Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric resonator, which comprises a base and at least two vibrating arms (3) extending from the base, at least two grooves (4a, 4b) being formed opposite each other on part of the length of the arms and on upper and lower faces of the arms. The depth of the groove on the upper face is less than 30% of the total thickness of each arm and the depth of the groove on the lower face is more than 50% of the total thickness of each arm, or reversely.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit, the element including: a balance spring formed of a strip of piezoelectric material; at least a first electrode, configured to be connected to the circuit and being disposed on all or part of one side of the strip; at least a second electrode configured to be connected to the circuit and being disposed on all or part of another one side of the strip distinct from the one side on which the first electrode is disposed, the piezoelectric material being a piezoelectric crystal or a piezoelectric ceramic; and at least two discontinuous layers of an insulating material, each discontinuous layer being disposed on at least one side of the strip and separating the first electrode from the second electrode, the layers of insulating material being distributed on predetermined portions of the balance spring substantially forming arcs in a predetermined angular periodicity.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit. The element includes a balance spring formed of a piezoelectric crystal strip, a first electrode connected to the automatic control circuit, and disposed on at least a first side of the strip, and a second electrode connected to the automatic control circuit and disposed on at least a second side of the strip. The first and second electrodes are placed on one portion or over the entire length of the balance spring in a predetermined angular distribution.

Abstract: An electronic module including at least one electric motor for driving an analog display, a clock module including a time base delivering a clock signal connected to a divider circuit, the divider circuit delivering a reference signal sent to a control circuit arranged to control the electric motor, the clock module further including a measuring and correction circuit arranged between the time base and the divider circuit and delivering an intermediate compensated signal. The time base, the compensation module, the divider circuit, and the control circuit are arranged in a same case to form the clock module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric resonator, which comprises a base and at least two vibrating arms (3) extending from the base, at least two grooves (4a, 4b) being formed opposite each other on part of the length of the arms and on upper and lower faces of the arms. The depth of the groove on the upper face is less than 30% of the total thickness of each arm and the depth of the groove on the lower face is more than 50% of the total thickness of each arm, or reversely.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a piezoelectric element (3) for an automatic frequency control circuit. The element includes a balance spring (7) formed of a strip of piezoelectric material, a first electrode connected to the automatic control circuit, and disposed on all or part of one side of the strip, and a second electrode connected to the automatic control circuit and disposed on all or part of another side of the strip of piezoelectric material. The element further comprises at least two discontinuous layers of an insulating material, each discontinuous layer of insulating material being disposed on at least one side of the strip of piezoelectric material and separating a first electrode from a second electrode. The discontinuous layers of insulating material are distributed on predetermined portions of the balance spring substantially forming arcs, with a predetermined angular periodicity.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit. The element includes a balance spring formed of a piezoelectric crystal strip, a first electrode connected to the automatic control circuit, and disposed on at least a first side of the strip, and a second electrode connected to the automatic control circuit and disposed on at least a second side of the strip. The first and second electrodes are placed on one portion or over the entire length of the balance spring in a predetermined angular distribution.

Abstract: An element is arranged to cooperate with another part so as to form an encapsulation device for a component including the element at least partially coated with a metallization. The metallization includes at least one metal layer protected by an intermetallic compound which is coated by a non-diffused portion of a material whose melting point is lower than 250° C. A method of fabricating the encapsulation device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a resonator in a substrate, including: a) modifying a structure of at least one region of the substrate to make the at least one region more selective; b) etching the at least one region to selectively manufacture the resonator.

Abstract: An electronic module including at least one electric motor for driving an analog display, a clock module including a time base delivering a clock signal connected to a divider circuit, the divider circuit delivering a reference signal sent to a control circuit arranged to control the electric motor, the clock module further including a measuring and correction circuit arranged between the time base and the divider circuit and delivering an intermediate compensated signal. The time base, the compensation module, the divider circuit, and the control circuit are arranged in a same case to form the clock module.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for manufacturing a resonator in a substrate characterized in that it includes the following steps: a) modifying the structure of at least one region of the substrate in order to make said at least one region more selective; b) etching said at least one region in order to selectively manufacture said resonator.

Abstract: The piezoelectric resonator (21) includes a first and a second planar tuning fork shaped part arranged in a common plane. It is intended to be mounted on a support via a linking part (29), the linking part being arranged to connect the tips of the inner vibrating arms (25a, 25b) of the first and second tuning fork shaped parts so as to link the first and second tuning fork shaped parts together, The electrodes carried by the first and second tuning fork shaped parts are interconnected through the linking part so as to make the outer vibrating arms of the first and second tuning fork shaped part oscillate with opposite phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to an element arranged to cooperate with another part so as to form an encapsulation device for a component including the element at least partially coated with a metallization. According to the invention, the metallization includes at least one metal layer protected by an intermetallic compound which is coated by a non-diffused portion of a material whose melting point is lower than 250° C.

Abstract: A temperature-compensated resonator includes a body used in deformation, wherein the core (58, 58?, 18) of the body (3, 5, 7, 15, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45, 47) is formed from a plate formed at a cut angle (??) in a quartz crystal determining the first and second orders temperature coefficients (?, ?, ??, ??). According to the invention, the body (3, 5, 7, 15, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45, 47) includes a coating (52, 54, 56, 52?, 54?, 56?, 16) deposited at least partially on the core (58, 58?, 18) and having first and second orders Young's modulus variations (CTE1, CTE2, CTE1?, CTE2?) according to temperature of opposite signs respectively to the first and second orders temperature coefficients (?, ?, ??, ??) of the resonator so as to render compensated first and second orders temperature coefficients substantially zero.

Abstract: The piezoelectric resonator (21) includes a first and a second planar tuning fork shaped part arranged in a common plane. It is intended to be mounted on a support via a linking part (29), the linking part being arranged to connect the tips of the inner vibrating arms (25a, 25b) of the first and second tuning fork shaped parts so as to link the first and second tuning fork shaped parts together, The electrodes carried by the first and second tuning fork shaped parts are interconnected through the linking part so as to make the outer vibrating arms of the first and second tuning fork shaped part oscillate with opposite phase.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for mounting a piezoelectric resonator (40) inside a case (80) by ultrasonic bonding of the piezoelectric resonator to a base part of the case. The invention also concerns a small-sized packaged piezoelectric resonator, in which the piezoelectric resonator is ultrasonically bonded inside a base part of the package.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electronic watch comprising an electric motor (5) for driving analogue display means (6), and a time base (1, 2) comprising an oscillator circuit (2) and a resonator (1), both mounted in the same case (9), characterized in that said case further comprises a control circuit (4) for said electric motor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a temperature-compensated resonator including a body used in deformation, wherein the core (58, 58?, 18) of the body (3, 5, 7, 15, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45, 47) is formed from a plate formed at a cut angle (??) in a quartz crystal determining the first and second orders temperature coefficients (?, ?, ??, ??). According to the invention, the body (3, 5, 7, 15, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45, 47) includes a coating (52, 54, 56, 52?, 54?, 56?, 16) deposited at least partially on the core (58, 58?, 18) and having first and second orders Young's modulus variations (CTE1, CTE2, CTE1?, CTE2?) according to temperature of opposite signs respectively to said first and second orders temperature coefficients (?, ?, ??, ??) of said resonator so as to render the latter substantially zero. The invention concerns the field of time and frequency bases.

Abstract: The packaged piezoelectric resonator comprises a case (170; 270) with a lid (140; 240) and a piezoelectric resonator element (110) housed in said case, The piezoelectric resonator element includes a planar tuning-fork-shaped part with two parallel vibrating arms (112, 114), and an additional attachment arm (118) intended for fixing the resonator element (110) to the bottom (172) of the case (170). The inside surface of the lid (140, 240) is stepped in such a way as to form a first portion (142) where the lid has a first thickness and a second portion (144) where the lid has a second thickness substantially greater than the first thickness, the first portion (142) extending at least over distal end portions (166, 168) of the vibrating arms (112, 114), and the second portion (144) extending at least over a part of the attachment arm (118).

Abstract: The piezoelectric thin-film tuning fork resonator (40) comprises an integral tuning fork made out of a quartz crystal. The tuning fork comprises a base (48) and a pair of parallel vibrating arms (44, 46) extending from the base. Each of the vibrating arms carries: first and second electrodes (62, 64) provided on at least one main surface of the arm, said first and second electrodes being formed respectively on an inner portion and on an outer portion of said one main surface, in such a way as to be spaced apart, first and second piezoelectric thin films (66, 68) formed over the first and second electrodes respectively, third and fourth electrodes (70, 72) formed over the first and second piezoelectric thin films respectively.