Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100053716 | METHOD OF FABRICATING A STRUCTURE BY ANISOTROPIC ETCHING, AND SILICON SUBSTRATE WITH AN ETCHING MASK - In a fabrication method of fabricating a structure, a basic etching mask corresponding a target shape with a convex corner, and a correction etching mask with a first portion, a second portion and an opening portion are formed on a single-crystal silicon substrate with a (100) principal face, and the silicon substrate with the basic etching mask and the correction etching mask formed thereon is subjected to an anisotropic etching to form the silicon substrate having the target shape. The first portion extends in a <110> direction, respective ends of the first portion are connected to the basic etching mask, and at least one end of the first portion is connected to the convex corner of the basic etching mask. The second portion is connected to a side of the first portion extending in the <110> direction, the second portion includes at least one convex corner, and the opening portion extends straddling a boundary between the first portion and the second portion. | 03-04-2010 |
20100150612 | OSCILLATOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An oscillator device includes a supporting member, a movable member, an elastic supporting member configured to elastically support the supporting member and the movable member around an oscillation axis, and a driving member configured to drive the movable member, wherein the elastic supporting member includes a plurality of springs and at least one spring constant adjusting member configured to couple the plurality of springs with each other. | 06-17-2010 |
20100177369 | OSCILLATOR DEVICE, OPTICAL DEFLECTOR AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENT USING THE SAME - An oscillator device includes a supporting base plate, a torsion spring, and a movable member, wherein the movable member is supported by the torsion spring, for torsional oscillation relative to the supporting base plate about a torsional axis, wherein the torsion spring has an X-shaped section being perpendicular to the torsional axis and a top surface and a bottom surface each being defined by a (100)-equivalent surface of monocrystal silicon, and wherein a distance L1connecting bottoms of concavities formed at the top surface and bottom surface, respectively, and a distance L2 connecting bottoms of concavities defined at side surfaces of the X-shaped torsion spring as well as a rate of change αi of inertia moment of the movable member around the torsion axis, with a change of a thickness t of the supporting base plate, satisfy the following relation: L1/L2=C1−Exp{C2−(α | 07-15-2010 |
20100214636 | Method of Manufacturing Oscillator Device, and Optical Deflector and Image Forming Apparatus - A method of manufacturing an oscillator device having a fixed member and an oscillation plate supported by the fixed member through a supporting member for oscillation around a torsion axis, the oscillation plate being driven at a resonance frequency around the torsion axis, includes a frequency regulating step based on an extension member for adjustment of a mass of the oscillation plate, for forming the extension member on the oscillation plate and for adjusting the mass of the oscillation plate by cutting a portion of the extension member with the irradiation of a laser beam, an oscillator assembling step for fixing the fixed member to a fixed base, and a driving member assembling step for fixing a driving member for driving the oscillation plate to the fixed base, wherein at least the driving member assembling step is carried out after the frequency regulating step based on the extension member is performed. | 08-26-2010 |
20110019256 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OSCILLATOR DEVICE, AND OPTICAL DEFLECTOR AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENT WITH OSCILLATOR DEVICE BASED ON IT - A method of manufacturing an oscillator device having an oscillator supported relative to a fixed member by a torsion spring for oscillation around a torsion axis and arranged to be driven at a resonance frequency, which method includes a first step for determining an assumed value of an inertia moment weight of the oscillator, a second step for measuring the resonance frequency, a third step for calculating a spring constant of the torsion spring, from the assumed value of the inertia moment weight and the measured resonance frequency obtained at said first and second steps, a fourth step for calculating an adjustment amount for the inertia moment of the oscillator or for the spring constant of the torsion spring, based on the spring constant calculated at said third step and a target resonance frequency determined with respect to the resonance frequency of the oscillator, so as to adjust the resonance frequency to the target resonance frequency, and a fifth step for adjusting the resonance frequency of the oscillator to the target resonance frequency based on the calculated adjustment amount. | 01-27-2011 |
20120091543 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An electromechanical transducer includes multiple elements each including at least one cellular structure, the cellular structure including: a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor diaphragm, and a supporting portion for supporting the diaphragm so that a gap is formed between one surface of the substrate and the diaphragm. The elements are separated from one another at separating locations of a semiconductor film including the diaphragm. Each of the elements includes in a through hole passing through a first insulating layer including the supporting portion and the semiconductor substrate: a conductor which is connected to the semiconductor film including the diaphragm; and a second insulating layer for insulating the conductor from the semiconductor substrate. | 04-19-2012 |
20120256518 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - A method of producing an electromechanical transducer includes forming an insulating film on a first electrode, forming a sacrificial layer on the insulating film, forming a first membrane on the sacrificial layer, forming a second electrode on the first membrane, forming an etching-hole in the first membrane and removing the sacrificial layer through the etching-hole, and forming a second membrane on the second electrode, and sealing the etching-hole. Forming the second membrane and sealing the etching-hole are performed in one operation. | 10-11-2012 |
20120256519 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - An electromechanical transducer includes a substrate, a first electrode disposed on the substrate, and a vibration film including a membrane disposed on the first electrode with a space therebetween and a second electrode disposed on the membrane so as to oppose the first electrode. The first electrode has a surface roughness value of 6 nm RMS or less. | 10-11-2012 |
20120256520 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - An electromechanical transducer includes a first electrode; a silicon oxide film disposed on the first electrode; and a vibration film including a silicon nitride film disposed on the silicon oxide film with a space therebetween and a second electrode disposed on the silicon nitride film so as to oppose the first electrode. | 10-11-2012 |
20120262770 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND PHOTOACOUSTIC APPARATUS - The present invention provides an electromechanical transducer which can prevent light from being incident on a receiving face, without deteriorating mechanical characteristics of a vibration film. The electromechanical transducer has at least one cell | 10-18-2012 |
20120266682 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer, including: a cell including a substrate, a vibration film, and a supporting portion of the vibration film configured to support the vibration film so that a gap is formed between the substrate and the vibration film; and a lead wire that is placed on the substrate with an insulator interposed therebetween and extends to the cell, wherein the insulator has a thickness greater than the thickness of the supporting portion. The electromechanical transducer can reduce parasitic capacitance to prevent an increase in noise, a reduction in bandwidth, and a reduction in sensitivity. | 10-25-2012 |
20130069480 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER - An electromechanical transducer with less characteristic variation and a method of manufacturing the electromechanical transducer is provided. The electromechanical transducer has a plurality of cells constituted of a first electrode, a vibration film provided with a second electrode provided so as to face the first electrode through a gap, and a supporting portion supporting the vibration film. A structure configured to reduce an uneven flatness between the vibration film and the supporting portion is provided at an outer peripheral portion of a gap while a portion of the supporting portion is interposed between the structure and the gap. | 03-21-2013 |
20130071964 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER - Provided is a method of manufacturing an electromechanical transducer having a reduced variation in a breakdown strength caused by a variation in flatness of an insulating layer. In the method of manufacturing the electromechanical transducer, a first insulating layer is formed on a first substrate, a barrier wall is formed by removing a part of the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer is formed on a region of the first substrate after the part of the first insulating layer has been removed. Next, a gap is formed by bonding a second substrate on the barrier wall, and a vibration film that is opposed to the second insulating layer via the gap is formed from the second substrate. In the forming of the barrier wall, a height on a gap side in a direction vertical to the first substrate becomes lower than a height of a center portion. | 03-21-2013 |
20130126993 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - The present invention relates to an electromechanical transducer and a method of producing it, in which the substrate rigidity is maintained to prevent the substrate from being broken during formation of dividing grooves or a film. | 05-23-2013 |
20130255389 | PROBE AND OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A probe is provided in which penetration of an acoustic medium into a support layer of an optical reflection member through a pinhole or a scratch on an optical reflection layer is suppressed, occurrence of a solvent crack is suppressed, and noise due to photoacoustic waves that occurs on a receiving surface can be suppressed. The probe includes an element having at least one cell in which a vibration film containing one electrode out of two electrodes that are provided so as to interpose a space therebetween is vibratably supported. The probe further includes a support layer disposed on the vibration film, and an optical reflection layer disposed on the support layer. A protection layer against an acoustic medium is formed on the optical reflection layer. | 10-03-2013 |
20130302934 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CAPACITIVE ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER - Provided is a method of manufacturing a capacitive electromechanical transducer using fusion bonding, which is capable of reducing fluctuations in initial deformation among diaphragms caused at positions having different boundary conditions such as the bonding area, thereby enhancing the uniformity of the transducer and stabilizing the sensitivity and the like. The method of manufacturing a capacitive electromechanical transducer includes: forming an insulating layer on a first silicon substrate and forming at least one recess; fusion bonding a second silicon substrate onto the insulating layer; and thinning the second silicon substrate and forming a silicon film. The method further includes, before the bonding of the second silicon substrate onto the insulating layer, forming a groove in the insulating layer at the periphery of the at least one recess. | 11-14-2013 |
20130313663 | CAPACITIVE ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER - Provided is a capacitive electromechanical transducer manufactured by fusion bonding, which is capable of enhancing the performance by reducing fluctuations in initial deformation among diaphragms caused at positions having difference boundary conditions such as the bonding area. The capacitive electromechanical transducer includes a device, the device including at least one cellular structure including: a silicon substrate; a diaphragm; and a diaphragm supporting portion configured to support the diaphragm so that a gap is formed between one surface of the silicon substrate and the diaphragm. The device has, in its periphery, a groove formed in a layer shared with the diaphragm supporting portion. | 11-28-2013 |
20140010052 | CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER - Provided is a capacitive transducer having a wide frequency band width and an improved transmitting and receiving sensitivity, the capacitive transducer including an element including a plurality of cells: each of the plurality of cells including: a first electrode; a vibrating film including a second electrode, the second electrode being opposed to the first electrode with a gap; and a supporting portion that supports the vibrating film, in which the element includes a first cell and a second cell as the cell, the first cell including the vibrating film having a first spring constant, the second cell including the vibrating film having a second spring constant smaller than the first spring constant; and a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the first cell is smaller than a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the second cell. | 01-09-2014 |
20140010388 | CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER, CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS - Provided is a capacitive transducer having broadband frequency characteristics. The capacitive transducer includes an element which has multiple kinds of cells, each cell including: a first electrode; a vibrating film including a second electrode, the second electrode being opposed to the first electrode with a gap; and a support portion that supports the vibrating film so as to form the gap. The multiple kinds of cells have different ratios of an area of one of the first electrode and the second electrode to an area of the gap when viewed from a normal direction of the vibrating film. The first electrodes or the second electrodes in the multiple kinds of cells are electrically connected together. | 01-09-2014 |
20140120646 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An electromechanical transducer includes multiple elements each including at least one cellular structure, the cellular structure including: a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor diaphragm, and a supporting portion for supporting the diaphragm so that a gap is formed between one surface of the substrate and the diaphragm. The elements are separated from one another at separating locations of a semiconductor film including the diaphragm. Each of the elements includes in a through hole passing through a first insulating layer including the supporting portion and the semiconductor substrate: a conductor which is connected to the semiconductor film including the diaphragm; and a second insulating layer for insulating the conductor from the semiconductor substrate. | 05-01-2014 |
20140241129 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - An electromechanical transducer includes a substrate, a first electrode disposed on the substrate, and a vibration film including a membrane disposed on the first electrode with a space therebetween and a second electrode disposed on the membrane so as to oppose the first electrode. The first electrode has a surface roughness value of 6 nm RMS or less. | 08-28-2014 |
20140313861 | TRANSDUCER, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING TRANSDUCER, AND OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUIRING APPARATUS - A transducer includes at least one element including a plurality of cells. Each of the cells includes a pair of electrodes disposed with a gap therebetween and a vibrating membrane including one of the electrodes, and the vibrating membrane is vibratably supported. First and second cells of the plurality of cells in the element have the gaps that communicate with each other, and the first cell and a third cell in the element have the gaps that do not communicate with each other. | 10-23-2014 |
20140318254 | CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME - A side lobe in a capacitive transducer is reduced. Provided is a capacitive transducer including an element including a plurality of cells supported such that a vibrating membrane including one of a pair of electrodes formed with an gap inbetween is capable of vibration, wherein a distance between cells in an end portion of the element is greater than a distance between cells in a middle portion of the element. | 10-30-2014 |
20140318255 | CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME - Provided is a capacitive transducer including an element including a plurality of cells supported such that a vibrating membrane including one of a pair of electrodes formed with an gap inbetween is capable of vibration, wherein a distance between a pair of electrodes of a cell in an end portion of the element is greater than a distance between a pair of electrodes of a cell in a middle portion of the element. | 10-30-2014 |
20150016221 | TRANSDUCER AND SUBJECT INFORMATION ACQUISITION APPARATUS - A transducer includes a plurality of elements each including at least one cell structured in such a way that a diaphragm including one of a first electrode and a second electrode disposed facing each other via a space is vibratably supported, bias wiring for supplying a bias voltage to the first electrode to provide a potential difference between the first and the second electrodes, and for electrically connecting the first electrodes of the elements to each other, and signal wiring lines each connected to a different one of the elements. The bias wiring includes a plurality of branch wiring lines to each of which the first electrodes of a part of the elements are connected, a plurality of first common wiring lines for connecting the branch wiring lines to each other, and a second common wiring line for connecting the first common wiring lines to each other. | 01-15-2015 |
20150057547 | CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A method for manufacturing a capacitive transducer is provided having a structure in which a vibrating film is supported to be able to vibrate. The method includes forming a sacrificial layer on a first electrode; forming a layer on the sacrificial layer, the layer forming at least part of the vibrating film; removing the sacrificial layer, including forming etching holes to communicate with the sacrificial layer; forming a sealing layer for sealing the etching holes; and etching at least part of the sealing layer. Before forming the sealing layer, an etching stop layer is formed on the layer forming at least part of the vibrating film. In the step of etching at least part of the sealing layer, the sealing layer is removed until the etching stop layer is reached. | 02-26-2015 |