Patents Examined by Jeffrey M Shin
  • Patent number: 11722119
    Abstract: Bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators, and particularly top electrodes with step arrangements for BAW resonators are disclosed. Top electrodes on piezoelectric layers are disclosed that include a border (BO) region with a dual-step arrangement where an inner step and an outer step are formed with increasing heights toward peripheral edges of the top electrode. Dielectric spacer layers may be provided between the outer steps and the piezoelectric layer. Passivation layers are disclosed that extend over the top electrode either to peripheral edges of the piezoelectric layer or that are inset from peripheral edges of the piezoelectric layer. Piezoelectric layers may be arranged with reduced thickness portions in areas that are uncovered by top electrodes. BAW resonators as disclosed herein are provided with high quality factors and suppression of spurious modes while also providing weakened BO modes that are shifted farther away from passbands of such BAW resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Alireza Tajic, Paul Stokes, Robert Aigner
  • Patent number: 11716070
    Abstract: Acoustic sensor devices and sensor systems are disclosed. An acoustic sensor device includes a piezoelectric plate having a front surface and a back surface. A floating back-side conductor pattern is formed on the back surface. A first and second front-side conductor patterns are formed on a portion of the front surface opposite the back-side conductor pattern. A sensing layer is formed over all or a portion of the floating back-side conductor pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Viktor Plesski, Dejan Nenov, Ventsislav Yantchev, Robert Hammond
  • Patent number: 11705866
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator includes an oscillating substrate, a hollow frame, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The oscillating substrate includes a main oscillating region and a thinned region that has a thickness smaller than that of the main oscillating region. The first and second electrodes are disposed on a first surface of the oscillating substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface, respectively. The hollow frame is disposed on the second surface. The second electrode includes a second electrode portion that has at least one opening in positional correspondence with the thinned region. A method for making the crystal oscillator is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY, AKER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ray-Hua Horng, Yi-Lun Lin
  • Patent number: 11699984
    Abstract: A vibrator device includes a base, a vibrator element attached to the base, and a lid housing the vibrator element between the base and itself and bonded to the base. The base has a semiconductor substrate including a first surface bonded to the lid and a second surface in a front-back relationship with the first surface, a first insulating layer placed on the first surface, first, second internal terminals placed on the first insulating layer and electrically coupled to the vibrator element, a second insulating layer placed on the second surface, and first, second external terminals placed on the second insulating layer and electrically coupled to the first, second internal terminals. The second insulating layer has a first external terminal region in which the first external terminal is placed and a second external terminal region separated from the first external terminal region, in which the second external terminal is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11699986
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a package having a plurality of external terminals disposed on a mounting surface, a circuit element housed in the package, and a resonator which is housed in the package, and is electrically coupled to the circuit element, wherein the circuit element is electrically coupled to the package with a plurality of pads each of which is bonded to the package via a bump member, the circuit element overlaps at least one of the external terminals in a plan view, and each of the bump members is bonded to the package at a position where at least a part of the bump member does not overlap the plurality of external terminals in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Inventors: Shoichiro Kasahara, Shinya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11699989
    Abstract: A piezoelectric structure is disclosed which includes a single crystal having piezoelectric coefficients d31 and d32 of opposite magnitude, such that when an alternating electric field is applied in the Z direction, the piezoelectric structure expands in one of the X and Y directions and contracts in the other of the X and Y direction, a first electrode coupled to the single crystal, and a second electrode coupled to the single crystal, wherein the alternating electric field is input to the single crystal through the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Sunil A Bhave, Pen-Li Yu
  • Patent number: 11689184
    Abstract: A resonator device includes: a resonator element; a first package that accommodates the resonator element; and a second package in which the first package is accommodated and fixed. The first package includes a base substrate that has a first surface on which the resonator element is disposed and a second surface which is in a front-back relationship with the first surface, and that contains single crystal silicon, an integrated circuit that is provided on the first surface or the second surface and that includes a temperature sensor circuit and a heater circuit, and a lid that is bonded to the base substrate such that the resonator element is accommodated between the lid and the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norio Nomura
  • Patent number: 11689177
    Abstract: An electronic device that includes a base substrate having a mounting surface; an electronic component having a mechanical vibration portion mounted on the mounting surface of the base substrate; an intermediate layer mounted on the base substrate and forming an internal space with the base substrate so as to accommodate the electronic component therein, the intermediate layer having at least one through-hole that opens the internal space to an outside; and a sealing layer on the intermediate layer and sealing the internal space by closing the at least one through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeo Ojima, Isao Ikeda, Koki Sai
  • Patent number: 11689183
    Abstract: A resonator device includes: a base having a first surface and a second surface that are in front-back relation; a resonator element that is located at a first surface with respect to the base and that includes a resonation substrate and an electrode disposed at a surface of the resonation substrate on a base side; a conductive layer that is disposed at the first surface and that includes a joint portion joined to the electrode; and a stress relaxation layer that is interposed between the base and the conductive layer and that at least partially overlaps with the joint portion in a plan view of the base. The stress relaxation layer includes an exposed portion exposed from the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kamakura
  • Patent number: 11682923
    Abstract: A wireless power reception device and a wireless communication method thereby are provided. The wireless communication method by the wireless power reception device may comprise the steps of: receiving a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmission device; measuring the strength of the wireless power signal; modulating the amplitude of the wireless power signal according to the measured strength of the wireless power signal; and performing communication with the wireless power transmission device by using the signal having the amplitude modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chun-Kil Jung, Hak Do Kim, Sang Youn Noh
  • Patent number: 11677352
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a package having a plurality of external terminals disposed on a mounting surface, a circuit element housed in the package, and a resonator which is housed in the package, and is electrically coupled to the circuit element, wherein the circuit element is electrically coupled to the package with a plurality of pads each of which is bonded to the package via a bump member, the circuit element has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and at least three of closest ones to four corners of the circuit element out of the bump members are bonded to the package at respective positions overlapping the plurality of external terminals in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventors: Shoichiro Kasahara, Shinya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11677354
    Abstract: Circuits and processes for locking a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) at a high frequency signal are described. A circuit may include an adjustable current converter (ACC), coupled at an input terminal to a power source, operable to output a control signal (VC) at an output terminal. A first switch may be coupled to the ACC and to the VCO. The VCO, when in an “ON” state, receives the control signal and outputs a high frequency signal (VHF). A digital filter may be coupled to the VCO and operable to receive the VHF. Based on the VHF, the digital filter generates a data signal having a data value. The circuit may also include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) operable to receive the data signal and, based on the data value, output an adjustment signal to the ACC. The ACC may adjust the control signal based on the adjustment signal received from the DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Plojhar, Lucas Emiel Elie Vander Voorde, Pavel Mares
  • Patent number: 11677379
    Abstract: A moveable micromachined member of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrically conductive layers. First and second mechanical structures secure the moveable micromachined member to a substrate of the MEMS device and include respective first and second electrical interconnect layers coupled in series, with the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member and each other, between first and second electrical terminals to enable conduction of a first joule-heating current from the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal through the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SiTime Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph C. Doll, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill
  • Patent number: 11671054
    Abstract: An adiabatic resonator, an adiabatic oscillator, and an adiabatic oscillator system are disclosed. An adiabatic system is one that ideally transfers no heat outside of the system, thereby reducing the required operating power. The adiabatic resonator, which includes a plurality of tank circuits, acts as an energy reservoir, the missing aspect of previously attempted adiabatic computational systems. By using the adiabatic resonator as a feedback element with an amplifier, an adiabatic oscillator is formed. An adiabatic oscillator system is formed with a primary adiabatic oscillator feeding a plurality of secondary adiabatic oscillators. In this manner, the adiabatic oscillator system may be used to generate the multiple clock signals required of adiabatic computational logic elements, such as Split-level Charge Recovery Logic and 2-Level Adiabatic Logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Brocato, Michael P. Frank
  • Patent number: 11664782
    Abstract: The vibrator element includes a base part, a vibrating arm extending from the base part, and a weight provided to the vibrating arm, wherein the weight includes a thick film part, a thin film part thinner in film thickness than the thick film part, and a connection part which is located between the thick film part and the thin film part to connect the thick film part and the thin film part to each other, and which forms a taper shape gradually decreasing in film thickness in a direction from the thick film part side toward the thin film part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Kawauchi, Masashi Shimura, Shogo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11658637
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to quartz crystal devices and more particularly to quartz crystal devices configured to vibrate in torsional mode. In one aspect, a quartz crystal device configured for temperature sensing comprises a fork-shaped quartz crystal comprising a pair of elongate tines laterally extending from a base region in a horizontal lengthwise direction of the fork-shaped quartz crystal, wherein each of the tines has formed on one or both of opposing sides thereof a pair of vertically recessed groove structures laterally elongated in the horizontal lengthwise direction, wherein the pair of groove structures are separated in a horizontal widthwise direction by a line structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Statek Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Fang, Jian Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 11652468
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gallium arsenide (GaAs) enabled tunable filter for, e.g., 6 GHz Wi-Fi RF Frontend, with integrated high-performance varactors, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, and 3D solenoid inductors. The tunable filter comprises a hyper-abrupt variable capacitor (varactor) high capacitance tuning ratio. The tunable filter also comprises a GaAs substrate in which through-GaAs-vias (TGV) are formed. The varactor along with the MIM capacitors and the 3D inductors is formed in an upper conductive structure on upper surface of the GaAs substrate. Lower conductive structure comprising lower conductors is formed on lower surface of the GaAs substrate. Electrical coupling between the lower and upper conductive structures is provided by the TGVs. The tunable filter can be integrated with radio frequency front end (RFFE) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Je-Hsiung Lan, Jonghae Kim
  • Patent number: 11652465
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic resonator operable in a bulk acoustic mode includes a resonator body mounted to a separate carrier that is not part of the resonator body. The resonator body includes a piezoelectric layer, a device layer, and a top conductive layer on the piezoelectric layer opposite the device layer. A surface of the device layer opposite the piezoelectric layer is for mounting the resonator body to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Di Lan, Wen-Qing Xu, Giovanni Barbarossa
  • Patent number: 11652467
    Abstract: A vibration device has a substrate, a mount disposed on the substrate, a vibration element having a base end and a tip end, the base end being disposed on the mount, and an adhesive fixing the mount and the vibration element. The mount has a first protrusion and a second protrusion disposed to be aligned in a first direction in which the base end and the tip end are aligned, and whose protrusion heights on the vibration element side differ from each other, the second protrusion is located on the base end side of the vibration element relative to the first protrusion, the vibration element is disposed on the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and a portion of the vibration element on the base end side relative to the second protrusion is separated from the substrate and the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Shinya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11646712
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) structure includes a single crystal piezoelectric material layer, a first electrode, a second electrode and an acoustic reflector. The first and second electrodes are respectively located on a first surface and a second surface of the single crystal piezoelectric material layer. The area of the second electrode is greater than or equal to that of the second surface of the single crystal piezoelectric material layer, and the contact area of the single crystal piezoelectric material layer with the second electrode is equal to the area of the second surface of the single crystal piezoelectric material layer. The acoustic reflector is disposed on a surface of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tsyr Shyang Liou