of a capacitor, polarized by a direct voltage. When an acoustic pressure is exerted on the mobile electrode 1, the latter is displaced with respect to the fixed electrode. In the example shown here, this movement corresponds to a deformation of the membrane forming mobile electrode 1. This leads to a variation in the capacitance formed between the membrane and the fixed electrode, which produces an inverse variation in the voltage.

[0039] In an electroacoustic transducer according to the invention, the mobile electrode 1, the fixed electrode 2, the dissipative element 3 and the cavity 4 are configured so that the quality factor of the acoustic transducer is greater than two.

[0040] Such a transducer, used as a sensor, allows, in an application of the invention, the detection of a localized acoustic field having as frequency that defined by the resonance frequency of the coupled system constituted by the mobile electrode, the air space between the latter and the rear electrode and the cavity. An electroacoustic transducer having a high quality factor, typically greater than two, is called resonant.

[0041] It is possible to obtain a high quality factor by suitable choice of the various parameters defining the aforementioned elements constituting the transducer (the mobile electrode 1, the fixed electrode 2, the dissipative element 3 and the cavity 4). The choice of these parameters influencing the behaviour of the transducer aims in particular to limit the damping of the system, without reducing the acoustic sensitivity of the transducer. The damping in such device is caused by the viscous shearing of the air space (or suitable dissipative element 3) situated below the membrane (or other mobile electrode 1).

[0042] Among the parameters influencing the quality factor, the ratio between the surface area of the mobile electrode 1, i.e. typically the surface area exposed to the sound waves, for example the surface area of the membrane capable of deforming under the effect of waves received, and the surface area of the fixed electrode 2, is predominant. A resonant capacitive electroacoustic transducer, typically characterized by a quality factor greater than 1.5 and preferably greater than 2, is generally obtained by using a fixed electrode 2 having a surface area less than ⅙ of the surface area of the mobile electrode 1. For a circular membrane and a fixed electrode 2 that is also circular, such as in the embodiment example shown here, the ratio of the radius of the fixed electrode 2 to the radius of the membrane is thus preferentially chosen to be less than ⅖, corresponding to a surface area ratio of 4/25, i.e. approximately ⅙.

[0043] The reduction of the surface area of the fixed electrode 2 with respect to that of the mobile electrode 1 leads to a reduction in the damping by viscous friction within the dissipative element 3 (for example the air space) situated between these two electrodes, when the movement of the mobile electrode 1 drives the dissipative element towards the cavity 4, which can in particular be a rear or peripheral cavity. The reduction in the space between the mobile electrode 1 and the fixed electrode 2 (also called inter-electrode space) allows the sensitivity of the transducer to be maintained without notably increasing the viscous damping. For electrodes (fixed and mobile) with the same surface area, the spacing of the electrodes making it possible to significantly reduce the viscous damping causes a drop in the static capacitance of the transducer, which is indicated by a significant reduction in its sensitivity.

[0044] The surface area ratio mentioned above can be generalized to numerous shapes of membranes and of the fixed electrode 2. As an alternative to a circular membrane, a square, polygonal, oval membrane, etc., can be used as mobile electrode 1. As an alternative to a circular electrode, a square, polygonal, oval electrode, etc., can be used as fixed electrode 2. All the combinations of the aforementioned shapes of membrane (or more generally mobile electrode 1) and fixed electrode 2 can be used in the invention, in particular with a surface area ratio as expressed above. In fact, by way of example, the deflected curve of a square membrane is expressed by a product of cosines, and the deformed shape of a circular membrane according to a Bessel function. For the first method, and apart from the corners of the square membrane, the series expansion of their deformed shape functions are identical up to the second order.

[0045] Of course, numerous other parameters determining the configuration of the transducer have an influence on the damping of the system, this maximum ratio of surface area can be substantially exceeded if the other parameters confer a very low damping on the system, and this surface area ratio must in any case be adopted in combination with of other parameters conferring a suitable weak damping on the system.

[0046] The damping of the system is directly linked to the dissipative element interposed between the mobile membrane and the fixed membrane and to its viscosity. In particular, the thickness of the viscous boundary layer of the dissipative element 3 (generally air) is significant, so that the clearance between the mobile electrode 1 and the fixed electrode 2 constitutes a significant parameter for configuration of the electroacoustic transducer. Thus, in order to limit the damping so as to maximize the quality factor, the thickness of the dissipative element (for example the layer of air) between the mobile electrode 1 and the fixed electrode 2 can be increased.

[0047] Among the set of configuration parameters influencing the quality factor of the system, there may be mentioned: [0048] For the definition of the mobile element, it is a membrane: its dimensions—typically its surface area or its radius if it is circular—, its thickness, the material constituting its substrate and the conductive covering that it bears, its (mechanical) strain at rest; [0049] For the definition of the fixed electrode: its dimensions—typically its surface area or its radius if it is circular—, its position in the transducer; [0050] For the definition of the dissipative element: the material of which it is constituted, its thickness, its pressure and its temperature if it is a gas; [0051] For the definition of the cavity: its general shape and its dimensions, [0052] For the assembly: the general configuration, in particular the position and the orientation of the aforementioned elements, the polarization voltage of the capacitor thus formed (in the case of a capacitive transducer).

[0053] Of course, according to different embodiments of the invention, the parameters to be defined can vary. In particular, the mobile element can be for example an embedded flexure plate, a suspended rigid plate or a flexible strip embedded at one of its ends (the movement of the other end being characterized). In this case, the parameters defined are in particular those that define the mechanical properties of the mobile element.

[0054] In order to make it possible to obtain a configuration suitable for obtaining a maximum gain at the desired frequency, a preferred geometry of the invention, as represented in FIG. 1, comprises an annular cavity 4 defined by a cylinder of revolution inside of which the fixed electrode is positioned raised with respect to one of the bases of the cylinder. The height at which the fixed electrode 2 is raised makes it possible to adjust the clearance between said fixed electrode 2 and the membrane in order to obtain the weak damping desired without however limiting the sensitivity too much.

[0055] Although described according to a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, numerous variants can be envisaged without exceeding the scope of the invention. In particular, the cavity 4, previously described in an embodiment in which it is a cylinder of revolution, can however have another general shape, in particular straight prismatic with a square or rectangular base. The membrane can have a corresponding shape (square, rectangular, etc.) in particular in the case where it is fabricated from a silicon wafer by anisotropic chemical etching.

[0056] The membrane can alternatively and non-limitatively be constituted by a flexure plate, a flexible strip or a rigid plate suspended by flexure arms, provided that cut outs allowing movement of the arm do not constitute an acoustic short-circuit between the front face of the sensor and the air space or other dissipative element at the rear of the plate.

[0057] The electroacoustic transducer can advantageously comprise a device balancing the static pressure, i.e. the atmospheric pressure on either side of the mobile element. This device can comprise one or more capillary tubes.

[0058] This device for balancing the static pressure allows the acoustic sensor to operate as a differential sensor. In fact, as the static (atmospheric) pressure is balanced on either side of the mobile element (typically the membrane), the static mechanical strain of the membrane, which influences the sensitivity of the sensor, remains constant. The sensor thus obtained is therefore only sensitive to a differential at a dynamic pressure, the dimensioning of the capillary tube(s) being such that they act as an infinite impedance preventing the dynamic pressure from penetrating to the rear of the mobile element, typically in the cavity of the transducer.

[0059] Moreover, the geometry described previously, in which the fixed element is arranged inside the cavity raised on one of its bases, is advantageously applicable to any transducer technology. Typically, for a piezoelectric, piezoresistive, electrodynamic or optical sensor, the mobile element (for example a membrane) is positioned opposite a contact arranged raised in the cavity, as described previously for the fixed electrode of a capacitive transducer.

[0060] Numerous embodiment variants can be envisaged without exceeding the scope defined in the invention. Typically, depending on the embodiment considered, the material constituting the mobile part can be silicon, a polymer, metal, or any other suitable material. The predominant parameter which determines the behaviour of the mobile element is its mass per unit area, which results from the product density times its thickness (if this is constant).

[0061] In the case of the use of silicon, it is possible by Deep Reactive Ion Etching or “DRIE” to produce numerous shapes of membrane and fixed electrode (if the sensor is capacitive). However, if a process of anisotropic chemical etching in an aqueous bath is used, the shape obtained depends on the crystallographic orientation of the silicon wafer and on the orientation of the patterns on this wafer with respect to the crystallographic reference. The shapes obtained for masks that are initially square or round can also be as varied as cylinders or cones with square, octagonal or hexagonal bases, or other shapes depending on the orientation of the pattern on the silicon wafer and the orientation of the latter with respect to the crystallographic reference.

[0062] In the case of fabrication from a metal or a polymer, it is generally possible to produce the desired shape, under the same conditions and fabrication tolerances.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a first example of the behaviour of an electrostatic transducer according to an embodiment of the invention, and configured according to a first configuration.

[0064] The sensitivity of the transducer in decibels (dB) referenced at 1 V/Pa is shown on the y-axis, the frequency in hertz (Hz) is shown on the x-axis.

[0065] The general geometry of the transducer corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The main parameters of this first example of configuration are the following. The membrane is circular with a radius of 2.5 mm, a thickness of 50 microns and a density of 4000 kg.Math.m.sup.−3. The membrane tension is 213 N.Math.m.sup.−1. The fixed electrode has a radius of 0.6 mm. The clearance between the membrane and the fixed electrode is 13 microns. The annular cavity has a depth of 4 mm. The polarization voltage is 5 V.

[0066] The resonance frequency of the transducer for which the sensitivity is maximum is approximately 5300 Hz. The quality factor of the transducer is approximately 7, which guarantees good selectivity as a sensor. This is indicated by a high and narrow sensitivity peak around the resonance frequency of the transducer.

[0067] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows on a graph similar to FIG. 2 the behaviour of an electroacoustic transducer according to a second configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The scales used are similar to those of FIG. 2.

[0068] The general geometry of the transducer corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The main parameters of this second example of configuration are the following. The membrane is circular with a radius of 2.5 mm, a thickness of 50 microns and a density of 4000 kg.Math.m.sup.−3. The membrane tension is 213 N.Math.m.sup.−1. The fixed electrode has a radius of 0.6 mm. The distance between the membrane and the fixed electrode is 15 microns. The annular cavity has a depth of 4 mm. The polarization voltage is 5 V.

[0069] The resonance frequency of the transducer for which the sensitivity is maximum is approximately 7000 Hz. The quality factor of the transducer is approximately 10, which guarantees good selectivity as a sensor. This is indicated by a high and narrow sensitivity peak around the resonance frequency of the transducer. This figure nevertheless shows the fact that resonance modes can be close to the main mode. In this case, in order to obtain a selective filter around the main mode only, it is advisable not to limit the damping of the system too much. Thus, for a given surface area ratio between the membrane and the fixed electrode, a maximum value can exist for the distance between said membrane and said electrode beyond which other resonance modes are not sufficiently attenuated. Thus, if the maximization of the distance between the membrane and the fixed electrode is a general design rule, certain configurations limit this distance due to the requirement of maintaining a sufficient damping which is necessary due to the proximity between the main resonance mode and other modes.

[0070] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows on a graph similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 the behaviour of an electroacoustic transducer according to a third configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0071] The scales used are similar to those of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0072] The general geometry of the transducer corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The main parameters of this third example of configuration are the following. The membrane is circular with a radius of 6.5 mm, a thickness of 25 microns and a density of 1420 kg.Math.m.sup.−3. The membrane tension is 2621 N.Math.m.sup.−1. The fixed electrode has a radius of 0.1 mm. The distance between the membrane and the fixed electrode is 5 microns. The annular cavity has a depth of 2 mm. The polarization voltage is 2 V.

[0073] The resonance frequency of the transducer for which the sensitivity is maximum is approximately 16800 Hz. The quality factor of the transducer is approximately 805. This guarantees extreme selectivity as a sensor of the targeted frequency. This is indicated by a high and extremely narrow sensitivity peak around the resonance frequency of the transducer.

[0074] Moreover, it is noted that the significant reduction in the radius of the fixed electrode implies a reduction in the inter-electrode space (distance between the membrane and the fixed electrode), which makes it possible to maintain the value of the static capacitance of the transducer. This can nevertheless, in the case of a capacitive transducer, cause phenomena of collapse of the membrane (also denoted by the expression “pull-in”) which correspond to a maximum deflection of the membrane which continues until contact is made with the rear electrode. It is then necessary of reduce the polarization voltage of the transducer to a very low level (often denoted “V_pull_out”) in order to release the latter. This phenomenon, which must generally be avoided, can however be taken advantage of in the case where the transducer is no longer used as a variable capacitance but as a switch activated by a sound wave of given frequency (in this case the resonance frequency of the transducer).

[0075] The examples presented above show resonant transducers the resonance frequency of which is situated between 5000 Hz and approximately 17000 Hz. The preferential application of the invention is in the range of the audible frequencies, i.e. from approximately 20 Hz to approximately 20 KHz, and preferably above 1 KHz.

[0076] In addition, the invention can also be applied in the field of ultrasound. The invention can also be applied in certain ranges of infrasound, but a weak tension of the membrane is generally a parameter opposed to obtaining a resonant capacitive transducer, so that a high quality factor is particularly difficult to achieve in the low frequencies.

[0077] Thanks to the frequency filtering carried out by a transducer having a high quality factor, the transducer can be used successfully including in noisy surroundings. Due to the great simplicity of implementation of such a system, and the absence of electronic filtering and the electricity consumption associated with each transducer, it is possible to easily multiply the number of transducers utilized, in particular in a large space and/or for capturing several predefined frequencies.

[0078] Thus, by adopting a design contrary to that sought for traditional microphones, the bandwidth of which must be as wide as possible within the range of the audible frequencies, the invention developed here proposes the design of an electroacoustic transducer the resonance of which is weakly attenuated so that it acts as a selective frequency filter. This is indicated by a high quality factor that is unknown in the field of microphones, typically greater than two.