Abstract: A film bulk acoustic resonator is formed on a substrate. The film bulk acoustic resonator includes a layer of piezoelectric material having a first surface proximate the substrate, and a second surface distal from the substrate. The first conductive layer deposited on the first surface of the piezoelectric material includes a first portion having a surface on a different plane than a surface associated with a second portion.

Abstract: An electronic component of an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first piezoelectric thin film resonator and a second piezoelectric thin film resonator. The first piezoelectric thin film resonator and second piezoelectric thin film resonator are a piezoelectric thin film resonator that has a structure in which a piezoelectric thin film is interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode, that is constituted in an area where the lower electrode, piezoelectric thin film, and upper electrode overlap each other, and that obtains a signal with a predetermined resonance frequency by bulk waves propagating inside the piezoelectric thin film. The interval between a part of a periphery of the first piezoelectric thin film resonator and a part of a periphery of the second piezoelectric thin film resonator that face each other is not constant.

Abstract: A thin-film bulk acoustic oscillator comprises: a base; a barrier layer disposed on the base; a lower electrode disposed on the barrier layer; a piezoelectric thin film disposed on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode disposed on the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric thin film includes a columnar crystal that extends in the direction intersecting the film surface. The top surface of the piezoelectric thin film is flattened by polishing so as to have a root mean square roughness of 2 nm or smaller.

Abstract: A SAW device includes a SAW element having an IDT and a conductive pad connected to the IDT provided on a piezoelectric substrate, and an external terminal. The SAW device also includes an insulating layer having an exciting portion protective opening defining a space for protecting a SAW-exciting portion including the IDT and a conductive opening. The external terminal is connected to the conductive pad through a wiring extending in the conductive opening.

Abstract: In the case where an ultraminiature piezoelectric substrate, which has a resonating portion formed by making a concavity by etching in the surface of the piezoelectric substrate made of an anisotropic crystal material, is mass-produced by batch operation using a large-area piezoelectric substrate wafer, an annular portion surrounding each concavity is formed sufficiently thick to prevent cracking from occurring when the wafer is severed.

Abstract: A frequency-tunable resonator comprises a basic element having at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one semiconducting layer. The electrodes, formed on main surface situated opposite one another of the basic element, are loaded with an external voltage, whereby the resonant frequency of the basic element or of the resonator can be in dependence on the voltage.

Abstract: A method for switching a bulk acoustic device is disclosed. The bulk acoustic device has a substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric film between the first and the second electrode. Switching is obtained by controlling the polarization of the piezoelectric film, through application of a DC voltage difference to the first and second electrodes. Therefore, no additional switches are needed to direct and control the RF signals passing through the device.

Abstract: To make a substantial mounting area smaller. A piezoelectric resonator has a piezoelectric resonator element accommodated in a package. The piezoelectric resonator element includes a pair of connection electrodes which are connected to excitation electrodes. The respective connection electrodes are joined to mount electrodes formed in the package. The piezoelectric resonator includes four external electrodes at the outer surface of the bottom of the package. The external electrodes disposed along the shorter latus of the package on one side in the lengthwise direction thereof are electrically connected with the mount electrodes to which the respective connection electrodes of the piezoelectric resonator element are connected.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of speaklets (MEMS membranes) produces a stream of clicks (discrete pulses of acoustic energy) that are summed to generate the desired soundwave. The speaklets are selected to be energized based on the value of a digital signal. The greater the significance of the bit of the digital signal, the more speaklets that are energized in response to that bit. Thus, a time-varying sound level is generated by time-varying the number of speaklets emitting clicks. Louder sound is generated by increasing the number of speaklets emitting clicks. The present invention represents a substantial advance over the prior art in that sound is generated directly from a digital signal without the need to convert the digital signal first to an analog signal for driving a diaphragm.

Abstract: A piezoelectric converter comprising a piezoelectric actuator that includes a piezoelectric ceramic layer of thin plate shape being stacked on the surface of a substrate on the side thereof whereon cavities to be filled with a liquid are formed wherein, in order to prevent a significant buckling deformation from occurring in a region of the piezoelectric actuator that corresponds to the cavities of the substrate, the thickness T (mm) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer and maximum width W (mm) of the cavities in the direction of substrate surface are set so as to satisfy the relation of expression (1). T?(19.6 W+5.

Abstract: A noise suppression method of a wave filter used to eliminate standing wave signal interferences in the acoustic wave filter consisted by a plurality of film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs). The method is to provide a plurality of scatterers in the structured consisted by the FBARs, thereby creating an band-gap structure due to the material characteristics difference, which consequently generates a destructive interfering effect to the transverse higher harmonics vibration within a specific operating frequency range, and ultimately decreases or even eliminates any parasitic effects. Therefore, within the operation frequency range of this band-gap structure, abnormal signals created by any transverse wave modes cannot exist. In addition, an acoustic shield can be provided by phononic crystal structures between different FBARs, thus acoustic shielding any mutual interference within the operation frequency range.

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic composition that is based on a layered bismuth compound composed of Sr, Bi, Nb, oxygen, contains an additional monovalent metallic element. The piezoelectric ceramic composition has an elevated Curie point, is highly reliable at higher temperatures, that is, minimizes the reduction in the piezoelectric effect, and is useful as a material for piezoelectric ceramic devices that contain little or no lead or lead compounds. The layered bismuth compound contains not more than about 0.125 mol and more than 0 mol of the monovalent metallic element for 1 mol of Nb.

Abstract: To provide a piezoelectric thin-film element small in leak current between electrode metal films and its manufacturing method are presented, the piezoelectric thin-film element includes at least one unit laminated body composed of a piezoelectric thin-film having a mutually facing first surface and second surface, a first electrode metal film on the first surface, and a second electrode metal film on the second surface, in which an electrode separation surface composed of a piezoelectric thin-film surface parallel to the first surface is provided between the first electrode metal film and second electrode metal film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making high-frequency piezoelectric resonators so that constants of the resonator can be measured precisely. A cavity is formed at a central section of an AT-cut crystal substrate. Two grooves are formed at predetermined distances from the left and right of the cavity, and two more grooves are formed at predetermined distances outward from these two grooves. Two more grooves perpendicular to the first set of grooves are formed. A pair of main electrodes and a pair of secondary electrodes shorted to ground and surrounding the main electrodes are disposed at roughly the center of the crystal substrate. One main electrode and one secondary electrode are used as inputs and the other main electrode and secondary electrode are used as outputs, with these two terminal pairs being used to measure and adjust a frequency.

Abstract: A composite material for piezoelectric transduction which exhibits a sufficient piezoelectricity, can be suitably utilized in various fields as a damping material and the like, and can be suitably utilized in the fields that require heat resistance. The composite material for piezoelectric transduction of the present invention absorbs external vibration or the like as strain energy, efficiently transforms the strain energy into electricity, and is capable of dissipating the electricity as heat, by using a material for piezoelectric transduction which is excellent in mass production at low cost and handlings. One of the preferable aspect of the composite material for piezoelectric transduction is to include a domain which exhibits piezoelectricity in a matrix material of the composite material for piezoelectric transduction, in which the domain is formed of a material for piezoelectric transduction which contains a main chain liquid crystal polymer.

Abstract: A crystal unit has a crystal blank having a hole defined in at least one principal surface thereof, the crystal blank having a region of a reduced thickness including the hole, the region serving as a vibrating region, excitation electrodes disposed respectively on opposite principal surfaces of the crystal blank in the vibrating region, extension electrodes extending respectively from the excitation electrodes to respective opposite ends of one side of the crystal blank, and a casing having a step formed therein. The opposite ends of the one side of the crystal blank are fixed to the step by a joining member. The crystal blank has a notched portion defined therein between the one side and the vibrating region, the notched portion extending from at least one transverse edge of the crystal blank in a transverse direction of the crystal blank.

Abstract: An IT-cut quartz crystal unit has a discoidal or a rectangular quartz crystal blank which is cut from a crystal of quartz along a plane perpendicular to the Y-axis of the crystal of the quartz which is rotated over approximately 34° about the X-axis, and further rotated from this rotated position over approximately 19° about the Z-axis. Excitation electrodes are formed on both main surface of the crystal blank, respectively. The crystal blank is held at positions in at least one set of opposing peripheral regions selected from an angular range of 18°±18° from the Z?-axis on the surface of the crystal blank, viewed from the center on the surface of the crystal blank; an angular range of 198°±18° from the Z?-axis; an angular range of 108°±18° from the Z?-axis; and an angular range of 288°±18° from the Z?-axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making high-frequency piezoelectric resonators so that constants of the resonator can be measured precisely. A cavity is formed at a central section of an AT-cut crystal substrate. Two grooves are formed at predetermined distances from the left and right of the cavity, and two more grooves are formed at predetermined distances outward from these two grooves. Two more grooves perpendicular to the first set of grooves are formed. A pair of main electrodes and a pair of secondary electrodes shorted to ground and surrounding the main electrodes are disposed at roughly the center of the crystal substrate. One main electrode and one secondary electrode are used as inputs and the other main electrode and secondary electrode are used as outputs, with these two terminal pairs being used to measure and adjust a frequency.

Abstract: A film bulk acoustic resonator of the present invention includes an upper electrode 104, a lower electrode 102, and a piezoelectric film 103 as well as an acoustic multilayer 120 that are provided between the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode 102. Thus, a distance between the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode 102 is extended by a thickness of the acoustic multilayer 120, and electrostatic capacitance between the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode 102 per unit area can be reduced accordingly. Therefore, an electrode area can be increased as compared to when there is no acoustic multilayer 120, and an influence of grains of a piezoelectric material can be reduced.

Abstract: An energy trap type piezoelectric resonator component includes a piezoelectric resonator using a third overtone of a thickness longitudinal vibration. The piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate, and first and second vibrating electrodes, having an elliptical shape, and respectively arranged on portions of first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate such that the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween. A flattening ratio “a/b” of a minor axis diameter “b” to a major axis diameter “a” of the elliptical shape is within a range of from about 1.2 to about 1.45. The resonator is thus compact, effectively controls the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration as a spurious wave, is relatively free from area restraints of the electrode and dimensional constraints, and meets a variety of frequency requirements in a wide range.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator component includes an energy-trapped piezoelectric resonator utilizing a third order harmonic wave of thickness longitudinal vibration and including a piezoelectric substrate having first and second major surfaces and polarized in a direction of thickness between the first and second major surfaces, and first and second vibrating electrodes opposed to each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween, and first and second casing substrates respectively laminated on the first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric resonator so that cavities are arranged so as not to interfere with vibration of a vibration section where the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other through the piezoelectric substrate. The first and second vibrating electrodes are dimensioned so that the difference between the peak values of the phases of S0 and S1 modes of the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration falls within a range of about ±5 degrees.

Abstract: A piezoelectric shear resonator has a substantially rectangular-column piezoelectric element that excites a shear-vibration mode and that has opposing substantially rectangular shear strain surfaces. The shear strain surfaces each have an aspect ratio at which the electromechanical coupling factor reaches substantially a maximum value. When the vertical dimension of the shear strain surfaces is D and the horizontal dimension thereof is Le, the aspect ratio Le/D is expressed by Le/D={?·(S44E/S33E)1/2+?}±0.3, where S44E and S33E are elastic compliances, ?=0.27·n+0.45, ?=1.09·n+0.31, and n is a positive integer.

Abstract: A film acoustic wave device having similar properties are obtained by changing at least one of the length and/or the width of upper electrodes; the distance between the upper electrodes; the length and/or the width of connecting patterns; the areas of bonding pads; and the pattern shape for the film acoustic wave device such as the area of capacitor electrodes electrically connected to the bonding pads. Property variations of the film acoustic wave devices caused from the positioning at a wafer is compensated for.

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. A three mode wideband high output transducer is also disclosed along with an electro-mechanical feedback system which provides a smoothed response as well as array control under multiple element usage.

Abstract: A micromechanical switch comprises a substrate, at least one pair of support members fixed to the substrate, at least one pair of beam members placed in proximity and parallel to each other above the substrate, and connected to one of the support members, respectively, each of the beam members having a moving portion which is movable with a gap with respect to the substrate, and a contact portion provided on the moving portion, and a driving electrode placed on the substrate between the pair of beam members to attract the moving portions of the beam members in a direction parallel to the substrate with electrostatic force so that the contact portions of the beam members which are opposed to each other are short-circuited.

Abstract: An assembly and method for array processing of hermetically sealed Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Devices employs a non-conductive material having an array of spaced cavities extending into the material for receiving a SAW die face down, in a flip-chip arrangement. Each cavity has a peripheral recess dimensioned to receive a lid for hermetically sealing the die within the cavity. Conductive paths are provided from the interior of the cavity to the surface of the array for providing an electrical contact with the SAW die. Individual SAW devices are then provided by cutting along separation lines between adjacent cavities after a plurality of die have been hermetically sealed within its cavity.

Abstract: A film bulk acoustic device having integrated trimmable device comprises a FBAR and a integrated tunable and trimmable device being integrated on a common substrate, at least a common electrode or piezoelectric layer. By trimming the integrated trimmable device or the FBAR and alter either the capacitance or inductance of the integrated trimmable device until the film bulk acoustic device having integrated trimmable device achieves the target resonance frequency. By taking advantage of the electrostatic force, the integrated tunable device is capable of providing tuning until the film bulk acoustic device having integrated tunable device achieves the target resonance frequency.

Abstract: A first vibrating electrode is provided on a first side of a piezoelectric substrate perpendicular to the thickness direction. A second vibrating electrode is provided on a second side opposite to the first side to face the first vibrating electrode. A first pad and a second pad are respectively formed on a side of the piezoelectric substrate perpendicular to the thickness direction in area having a small vibration displacement. The first pad and the second pad are electrically connected to the first vibrating electrode and the second vibrating electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a megasonic cleaning apparatus configured to provide effective cleaning of a substrate without causing damage to the substrate. The apparatus includes a probe having one of a variety of cross-sections configured to decrease the ratio of normal-incident waves to shallow-angle waves. One such cross-section includes a channel running along a portion of the lower edge of the probe. Another cross-section includes a narrow lower edge of the probe. Another cross-section is elliptical. Another cross-section includes transverse bores originating in the lower edge of the probe. As an alternative to, or in addition to, providing a probe having a cross-section other than circular, the present invention may also provide a probe having a roughened lower surface.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate surface using ultrasonic energy includes an array of ‘N’ transducer elements. Electrical signals, Sn, having signal parameters including a voltage, VN, and phase, ?N, are provided to drive each transducer element and generate respective ultrasonic waves. A computer sub-system is used to control the signal parameters to establish a substantially uniform cavitation energy at a plurality of locations on the substrate surface. The signal parameters can be established to focus or steer the ultrasonic energy from the array to each location. To calculate the electrical signal parameters, the computer sub-system can use some or all of the following as inputs; the arrangement and inter-element spacing of the transducer elements, characteristics of the fluid medium, and the coordinates of the locations requiring cleaning.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator includes a substrate, a vibration unit disposed on the substrate and having a structure in which at least one pair of an upper electrode and a lower electrode opposed to each other, the upper and lower electrodes sandwiching the upper and lower surfaces of an internal thin-film portion including at least one layer of a piezoelectric thin-film, and an external thin-film portion provided under the lower electrode and including at least one layer of a piezoelectric thin-film or a dielectric thin-film, the vibration unit being vibrated in an n-th harmonic (n is an integer of 2 or more), the upper electrode and the lower electrode being provided substantially in the positions of the loops of the n-th harmonic.

Abstract: A laminate type piezoelectric element having an improved piezoelectric property is provided. Vibration electrodes are arranged in a piezoelectric body, and high-order vibration of the thickness vibration is excited. The piezoelectric ceramic includes two ceramic piezoelectric layers which are laminated, and are integrally formed. Each of the ceramic piezoelectric layers contains ceramic crystal grains having shape anisotropy and spontaneous polarization preferentially oriented in one plane. The in-plane direction of this plane is perpendicular to the principal surfaces of the ceramic piezoelectric layers. The ceramic piezoelectric layers are polarized in the same thickness direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator uses aluminum nitride as piezoelectric material and thickness sliding vibration as the primary vibration. A polarization direction of the primary vibration is along the longitudinal direction of its vibrating element. This vibrator eliminates undesired resonance, caused by a width of the vibrating element, from a vicinity of a resonance frequency of the primary vibration. Vibrating element 1 has width W and thickness H defined as follows: 2.0≦W/H≦4.0 or 4.3≦W/H≦5.7 or 6.2≦W/H≦7.8 or 8.2≦W/H≦9.8.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator component includes an energy-trapped piezoelectric resonator utilizing a third order harmonic wave of thickness longitudinal vibration and including a piezoelectric substrate having first and second major surfaces and polarized in a direction of thickness between the first and second major surfaces, and first and second vibrating electrodes opposed to each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween, and first and second casing substrates respectively laminated on the first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric resonator so that cavities are arranged so as not to interfere with vibration of a vibration section where the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other through the piezoelectric substrate. The first and second vibrating electrodes are dimensioned so that the difference between the peak values of the phases of S0 and S1 modes of the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration falls within a range of about ±5 degrees.

Abstract: An energy trap type piezoelectric resonator component includes a piezoelectric resonator using a third overtone of a thickness longitudinal vibration. The piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate, and first and second vibrating electrodes, having an elliptical shape, and respectively arranged on portions of first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate such that the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween. A flattening ratio “a/b” of a minor axis diameter “b” to a major axis diameter “a” of the elliptical shape is within a range of from about 1.2 to about 1.45. The resonator is thus compact, effectively controls the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration as a spurious wave, is relatively free from area restraints of the electrode and dimensional constraints, and meets a variety of frequency requirements in a wide range.

Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices having multiple resonant frequencies and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, an acoustic resonator device includes an acoustic resonant structure that includes first and second electrodes and first and second piezoelectric layers. The first and second electrodes abut opposite sides of a resonant volume free of any interposing electrodes. The first and second piezoelectric layers are disposed for acoustic vibrations in the resonant volume and have different respective acoustical resonance characteristics and respective piezoelectric axes oriented in different directions. The acoustic resonant structure has resonant electric responses at first and second resonant frequencies respectively determined at least in part by the acoustical resonance characteristics of the first and second piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: A resonator structure (1200, 1300, 1400), where a certain wave mode is piezoelectrically excitable, comprises at least two conductor layers (110, 120) and at least one piezoelectric layer (110) in between the conductor layers, said conductor layers and piezoelectric layer extending over a first area of the resonator structure, which first area is a piezoelectrically excitable area of the resonator structure. The resonator structure is characterized in that it comprises a frame-like zone (2, 4) confining a center area (3) within the first area, a cut-off frequency of the piezoelectrically excited wave mode in the layer structure of the frame-like zone is different from that in the layer structure of the center area, and width of the frame-like zone and acoustical properties of the layer structure in the frame-like zone are arranged so that displacement relating to the piezoelectrically excited strongest resonance mode is substantially uniform in the center area of the resonator.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a quartz nanoresonator which can be integrated on a substrate, along with other electronics is disclosed. In this method a quartz substrate is bonded to a base substrate. The quartz substrate is metallized so that a bias voltage is applied to the resonator, thereby causing the quartz substrate to resonate at resonant frequency greater than 100 MHz. The quartz substrate can then be used to drive other electrical elements with a frequency equal to its resonant frequency. The quartz substrate also contains tuning pads to adjust the resonant frequency of the resonator. Additionally, a method for accurately thinning a quartz substrate of the resonator is provided.

Abstract: A frequency-tunable resonator comprises a basic element having at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one semiconducting layer. The electrodes, formed on main surfaces opposite one another of the basic element, are loaded with an external voltage, whereby the resonant frequency of the basic element or of the resonator can be set in dependence on the voltage.

Abstract: A method for switching a bulk acoustic device is disclosed. The bulk acoustic device has a substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric film between the first and the second electrode. Switching is obtained by controlling the polarization of the piezoelectric. film, through application of a DC voltage difference to the first and second electrodes. Therefore, no additional switches are needed to direct and control the RF signals passing through the device.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric resonator, first and second resonance electrodes are provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of a piezoelectric member, inner electrode layers for leading the first and second resonance electrodes to the upper and lower surfaces are provided and extend to the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric member, and connecting electrodes are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric member, and are electrically connected to the corresponding resonance electrodes via the inner electrode layers.

Abstract: In a film bulk acoustic resonator, a multi-layered member is placed on a substrate. The multi-layered member has: a common electrode; a piezoelectric layer formed on the common electrode; a first electrode which is formed on the piezoelectric layer, and which is used for a resonator; a second electrode which surrounds the edge of the first electrode with forming a gap therebetween, and which is used for a spurious suppressing element; a first wiring through which an electric power is supplied to the first electrode; and a second wiring through which an electric power is supplied to the second electrode. In the film bulk acoustic resonator, the piezoelectric layer includes a ferroelectric film, and a polarization state of the ferroelectric film corresponding to the resonator is different from a polarization state of the ferroelectric film corresponding to the spurious suppressing element.

Abstract: A method for producing an energy trap piezoelectric resonator which operates in a thickness longitudinal vibration mode and which includes a piezoelectric member and first and second vibrating electrodes disposed on respective major surfaces of the piezoelectric member, involves the use of a piezoelectric material having an R value and an A value which are selected such that Qe=C/(R×A), where R and A are the average pore size in micrometers and the porosity in percent of the piezoelectric member, respectively. Here, Qe is a value at a frequency to be used and C is a constant that is determined by the piezoelectric material of the piezoelectric member. An energy trap, thickness longitudinal piezoelectric resonator produced by this method has a sufficiently high response to a vibration mode to be used, without any limitation on the type of piezoelectric material and size of the piezoelectric member and the frequency to be used.

Abstract: A film bulk acoustic resonator is fabricated in the following manner. First, a base layer is formed on an insulating substrate. Then, a resonator assembly is formed on the base layer. The resonator assembly includes a first electrode held in contact with the base layer, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer held between the first and the second electrodes. Then, a resist layer is formed to cover the resonator assembly and the base layer. Then, a through-hole is formed in the resist layer so that the base layer is exposed via the through-hole. Then, etchant is supplied via the through-hole to make a space in the base layer under the resonator assembly. Finally, the resist layer is removed.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a resonator including the steps of: forming on an insulating substrate a first portion of a conductive material and a second portion of another material on the first portion; forming an insulating layer having its upper surface flush with the upper part of the second portion; forming by a succession of depositions and etchings a beam of a conductive material above the second portion, the beam ends being on the insulating layer on either side of the second portion, the upper surface of the second portion being exposed on either side of the beam, a third portion of a piezoelectric material on the beam and a fourth portion of a conductive material on the third portion above the beam portion located above the second portion; and removing the second portion.

Abstract: A sparse array that uses a small fraction of a fully populated array but yields a radiation pattern that is suitable for high quality medical imaging. The sparse array consists of two or more separate zones for transmitting and receiving as opposed to the overlapping arrays of the prior art. More specifically, a preferred embodiment sets forth an inner array of transmit elements with a narrow effective aperture and a separate non-overlapping outer array of receive elements with a wide effective aperture. The combination of asymmetric apertures is particularly useful for parallel processing applications. This abstract is provided as a tool for those searching for patents, and not as a limitation on the scope of the claims.

Abstract: Stacked wheels of the rotor of a rotary machine are axially coupled to one another by tie bolt assemblies. Each tie bolt assembly includes a stud having forward and aft ends. The aft end of the stud includes a self-locking nut to thereby lock the stud/nut assembly against rotation relative to the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making high-frequency piezoelectric resonators so that constants of the resonator can be measured precisely. A cavity is formed at a central section of an AT-cut crystal substrate. Two grooves are formed at predetermined distances from the left and right of the cavity, and two more grooves are formed at predetermined distances outward from these two grooves. Two more grooves perpendicular to the first set of grooves are formed. A pair of main electrodes and a pair of secondary electrodes shorted to ground and surrounding the main electrodes are,disposed at roughly the center of the crystal substrate. One main electrode and one secondary electrode are used as inputs and the other main electrode and secondary electrode are used as outputs, with these two terminal pairs being used to measure and adjust a frequency.

Abstract: A chip electronic component capable of being mounted with high density while preventing separation of bonded portions caused by solder fillets without requiring a case member having a complicated structure is provided at a low cost. The chip electronic component includes an electronic component element board including a circuit that defines an electronic component therein and having a pair of side surfaces and a lower surface, and a plurality of external electrodes extending over at least one of the side surface and the lower surface of the electronic component element and being electrically connected to the circuit provided therein. The electrode portion provided on the lower surface of the monolithic body as an electronic component element of each external electrode is provided with narrow portions and wide portions provided thereon, and the narrow portion continues to the external electrode portion provided on the side surface thereof.

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a bismuth layered compound containing Sr, Bi, Nb and a metal element other than Bi having a valence of 3. The bismuth layered compound satisfies the relational expressions: 0.275<a/c<0.5; 0.9≦b/c≦1; 0<x/c≦0.175; and 0.5<(a+3x/2)/c≦0.7, where a, b, c and x represent the molar fractions of Sr, Bi, Nb, and the metal element other than Bi having a valence of 3, respectively. Thus, a piezoelectric ceramic composition mainly containing a bismuth layered compound whose bismuth content is equal to or less than the stoichiometric value and not substantially containing lead and which can be advantageously used for piezoelectric ceramic elements exhibiting a Qmax-factor sufficient for practical use can be achieved.