Piezoelectric Slab Having Different Resonant Frequencies At Different Areas Patents (Class 310/320)
  • Patent number: 8294332
    Abstract: A pressure transducer for high-pressure measurements comprising a housing and a piezoelectric resonator located in the housing, wherein the resonator comprises double rotation cut piezoelectric material configured or designed for vibrating in the fundamental tone of dual modes of the fast and slow thickness-shear vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Matsumoto, Tsutomu Yamate, Bikash K. Sinha, Shigeru Sato, Anthony Frank Veneruso, Jimmy Lawrence, Yves Barriol, Shigeo Daito
  • Patent number: 8242664
    Abstract: To provide an elastic wave device that is small sized and in which a frequency fluctuation due to a change with time hardly occurs, and an electronic component using the above elastic wave device. A trapping energy mode portion 2 provided in an elastic wave waveguide 10 made of an elastic body material excites a second elastic wave being an elastic wave in an energy trapping mode by a specific frequency component included in a first elastic wave being an elastic wave in a zero-order propagation mode propagated from a first propagation mode portion 4, and a cutoff portion 3 provided in a peripheral region of the trapping energy mode portion 2 has a cutoff frequency being a frequency higher than that of the second elastic wave. A second propagation mode portion mode-converts the second elastic wave leaked through the cutoff portion to a third elastic wave being the elastic wave in the zero-order propagation mode to propagate the third elastic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Morio Onoe
  • Patent number: 8237329
    Abstract: To provide an elastic wave device that is small sized and in which a frequency fluctuation due to a change with time hardly occurs, and an electronic component using the above elastic wave device. A trapping energy mode portion 2 provided in an elastic wave waveguide 10 made of an elastic body material excites a second elastic wave being an elastic wave in an energy trapping mode by a specific frequency component included in a first elastic wave being an elastic wave in a first or higher-order propagation mode propagated from a first propagation mode portion 4, and a cutoff portion 3 provided in a peripheral region of the trapping energy mode portion 2 has a cutoff frequency being a frequency higher than that of the second elastic wave. A second propagation mode portion mode-converts the second elastic wave leaked through the cutoff portion to a third elastic wave being the elastic wave in the propagation mode to propagate the third elastic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Morio Onoe
  • Publication number: 20120194034
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes first and second piezoelectric resonators each including a piezoelectric thin film, an upper electrode provided on one main surface of the piezoelectric thin film, and a lower electrode provided on another main surface of the piezoelectric thin film. In the piezoelectric resonators, portions in which the upper and lower electrodes are superposed on each other with the piezoelectric thin film therebetween define piezoelectric vibrating portions that are acoustically isolated from a substrate. The first and second piezoelectric resonators are connected in series or parallel between an input terminal and an output terminal such that polarization directions of corresponding portions of the piezoelectric thin film are opposite to each other when seen from the input terminal. The first piezoelectric resonator and the second piezoelectric resonator are arranged to have different resonant frequencies of a transverse vibration mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi MIYAKE
  • Patent number: 8222795
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic wave resonator structure that isolates the core resonator from both environmental effects and aging effects. The structure has a piezoelectric layer at least partially disposed between two electrodes. The structure is protected against contamination, package leaks, and changes to the piezoelectric material due to external effects while still providing inertial resistance. The structure has one or more protective elements that limit aging effects to at or below a specified threshold. The resonator behavior is stabilized across the entire bandwidth of the resonance, not just at the series resonance. Examples of protective elements include a collar of material around the core resonator so that perimeter and edge-related environmental and aging phenomena are kept away from the core resonator, a Bragg reflector formed above or below the piezoelectric layer and a cap formed over the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Resonance Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rajarishi Sinha, L. Richard Carley, Louis Caley Chomas, Hugo Safar
  • Publication number: 20120176002
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer includes a first driving unit group including at least one electrode and a second driving unit group including at least one electrode. The first driving unit group is driven at a first phase, and the second driving unit group is driven at a second phase that is different from the first phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-kyun KIM, Seok-whan CHUNG, Byung-gil JEONG
  • Publication number: 20120152028
    Abstract: Disclosed are a slim self-powering power supplier using a flexible PCB for a wireless sensor network and a sensor node using the same, and a fabrication method thereof. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a self-powering power supplier including: a flexible PCB; a lower electrode positioned on the flexible PCB; a piezoelectric body having a cantilever structure deposited on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Sang Choon KO, Chi Hoon Jun
  • Patent number: 8125283
    Abstract: A crystal element manufacturing method for manufacturing a plurality of crystal elements at a wafer level and a crystal resonator is provided. The method provides that when the frequencies of the crystal elements are adjusted by adjusting the thickness of a crystal wafer that constitutes the crystal element in two stages by partial wet etching, the thicknesses of a large number of the step sections are coarse-adjusted in a first stage by collectively subjecting the step sections to partial wet etching, and then variations in the thicknesses of each group of a small number of the step sections are fine-adjusted in a second stage by collectively subjecting the step sections to partial wet etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8110962
    Abstract: A MEMS component includes a chip that has a rear side having a low roughness of less than one tenth of the wavelength at the center frequency of an acoustic wave propagating in the component. Metallic structures for scattering bulk acoustic waves are provided on the rear side of the chip and a material of the metallic structures is acoustically matched to a material of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Epcos AG
    Inventors: Christian Bauer, Hans Krueger, Werner Ruile, Alois Stelzl
  • Patent number: 8102101
    Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor having a plurality of electrodes deposited on a single surface of the dielectric medium is generally provided. The plurality of electrodes can define a plurality of square-shaped electrodes forming a grid on the first surface of the dielectric medium while the second electrode defines a continuous electrode. An electrode border surrounding the plurality of electrodes can be deposited on the first surface of the dielectric medium. Alternatively, the plurality of electrodes can define column-shaped electrodes, while the second electrode defines a plurality of row-shaped electrodes separated by etchings. The direction of orientation of each column-shaped electrode and the direction of orientation of each row-shaped electrode can be substantially perpendicular. A method of making a piezoelectric sensor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Victor Giurgiutiu, James R. Kendall
  • Patent number: 8099853
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a boundary acoustic wave device prevents formation of discontinuous portions in a dielectric film without a significant decrease in the thickness of an IDT when the dielectric film is formed by deposition and without deterioration of electrical characteristics. The method includes the steps of forming an IDT on a piezoelectric substrate, forming a lower dielectric film so as to cover the IDT, conducting a planarizing step so as to smooth the rough surface of the lower dielectric film, and forming an upper dielectric film so as to cover the lower dielectric film of which the rough surface is smoothed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kando, Naohiro Nodake, Masahiko Saeki, Toshiyuki Fuyutsume
  • Patent number: 8089195
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to monolithic integrated circuits incorporating an oscillator element that is particularly suited for use in timing applications. The oscillator element includes a resonator element having a piezoelectric material disposed between a pair of electrodes. The oscillator element also includes an acoustic confinement structure that may be disposed on either side of the resonator element. The acoustic confinement element includes alternating sets of low and high acoustic impedance materials. A temperature compensation layer may be disposed between the piezoelectric material and at least one of the electrodes. The oscillator element is monolithically integrated with an integrated circuit element through an interconnection. The oscillator element and the integrated circuit element may be fabricated sequentially or concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Resonance Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rajarishi Sinha, Peter Ledel Gammel, Marco Mastrapasqua, Hugo Safar
  • Patent number: 8084919
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film, the lower electrode and the upper electrode opposing each other through the piezoelectric film to form an opposing region, the opposing region including a space at a boundary of the opposing region. The space extends from an innerside to an outer side of the opposing region and is formed in or on the piezoelectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Motoaki Hara, Shinji Taniguchi, Takeshi Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8074341
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a boundary acoustic wave device includes the steps of preparing a laminated structure in which an IDT electrode is disposed at an interface between first and second solid media and reforming the first medium and/or the second medium by externally providing the laminated structure with energy capable of reaching the inside of the first medium and/or the second medium and thus adjusting a frequency of the boundary acoustic wave device. The above provides a boundary acoustic wave device manufacturing method that enables frequency adjustment to be readily performed with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kando, Masakazu Mimura
  • Publication number: 20110298564
    Abstract: A thin-film piezoelectric resonator including a substrate (6); a piezoelectric layer (2), a piezoelectric resonator stack (12) with a top electrode (10) and bottom electrode (8), and a cavity (4). The piezoelectric resonator stack (12) has a vibration region (40) where the top electrode and bottom electrode overlap in the thickness direction, and the vibration region comprises a first vibration region, second vibration region, and third vibration region. When seen from the thickness direction, the first vibration region is present at the outermost side, the third vibration region is present at the innermost side and does not contact the first vibration region, and the second vibration region is interposed between the first vibration region and third vibration region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuki Iwashita, Hiroshi Tsuchiya, Kensuke Tanaka, Takuya Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8072843
    Abstract: An electro-mechanical transducer is disclosed, which provides a wideband response by activating successive multiple resonant frequencies in a way which provides additive output between the resonant frequencies with reduced cancellation below the first resonance and means for controlling the response by reducing the voltage drive. A multiply resonant wideband high output transducer is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Image Acoustics, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Butler, Alexander L. Butler
  • Patent number: 8058768
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic wave, BAW, resonator device comprising first and second metal layers (10, 20) and an intervening piezoelectric layer (30), the first metal layer (10) comprising spaced first and second portions (12, 14), wherein the first and second portions (12, 14) are each arranged as a plurality of interconnected fingers (16, 18), and wherein each of the plurality of fingers (16) of the first portion (12) is acoustically coupled to at least one of the fingers (18) of the second portion (14). In one embodiment the fingers of the first portion (12) are interlaced with the fingers (18) of the second portion (14), thereby providing direct coupling. In another embodiment the acoustic coupling between the fingers of the first and second portions is provided indirectly by further portions (15) of the first metal layer (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Triquint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Milsom, Frederik W. M. VanHelmont, Andreas B. M. Jansman, Jaap Ruigrok, Hans-Peter Loebl
  • Patent number: 8049581
    Abstract: A piezoelectric filter of the present invention is provided with first and second piezoelectric vibrators, each having a substrate, a lower load film formed on the substrate, a lower electrode formed on the lower load film, a piezoelectric element formed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric element and an upper load film formed on the upper electrode, and the piezoelectric filter is configured by electrically connecting the first and second piezoelectric vibrators to each other, and the piezoelectric element of the first piezoelectric vibrator and the piezoelectric element of the second piezoelectric vibrator correspond to respectively different areas of the same piezoelectric element; thus, the resonance frequencies of the first and second piezoelectric vibrators are adjusted by the respective lower load films and upper load films of the first piezoelectric vibrator and the second piezoelectric vibrator so that the resonance frequencies of the first and second piezoelectric
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Iwasaki, Hiroshi Nakatsuka, Keiji Onishi
  • Patent number: 8035277
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a multi-layer electrode for growing a piezoelectric layer thereon includes a step of forming a high conductivity metal layer over a substrate. The method further includes a step of forming a seed layer over the high conductivity metal layer. The method further includes a step of forming a high density metal layer over the seed layer. The method further includes a step of forming a piezoelectric layer over the high density metal layer. The high conductivity metal layer, the seed layer, and the high density metal layer form the multi-layer electrode on which the piezoelectric layer is grown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte.Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradley P. Barber, Craig E. Carpenter, Paul P. Gehlert, Christopher F. Shepard
  • Patent number: 8030823
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic wave resonator structure that isolates the core resonator from both environmental effects and aging effects. The structure has a piezoelectric layer at least partially disposed between two electrodes. The structure is protected against contamination, package leaks, and changes to the piezoelectric material due to external effects while still providing inertial resistance. The structure has one or more protective elements that limit aging effects to at or below a specified threshold. The resonator behavior is stabilized across the entire bandwidth of the resonance, not just at the series resonance. Examples of protective elements include a collar of material around the core resonator so that perimeter and edge-related environmental and aging phenomena are kept away from the core resonator, a Bragg reflector formed above or below the piezoelectric layer and a cap formed over the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Resonance Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rajarishi Sinha, L. Richard Carley, Louis Caley Chomas, Hugo Safar
  • Patent number: 8007080
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator device including a piezoelectric element formed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode, and displaceably provided on a substrate with a zirconium oxide layer interposed therebetween, the substrate having a silicon oxide layer formed by thermal oxidation on at least a surface, and an intermediate layer made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, and rare earth oxide, and provided between the silicon oxide layer and the zirconium oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 7986075
    Abstract: The film bulk acoustic wave resonator includes a laminate structure composed of a piezoelectric layer, and first and second electrode layers interposing at least part of the piezoelectric layer, in which the first metal electrode is dispersively formed on an electrode plane facing the second metal electrode, and a gap is formed in a substrate correspondingly to the laminate-structured resonance part. Except for an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the first electrode layer and an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the second electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, first electrode layer and second electrode layer do not come in contact with the insulating substrate but are supported on a hollow. Also, a prop is formed in the gap to support the laminate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Asai, Hisanori Matsumoto, Atsushi Isobe
  • Patent number: 7982363
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) device comprising providing a growth substrate and growing an Group-III nitride epitaxial layer on the growth substrate. A first electrode is deposited on the epitaxial layer. A carrier substrate is provided and the growth substrate, epitaxial layer and first electrode combination is flip-chip mounted on the carrier substrate. The growth substrate is removed and a second electrode is deposited on the epitaxial layer with the epitaxial layer sandwiched between the first and second electrodes. A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) device comprises first and second metal electrodes and a Group-III nitride epitaxial layer sandwiched between the first and second electrodes. A carrier substrate is included, with the first and second electrodes and epitaxial layer on the carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Ashay Chitnis
  • Patent number: 7977850
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic wave device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a piezoelectric layer arranged between the first and second electrodes and a semiconductor layer arranged between the first and second electrodes. The semiconductor layer is electrically isolated from the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Mohamed Abd Allah, Werner Weber, Robert Thalhammer, Jyrki Kaitila
  • Patent number: 7965019
    Abstract: A device includes at least one piezoacoustic resonator element (21-29) having at least one piezoelectric layer (21a-29a) and two electrodes (21b-29b, 21c-29c) applied to the piezoelectric layer (21a-29a). The piezoacoustic resonator element (21-29) is configured in such a manner that, when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer (21a-29a) by electrodes (21b-29b, 21c-29c), a bulk wave of the piezoelectric layer (21a-29a) is induced with a resonant frequency. The device also includes a heating device with a heating element (211-219), integrated into the piezoacoustic resonator element (21-29), for controlling the working temperature of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Reinhard Gabl
  • Patent number: 7952257
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric thin-film resonator including a substrate, a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film disposed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode disposed on the piezoelectric film in such a manner that a portion of the upper electrode is opposed to the lower electrode, and a mass element disposed on the upper electrode in a portion of an edge of the region of the upper electrode in which the upper electrode and the lower electrode are opposed to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Iwaki, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7939990
    Abstract: Micro-electromechanical acoustic resonators include a resonator body suspended over a substrate. The resonator body may have a single perforation therein, which may extend substantially or completely therethrough. The resonator body may also be configured to have a center-of-mass within an interior of the perforation and/or a nodal line that overlaps the perforation. A perimeter and depth of the single perforation can be configured to reduce a susceptibility of the acoustic resonator to process-induced variations in resonant frequency relative to an otherwise equivalent resonator that omits the single perforation. In other embodiments, the resonator body may have multiple perforations therein that extend along a nodal line of the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Wang, Harmeet Bhugra
  • Publication number: 20110064614
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric resonator having high frequency stability and a sensing sensor using the piezoelectric resonator. A piezoelectric resonator has a first oscillation area which is provided in a piezoelectric piece and from which a first oscillation frequency is taken out. A second oscillation area which is provided in an area different from the first oscillation area via an elastic boundary area and from which a second oscillation frequency is taken out. Excitation electrodes are provided on one surface side and another surface side of the oscillation areas across the piezoelectric piece, and a frequency difference between the first oscillation frequency and the second oscillation frequency is not less than 0.2% nor greater than 2.2% of these oscillation frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigenori Watanabe, Takeru Mutoh, Mitsuaki Koyama
  • Patent number: 7908493
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for unified management of power, performance, and thermals in computer systems. This mechanism incorporates elements to effectively address all aspects of managing computing systems in an integrated manner, instead of independently. The mechanism employs an infrastructure for real-time measurements feedback, an infrastructure for regulating system activity, component operating levels, and environmental control, a dedicated control structure for guaranteed response/preemptive action, and interaction and integration components. The mechanism provides interfaces for user-level interaction. The mechanism also employs methods to address power/thermal concerns at multiple timescales. In addition, the mechanism improves efficiency by adopting an integrated approach, rather than treating different aspects of the power/thermal problem as individual issues to be addressed in a piecemeal fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Bieswanger, Michael S. Floyd, Soraya Ghiasi, Steven P. Hartman, Thomas W. Keller, Jr., Hye-Young McCreary, Karthick Rajamani, Freeman L. Rawson, III, Juan C. Rubio, Malcolm S. Ware
  • Patent number: 7902721
    Abstract: A crystal resonator comprises an AT-cut crystal vibrating element that is driven by a thickness-shear mode and is in the shape of a rectangular plate. A pair of excitation electrodes is formed, facing front and rear surfaces of the crystal vibrating element. Each of the excitation electrodes is formed in the shape of a quadrangle as viewed from the top, and mass adjustment portions are formed at least two opposite sides of each of the excitation electrodes formed on the front and rear surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 7898158
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng-Shian Li, Seungbae Lee, Kushal Bhattacharjee
  • Patent number: 7888844
    Abstract: A micromachined structure, comprises a substrate and a cavity in the substrate. The micromachined structure comprises a membrane layer disposed over the substrate and spanning the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: David Martin, Donald Lee, John Choy, Joel Philliber, Osvaldo Buccafusca
  • Patent number: 7888843
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical resonator self-compensates for process-induced dimensional variations by using a resonator body having a plurality of perforations therein. These perforations may be spaced along a longitudinal axis of the resonator body, which extends orthogonal to a nodal line of the resonator body. These perforations, which may be square or similarly-shaped polygonal slots, may extend partially or entirely though the resonator body and may be defined by the same processes that are used to define the outer dimensions (e.g., length, width) of the resonator body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Farrokh Ayazi, Logan D. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 7884527
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes: a substrate; a lower electrode that is formed on the substrate; a piezoelectric film that is formed on the lower electrode and the substrate; and an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film, with the piezoelectric film being partially interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode facing each other. In this piezoelectric thin-film resonator, at least a part of the outer periphery of the piezoelectric film interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode overlaps the outer periphery of the region formed by the upper electrode and the lower electrode facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Tsutsumi, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20110006638
    Abstract: A multidomain plate acoustic wave device is provided having one or more single piezoelectric crystalline plates with differently polarized ferroelectric domains, where the domains have diverse directions of their axes of polarization. The device may consist of a multidomain plate acoustic wave transducer, a multidomain plate acoustic wave delay line, a multidomain plate acoustic wave rf filter, and any combination thereof. The differently polarized ferroelectric domains may comprise a collection of inversely or differently poled ferroelectric domains within a single piezoelectric medium. The medium may be any crystalline or ceramic plate with non-zero piezoelectric properties, in which the domains are created and embedded. In varying embodiments, the device includes electrodes oriented to generate an external rf field in various, respective directions, including in a direction normal to a basal plane of the device, or in a direction parallel to a length or a width of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Igor Ostrovskii, Andriy Nadtochiy
  • Patent number: 7868519
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator that achieves stable quality and improved resonance characteristics includes an acoustic reflector portion disposed between a substrate and a vibration portion, which includes a piezoelectric thin film sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, and a plurality of low acoustic impedance layers made of a material having relatively low acoustic impedance and a plurality of high acoustic impedance layers formed made of a material having relatively high acoustic impedance, the acoustic impedance layers being disposed alternately, and adjustment layers, which are disposed between the high acoustic impedance layers and the low acoustic impedance layers on the substrate sides of the high acoustic impedance layers and which have an acoustic impedance value intermediate between that of the high acoustic impedance layers and that of the low acoustic impedance layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Umeda
  • Patent number: 7868522
    Abstract: A temperature compensated pair of resonators. The temperature compensated pair of resonators comprises a first resonator configured to resonate at a first frequency and having a first frequency temperature coefficient and a second resonator configured to resonate at a second frequency and having a second frequency temperature coefficient. The second frequency is greater than the first frequency; the second frequency temperature coefficient is less than the first frequency temperature coefficient; and the first and the second resonators are fabricated on a common substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard C. Ruby
  • Patent number: 7863804
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration element having a favorable drive level characteristic for miniaturization, and a piezoelectric oscillator. The piezoelectric vibration element includes a base made of a piezoelectric material, a plurality of vibration arms extended from the base, a long groove formed along a longitudinal direction of a main surface of each of the plurality of vibration arms, and an exciting electrode provided inside the long groove. A center position in a width dimension of the long groove is decentered in a minus X-axis direction from a center position of an arm width dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Tanaya
  • Publication number: 20100327695
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a substrate and transducers disposed over the substrate, each of the transducers comprising a different resonance frequency. A transducer device comprises circuitry configured to transmit signals, or to receive signals, or both. The transducer device also comprises a transducer block comprising a plurality of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers (PMUT), wherein each of the PMUTs; and an interconnect configured to provide signals from the transducer block to the circuitry and to provide signals from the circuitry to the transducer block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Atul Goel, Osvaldo Buccafusca, Steven Martin, Joel Philliber
  • Patent number: 7849582
    Abstract: An acoustic cavity of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) architecture is defined on a piezoelectric substrate by two acoustic reflectors are formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The surface acoustic wave architecture may include at least one alpha interdigitated transducer (IDT) at least three beta IDTs which are placed in acoustic series within the acoustic cavity. The alpha IDT is electrically coupled to a first interface. The beta IDTs are coupled in electrical and acoustic series and are associated with a second interface. At least three beta IDTs are adjacent one another. An additional reflector or an alpha IDT may be placed between two of the beta IDTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Aleh Loseu, Jayanti Jaganatha Rao
  • Patent number: 7851970
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator is mounted in a flexible harness rather than at discrete points. The crystal oscillator and associated control circuitry may be formed on a common substrate, decreasing component size and minimizing temperature fluctuations by shortening the thermal path between the crystal and the control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Marinis, Caroline A. Kondoleon, Dariusz R. Pryputniewicz
  • Patent number: 7851971
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a low frequency quartz resonator includes metalizing a top-side of a quartz wafer with a metal etch stop, depositing a first metal layer over the metal etch stop, patterning the first metal layer to form a top electrode, bonding the quartz wafer to a silicon handle, thinning the quartz wafer to a desired thickness, depositing on a bottom-side of the quartz wafer a hard etch mask, etching the quartz wafer to form a quartz area for the resonator and to form a via through the quartz wafer, removing the hard etch mask without removing the metal etch stop, forming on the bottom side of the quartz wafer a bottom electrode for the low frequency quartz resonator, depositing metal for a substrate bond pad onto a host substrate wafer, bonding the quartz resonator to the substrate bond pad, and removing the silicon handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David T. Chang, Randall L. Kubena, Frederic P. Stratton, Pamela R. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7843113
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator having a bottom electrode attached to a membrane, a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the bottom electrode extends substantially over the entire bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer, and at least a peripheral portion of a top surface of the piezoelectric layer and side faces of that layer are covered with an insulating layer, and wherein in the peripheral portion of the top surface of the piezoelectric layer the top electrode is superposed on the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: David D. L. Wijngaards, Hans Reinten, Hendrik J. Stolk, Alex N. Westland
  • Patent number: 7841064
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device includes forming a first sealing portion on a substrate having an acoustic wave element thereon so that a functional region, in which an acoustic wave oscillates, of the acoustic wave element acts as a first non-covered portion and a cutting region for individuating acts as a second non-covered portion, forming a second sealing portion on the first sealing portion so as to cover the first non-covered portion and the second non-covered portion, and cutting off the substrate and the second sealing portion so that the second non-covered portion is divided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Aikawa, Takumi Kooriike, Jyouji Kimura, Keiji Tsuda, Masayuki Kitajima, Kazunori Inoue, Takashi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7834524
    Abstract: Micro-electromechanical devices include a temperature-compensation capacitor and a thin-film bulk acoustic resonator having a first terminal electrically coupled to an electrode of the temperature-compensation capacitor. The temperature-compensation capacitor includes a bimorph beam having a first electrode thereon and a second electrode extending opposite the first electrode. This bimorph beam is configured to yield an increase in spacing between the first and second electrodes in response to an increase in temperature of the micro-electromechanical device. This increase in spacing between the first and second electrodes leads to a decrease in capacitance of the temperature-compensation capacitor. Advantageously, this decrease in capacitance can be used to counteract a negative temperature coefficient of frequency associated with the thin-film bulk acoustic resonator, and thereby render the resonant frequency of the micro-electromechanical device more stable in response to temperature fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Wang, Harmeet Bhugra
  • Patent number: 7825568
    Abstract: A composite acoustic wave device (AWD) which is adapted for operation at high ambient pressures is provided. The AWD comprises two piezoelectric plates in back to back relationship, with electrodes disposed between the plates. The plates are bonded so as to neutralize the effects of external pressure. Further disclosed is a sensor utilizing the AWD and methods for utilizing such AWD for physical measurements in high pressure environments. An optional cavity formed between the piezoelectric plates offers the capability to measure the pressure and to further neutralize the residual effects of the pressure on measurement accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Vectron International, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey C Andle
  • Patent number: 7800285
    Abstract: A coating providing high abrasion and chemical resistance composed of a barrier layer from vanadium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum and the like, and an outer layer of diamond-like carbon. The coating is especially applicable for acoustic wave device (AWD) based sensors, and for passivating an electrode such as an electrode deposited on the AWD sensing area. The coating provides excellent mechanical and acoustical characteristics for coating acoustic wave devices allowing the sensor to operate in harsh environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation
    Inventors: Jeffrey C Andle, Reichl B Haskell, John H. Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 7795781
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator includes a piezoelectric layer having a disrupted texture region, where the disrupted texture region is situated in a controlled thickness region of the BAW resonator. The BAW resonator further includes lower and upper electrodes situated on opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric layer. The controlled thickness region has controlled electromechanical coupling and includes a segment of material situated over the upper electrode. The segment of material can be a metal or a dielectric material. The disrupted texture region can be situated at an edge of the BAW resonator and can extend along a perimeter of the BAW resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradley P. Barber, Frank Bi, Craig E. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 7786649
    Abstract: A filter includes piezoelectric thin-film resonators having a substrate, a lower electrode supported by the substrate, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film. At least one of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators has a portion in which the upper electrode overlaps the lower electrode across the piezoelectric film. The above portion has a shape different from shapes of corresponding portions of other piezoelectric thin-film resonators, so that a spurious component in the above at least one of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators occur at a frequency different from frequencies of spurious components that occur in the other piezoelectric thin-film resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited, Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Masanori Ueda, Yasuyuki Saitou
  • Patent number: RE42009
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator of the present invention is structured such that on a substrate 5 having a cavity 4 formed therein, a lower electrode 3, a piezoelectric body 1, a spurious component control layer 16, and an upper electrode 2 are formed in this order from bottom up. The spurious component control layer 16 is a layer for controlling a spurious frequency, and composed of, for example, a metallic material, a dielectric material, or a piezo electric material. By additionally providing the spurious component control layer 16, it is made possible to cause variation of the spurious frequency due to unwanted variation to become greater than variation in resonance frequency of the main resonance of the piezoelectric resonator. Thus, it is possible to realize a piezoelectric resonator having an admittance frequency response where no spurious component occurs between resonance frequency fr and antiresonance frequency fa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakatsuka, Keiji Onishi, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Takehiko Yamakawa