Diaphragm assembly, a transducer, a microphone, and a method of manufacture

A diaphragm assembly for a miniature acoustical transducer comprising:

• a frame comprising therein an opening there through,
• a movable element disposed in the opening, and
• a hinge connecting the movable element to the frame,
• where the movable element:
• is an at least substantially plane element defining a plane,
• is made of a material being a metal or alloy having a Young's Modulus of 10-100 GPa and a density of 500-3000 kg/m3 and
• has a first thickness in the interval of 3-50 μm in a direction perpendicular to the plane,
• where the hinge and frame comprises the material, the frame further comprising:
• a first portion made of the material and connected to the hinge;
• and
• a stiffening element attached to the first portion.

A transducer comprising a diaphragm assembly for a miniature acoustical transducer, the diaphragm assembly comprising:

• a frame comprising therein an opening there through,
• a movable element disposed in the opening, and
• a hinge connecting the movable element to the frame,
• where the movable element:
• is made of a material being a metal or alloy having a Young's Modulus of 10-100 GPa and a density of 500-3000 kg/m3 and
• has a first thickness in the interval of 3-50 μm,
• where the hinge and frame comprises the material, the frame further comprising a stiffening element,
• the transducer further comprising:
• a drive unit connected to the movable element and configured to move the movable element relative to the frame, and
• a housing in which the diaphragm assembly is provided, the housing defining an inner space which is divided into two spaces by the diaphragm assembly.

A microphone comprising a diaphragm assembly for a miniature acoustical transducer, the diaphragm assembly comprising:

• a frame comprising therein an opening there through,
• a movable element disposed in the opening, and
• a hinge connecting the movable element to the frame,
• where the movable element:
• is made of a material being a metal or alloy having a Young's Modulus of 10-100 GPa and a density of 500-3000 kg/m3 and
• has a first thickness in the interval of 3-50 μm,
• where the hinge and frame comprises the material, the frame further comprising a stiffening element,
• the microphone further comprising:
• a sensor unit connected to the movable element and configured to sense movement of the movable element relative to the frame, and
• a housing in which the diaphragm assembly is provided, the housing defining an inner space which is divided into two spaces by the diaphragm assembly.

A method of manufacturing the diaphragm assembly for a miniature acoustical transducer, the diaphragm assembly comprising:

• a frame comprising therein an opening there through,
• a movable element disposed in the opening, and
• a hinge connecting the movable element to the frame,
• where the movable element:
• is made of a material being a metal or alloy having a Young's Modulus of 10-100 GPa and a density of 500-3000 kg/m3 and
• has a first thickness in the interval of 3-50 μm,
• where the hinge and frame comprises the material, the frame further comprising a stiffening element,
• the method comprising:
• providing a sheet of the material and with the thickness,
• removing a portion of the material to form the movable element and the hinge, and
• either attaching an element to the sheet, before or during the removal step, the element forming, with a portion of the sheet, the frame, or, before or during the removal step, bending outer portions of the sheet, forming the frame, to obtain an angle to a plane of the movable element.