Abstract: This invention provides a micromechanical resonator oscillator structure and a driving method thereof. As power handling ability of a resonator is proportional to its equivalent stiffness, a better power handling capability is obtained by driving a micromechanical resonator oscillator at its high equivalent stiffness area. One of the embodiments of this invention is demonstrated by using a beam resonator. A 9.7-MHZ beam resonator via the high-equivalent stiffness area driven method shows better power handling capability and having lower phase noise.

Abstract: A method of forming a device is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a sacrificial layer over the substrate, and forming a field layer around the sacrificial layer. After formation, both the sacrificial layer and the field layer are planarized. A component is then formed over the planarized sacrificial layer and the planarized field layer. The component has a first electrode and a second electrode and a single crystal wafer disposed between the first and second electrodes. The component includes anchors disposed substantially over the field layer. Once the component is formed, the sacrificial layer is released with an etchant having a selectivity for the sacrificial layer wherein a cavity is formed beneath the component. The cavity allows free movement within the cavity during operation of the device. The etchant does not release the field layer and the component so the field layer remains below the anchors.

Abstract: A method of forming a device is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a sacrificial layer over the substrate, and forming an field layer around the sacrificial layer. After formation, both the sacrificial layer and the field layer are planarized. A component is then formed over the planarized sacrificial layer and the planarized field layer. The component has a first electrode and a second electrode and a single crystal wafer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The component also includes anchors disposed substantially over the field layer. Once the component is formed, the sacrificial layer is released with an etchant having a selectivity for the sacrificial layer such that a cavity is formed beneath the component. The cavity allows free movement component within the cavity during operation of the device. In addition, the etchant does not release the field layer and the component such that the field layer remains below the anchors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating structure supported by a MEMS anchor system, and includes a single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer having domain inversions, which determine certain vibrational characteristics of the MEMS vibrating structure. The MEMS vibrating structure may have dominant lateral vibrations or dominant thickness vibrations. The single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer may include Lithium Tantalate or Lithium Niobate, and may provide MEMS vibrating structures with precise sizes and shapes, which may provide high accuracy and enable fabrication of multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies on a single substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating structure supported by a MEMS anchor system, and includes a single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer having domain inversions, which determine certain vibrational characteristics of the MEMS vibrating structure. The MEMS vibrating structure may have dominant lateral vibrations or dominant thickness vibrations. The single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer may include Lithium Tantalate or Lithium Niobate, and may provide MEMS vibrating structures with precise sizes and shapes, which may provide high accuracy and enable fabrication of multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies on a single substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating structure supported by a MEMS anchor system, and includes a single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer having domain inversions, which determine certain vibrational characteristics of the MEMS vibrating structure. The MEMS vibrating structure may have dominant lateral vibrations or dominant thickness vibrations. The single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer may include Lithium Tantalate or Lithium Niobate, and may provide MEMS vibrating structures with precise sizes and shapes, which may provide high accuracy and enable fabrication of multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies on a single substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating structure having dominant lateral vibrations supported by a MEMS anchor system, and includes a single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer that has been grown with a specific crystal orientation. Since the MEMS vibrating structure has dominant lateral vibrations, its resonant frequency may be controlled by its size and shape, rather than layer thickness, which provides high accuracy and enables multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies on a single substrate.

Abstract: Micromechanical structures having at least one lateral capacitive transducer gap filled with a dielectric and method of making same are provided. VHF and UHF MEMS-based vibrating micromechanical resonators filled with new solid dielectric capacitive transducer gaps to replace previously used air gaps have been demonstrated at 160 MHz, with Q's˜20,200 on par with those of air-gap resonators, and motional resistances (Rx's) more than 8× smaller at similar frequencies and bias conditions. This degree of motional resistance reduction comes about via not only the higher dielectric constant provided by a solid-filled electrode-to-resonator gap, but also by the ability to achieve smaller solid gaps than air gaps. These advantages with the right dielectric material may now allow capacitively-transduced resonators to match to the 50-377? impedances expected by off-chip components (e.g., antennas) in many wireless applications without the need for high voltages.

Abstract: High-Q micromechanical resonator devices and filters utilizing same are provided. The devices and filters include a vibrating polysilicon micromechanical “hollow-disk” ring resonators obtained by removing quadrants of material from solid disk resonators, but purposely leaving intact beams or spokes of material with quarter-wavelength dimensions to non-intrusively support the resonators. The use of notched support attachments closer to actual extensional ring nodal points further raises the Q. Vibrating micromechanical hollow-disk ring filters including mechanically coupled resonators with resonator Q's greater than 10,000 achieve filter Q's on the order of thousands via a low-velocity coupling scheme. A longitudinally mechanical spring is utilized to attach the notched-type, low-velocity coupling locations of the resonators in order to achieve a extremely narrow passband.

Abstract: Micromechanical structures having at least one lateral capacitive transducer gap filled with a dielectric and method of making same are provided. VHF and UHF MEMS-based vibrating micromechanical resonators filled with new solid dielectric capacitive transducer gaps to replace previously used air gaps have been demonstrated at 160 MHz, with Q's˜20,200 on par with those of air-gap resonators, and motional resistances (Rx's) more than 8× smaller at similar frequencies and bias conditions. This degree of motional resistance reduction comes about via not only the higher dielectric constant provided by a solid-filled electrode-to-resonator gap, but also by the ability to achieve smaller solid gaps than air gaps. These advantages with the right dielectric material may now allow capacitively-transduced resonators to match to the 50-377? impedances expected by off-chip components (e.g., antennas) in many wireless applications without the need for high voltages.

Abstract: High-Q micromechanical resonator devices and filters utilizing same are provided. The devices and filters include a vibrating polysilicon micromechanical “hollow-disk” ring resonators obtained by removing quadrants of material from solid disk resonators, but purposely leaving intact beams or spokes of material with quarter-wavelength dimensions to non-intrusively support the resonators. The use of notched support attachments closer to actual extensional ring nodal points further raises the Q. Vibrating micromechanical hollow-disk ring filters including mechanically coupled resonators with resonator Q's greater than 10,000 achieve filter Q's on the order of thousands via a low-velocity coupling scheme. A longitudinally mechanical spring is utilized to attach the notched-type, low-velocity coupling locations of the resonators in order to achieve a extremely narrow passband.