With Electrical Coupling Patents (Class 333/192)
  • Patent number: 11967942
    Abstract: There are disclosed acoustic resonators and radio frequency filter devices. A back surface of a single-crystal piezoelectric plate is attached to a surface of a substrate except for portions of the piezoelectric plate forming a plurality of diaphragms, each of which spans a respective cavity in the substrate. A conductor pattern is formed on the front surface, the conductor pattern including interdigital transducers (IDTs) of one or more pairs of sub-resonators, each pair consisting of two sub-resonators. The IDT of each sub-resonator includes interleaved fingers disposed on a respective diaphragm. The piezoelectric plate and the IDTs are configured such that respective radio frequency signals applied to each IDT excite respective shear primary acoustic modes in the respective diaphragms. The two sub-resonators of each pair of sub-resonators are positioned symmetrically about a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventor: Ventsislav Yantchev
  • Patent number: 11929727
    Abstract: Acoustic filters, resonators and methods are disclosed. An acoustic resonator includes a substrate and a piezoelectric plate includes a diaphragm that spans a cavity in the substrate. A conductor pattern includes an interdigital transducer (IDT) with interleaved parallel fingers on the diaphragm. A center-to-center spacing between two adjacent parallel fingers is greater than or equal to 2.5 times a thickness of the diaphragm and less than or equal to 15 times the diaphragm thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soumya Yandrapalli, Viktor Plesski, Julius Koskela, Ventsislav Yantchev, Patrick Turner
  • Patent number: 11916540
    Abstract: There are disclosed acoustic resonators and method of fabricating acoustic resonators. An acoustic resonator includes a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having front and back surfaces, the back surface attached to a surface of a substrate except for portions of the piezoelectric plate forming a diaphragm spanning a cavity in the substrate. A conductor pattern on the front surface includes an interdigital transducer (IDT) with interleaved fingers of the IDT disposed on the diaphragm. A periodic array of holes is provided in the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ventsislav Yantchev
  • Patent number: 11881839
    Abstract: An acoustic resonator assembly and a filter are disclosed. The acoustic resonator assembly includes at least two acoustic resonators vertically connected to each other. The acoustic resonator includes: an acoustic mirror, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a top electrode layer that are arranged on a substrate. An active area of the acoustic resonator is defined by an overlapping area of the acoustic mirror, the bottom electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, and the top electrode layer. The acoustic resonator further includes a support layer arranged on the substrate or the piezoelectric layer on a periphery of a projection of the acoustic mirror on the substrate. The at least two acoustic resonators are vertically connected to each other through the support layer. The filter significantly reduces the volume and the area of a device, improves design freedom and reduces design difficulty, enhances product performance and greatly reduces costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventors: Linping Li, Jinghao Sheng, Zhou Jiang
  • Patent number: 11876498
    Abstract: Filter devices and methods are disclosed. A filter device includes a substrate and a piezoelectric plate attached to the substrate, the piezoelectric plate forming diaphragms spanning respective cavities in the substrate. A first portion of the piezoelectric plate has a first thickness. A front surface of a second portion of the piezoelectric plate is recessed relative to a front surface of the first portion of the piezoelectric plate such that the second portion of the piezoelectric plate has a second thickness less than the first thickness. A conductor pattern is formed on the front surfaces of the first and second portions of the piezoelectric plate. The conductor pattern includes a first interdigital transducer (IDT) with interleaved fingers on a diaphragm having the first thickness, and a second IDT with interleaved fingers on a diaphragm having the second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ventsislav Yantchev, Patrick Turner, Robert B. Hammond
  • Patent number: 11749764
    Abstract: A solar cell module can include a plurality of solar cells, each solar cell among the plurality of solar cells including a first electrode and a second electrode arranged in parallel on a rear surface of a semiconductor substrate; a substrate including a conductive pattern electrically connecting the plurality of solar cells with each other; and a protective film disposed on the plurality of solar cells on a front surface of the substrate, in which the conductive pattern includes: a plurality of conductive portions, each of the plurality of conductive portions being arranged between two adjacent solar cells among the plurality of solar cells, an electrode portion formed on a rear surface of the substrate, and a connection portion connected to the electrode portion and surrounding a side surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO LTD
    Inventors: Jeonghun Woo, Jungguen Kim, Yong Song, Daehyun Shin, Junghwan Yeom, Joonho Jeon, Eonjoo Hwang
  • Patent number: 11671074
    Abstract: A film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) includes a piezoelectric film disposed in a central region defining a main active domain in which a main acoustic wave is generated during operation, and in recessed frame regions disposed laterally on opposite sides of the central region. The piezoelectric film disposed in the recessed frame regions includes a greater concentration of defects than a concentration of defects in the piezoelectric film disposed in the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SKYWORKS GLOBAL PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Nobufumi Matsuo, Kwang Jae Shin
  • Patent number: 11509286
    Abstract: A BAW resonator comprises a center area (CA), an underlap region (UL) surrounding the center area having a thickness smaller than the thickness dC of the center region and a frame region (FR), surrounding the underlap region having thickness dF greater than dC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: RF360 Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Gilles Moulard
  • Patent number: 11323096
    Abstract: There are disclosed acoustic resonators and method of fabricating acoustic resonators. An acoustic resonator includes a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having front and back surfaces, the back surface attached to a surface of a substrate except for portions of the piezoelectric plate forming a diaphragm spanning a cavity in the substrate. A conductor pattern on the front surface includes an interdigital transducer (IDT) with interleaved fingers of the IDT disposed on the diaphragm. A periodic array of holes is provided in the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Resonant Inc.
    Inventor: Ventsislav Yantchev
  • Patent number: 11323095
    Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices, filter devices, and methods of fabrication are disclosed. An acoustic resonator includes a substrate having a surface and a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having front and back surfaces. The back surface is attached to the surface of the substrate except for a portion of the piezoelectric plate forming a diaphragm that spans a cavity in the substrate. An interdigital transducer (IDT) is formed on the front surface of the single-crystal piezoelectric plate such that interleaved fingers of the IDT are disposed on the diaphragm. The IDT is configured to excite a primary acoustic mode in the diaphragm in response to a radio frequency signal applied to the IDT. The interleaved fingers extend at an oblique angle to an Z crystalline axis of the piezoelectric plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Resonant Inc.
    Inventor: Bryant Garcia
  • Patent number: 11165407
    Abstract: Resonator devices, filter devices, and methods of fabrication are disclosed. A resonator device includes a substrate and a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having parallel front and back surfaces. An acoustic Bragg reflector is sandwiched between a surface of the substrate and the back surface of the single-crystal piezoelectric plate. An interdigital transducer (IDT) is formed on the front surface. The IDT and the single-crystal piezoelectric plate are configured such that a radio frequency signal applied to the IDT excites a shear primary acoustic mode within the single-crystal piezoelectric plate. The acoustic Bragg reflector is configured to reflect the primary shear acoustic mode over a frequency range including a resonance frequency and an anti-resonance frequency of the acoustic resonator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Resonant Inc.
    Inventors: Ventsislav Yantchev, Bryant Garcia, Viktor Plesski, Soumya Yandrapalli, Robert B. Hammond, Patrick Turner, Jesson John
  • Patent number: 11043627
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for co-integrating thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (TFBAR, also called FBAR) devices and III-N semiconductor transistor devices. In accordance with some embodiments, a given TFBAR device may include a superlattice structure comprising alternating layers of an epitaxial piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride (AlN), and any one, or combination, of other III-N semiconductor materials. For instance, aluminum indium nitride (AlxIn1-xN), aluminum gallium nitride (AlxGa1-xN), or aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlxInyGa1-x-yN) may be interleaved with the AlN, and the particular compositional ratios thereof may be adjusted to customize resonator performance. In accordance with some embodiments, the superlattice layers may be formed via an epitaxial deposition process, allowing for precise control over film thicknesses, in some cases in the range of a few nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Han Wui Then, Sansaptak Dasgupta, Marko Radosavljevic, Paul B. Fischer
  • Patent number: 9083300
    Abstract: This disclosure provides implementations of electromechanical systems resonator structures, devices, apparatus, systems, and related processes. In one aspect, a contour mode resonator device includes a first conductive layer with a plurality of first layer electrodes including a first electrode at which a first input signal can be provided and a second electrode at which a first output signal can be provided. A second conductive layer includes a plurality of second layer electrodes including a first electrode proximate the first electrode of the first conductive layer and a second electrode proximate the second electrode of the first conductive layer. A second signal can be provided at the first electrode or the second electrode of the second conductive layer to cooperate with the first input signal or the first output signal to define a differential signal. A piezoelectric layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi Shun Lo, Jonghae Kim, Sang-June Park, Sanghoon Joo, Chengjie Zuo, Changhan Yun
  • Patent number: 8896396
    Abstract: Provided are low pass filters using a bulk acoustic wave resonator (BAWR). A low pass filter may include an input terminal configured to be connected with a first radio frequency (RF) device, an output terminal configured to be connected with a second RF device, a parallel segment including a first BAWR, a third BAWR, and a fifth BAWR that may be connected in parallel with each other to a reference potential, a first series segment having a second BAWR and a first inductor, and a second series segment having a fourth BAWR and a second inductor, and connected in series with the first series segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul Soo Kim, Jun Chul Kim, In Sang Song, Young Il Kim, Duck Hwan Kim, Sang Uk Son, Jea Shik Shin, Hyung Rak Kim
  • Patent number: 8680931
    Abstract: A periodic signal generator is configured to generate high frequency signals characterized by relatively low temperature coefficients of frequency (TCF). This generator may include an oscillator containing a pair of equivalent MEMs resonators therein, which are configured to support bulk acoustic wave and surface wave modes of operation at different resonance frequencies. Each resonator includes a stack of layers including a semiconductor resonator body (e.g., Si-body), a piezoelectric layer (e.g., AIN layer) on the resonator body and interdigitated drive and sense electrodes on the piezoelectric layer. The oscillator is configured to support the generation of first and second periodic signals having unequal first and second frequencies (f1, f2) from first and second resonators within the pair. These first and second periodic signals are characterized by respective first and second temperature coefficients of frequency (TCf1, TCf2), which may differ by at least about 10 ppm/° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Wanling Pan
  • Patent number: 8660168
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for communicating via a spatial multilink repeater are provided. In this regard, a received signal may be frequency shifted to generate a plurality of repeated signals, wherein each repeated signal may be shifted by a different frequency with respect to the received signal. Each repeated signal may comprise one or more signal components and a phase and/or amplitude of each of the components may be controlled to control a directivity of the repeated signals. Each of the repeated signals may be generated by quadrature down-converting said received signal by mixing the received signal with a first LO signal pair, up-converting the down-converted signal by mixing it with a second LO signal pair, and adding or subtracting an in-phase portion and a quadrature-phase portion of the up-converted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8365373
    Abstract: Though the initial concept of the face-mounted resonator was ahead of fabrication technology, the solidly-mounted resonator (SMR) is now a practical resonator design yielding high Qs in a space-efficient and robust mounting configuration. An agile tunable piezoelectric SMR is now provided with a resonator and alternating stacks of high mechanical impedance and low mechanical impedance, piezoelectric layers advantageously stacked on a substrate with the piezoelectric layers connected to an adaptive circuit that alternates with an external electrical impedance having values anywhere between an open circuit and a short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Arthur Ballato
  • Patent number: 8325785
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for communicating via a spatial multilink repeater are provided. In this regard, a received signal may be frequency shifted to generate a plurality of repeated signals, wherein each repeated signal may be shifted by a different frequency with respect to the received signal. Each repeated signal may comprise one or more signal components and a phase and/or amplitude of each of the components may be controlled to control a directivity of the repeated signals. Each of the repeated signals may be generated by quadrature down-converting said received signal by mixing the received signal with a first LO signal pair, up-converting the down-converted signal by mixing it with a second LO signal pair, and adding or subtracting an in-phase portion and a quadrature-phase portion of the up-converted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8295333
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for inter-PCB communication utilizing a spatial multi-link repeater are provided. In this regard, a signal may be transmitted between printed circuit boards via one or more repeaters, wherein the repeaters may frequency shift received signals to generate repeated signals. Each of the repeated signals may be generated by quadrature down-converting said received signal by mixing the received signal with a first LO signal pair, up-converting the down-converted signal by mixing it with a second LO signal pair, and adding or subtracting an in-phase portion and a quadrature-phase portion of the up-converted signal. Each repeated signal may comprise one or more signal components and a phase and/or amplitude of each of the components may be controlled to control a directivity of the repeated signals. The repeater may reside on one of the plurality of printed circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8264291
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a resonator including, a vibrating portion having a conductor portion, and three or more insulating portions provided so as to electrically separate the conductor portion into a plurality of blocks, wherein when a potential difference is caused across both ends in each of the three or more insulating portions, the vibrating portion carries out a resonance vibration based on a longitudinal vibration in accordance with a frequency of an A.C. signal inputted to each of corresponding ones of the plurality of blocks in the conductor portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Morita
  • Publication number: 20120004016
    Abstract: A filtering circuit includes a substrate; an acoustic mirror or a membrane destined to act as a mechanical support of acoustic resonators and to isolate these resonators from the substrate; a first section comprising an upper resonator and a lower resonator coupled to each other by at least one acoustic coupling layer; and a second section comprising an upper resonator and a lower resonator coupled to each other by at least one acoustic coupling layer. The filtering circuit also includes metallic vias implementing an inter stage connection between the lower resonator of a section and the upper resonator of the other section. Preferably, the upper resonators exhibit a piezoelectric layer having a thickness selected in order to achieve an optimal impedance matching between the said first and second sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-François Carpentier, Pierre Bar, Alexandre Volatier
  • Publication number: 20110267155
    Abstract: A filter element includes a plurality of multilayer filters that are connected in cascade, each of the plurality of multilayer filters including a plurality of piezoelectric thin-film resonators stacked vertically, each of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators including a piezoelectric film and a pair of first electrodes between which the piezoelectric film is interposed, and a capacitor connected between an input terminal of one of the plurality of multilayer filters of a preceding stage and an input terminal of another one of the plurality of multilayer filters of a following stage, exciting directions of piezoelectric thin-film resonators to which the input terminals of the multilayer filters of the preceding and following stages are connected being opposite to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoaki HARA, Shinji TANIGUCHI, Takeshi SAKASHITA, Tsuyoshi YOKOYAMA, Masafumi IWAKI, Tokihiro NISHIHARA, Masanori UEDA
  • Patent number: 7956705
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit operating with bulk acoustic waves with at least electroacoustic systems, each arranged in a branch (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), wherein each electroacoustic system comprises at least two series-connected resonators (R11, R12; R21, R22; R31, R32; R41, R42) in the respective branch, which are galvanically separated from one another and acoustically coupled to one another by means of a coupling system (K1, K2, K3, K4) arranged therebetween. The electroacoustic systems are acoustically coupled via their coupling system (K1, K2) and/or electrically coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Veit Meister, Werner Ruile
  • Patent number: 7825748
    Abstract: A tunable filter circuit having inputs IN1-IN2 and outputs OUT1-OUT2, comprising at least a primary four-pole circuit including in cascade: a first varactor having a first electrode connected to IN1 and a second electrode; a first inductive resistor connected between the second electrode of the varactor and input IN2, a secondary four-pole circuit comprising four BAW resonators. First and second of these resonators have a first electrode connected to a first input of the secondary four-pole circuit and a second electrode connected to first and second outputs of the secondary four-pole circuit, respectively. Similarly, third and fourth of these resonators have a first electrode connected to a second input of the secondary four-pole circuit and a second electrode connected to the second and first outputs of the secondary four-pole circuit, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Carpentier
  • Patent number: 7737806
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes: a lower electrode that is formed on a substrate; a piezoelectric film that is formed on the substrate and the lower electrode; an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film, with a portion of the piezoelectric film being interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode facing each other; and an additional film that is formed on the substrate on at least a part of the outer periphery of the lower electrode at the portion at which the lower electrode and the upper electrode face each other, with the additional film being laid along the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited, Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Go Endo, Yasuyuki Saitou, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20090295506
    Abstract: A BAW device includes a semiconductor substrate with a surface region, an insulating layer formed on the surface region and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched by a first and second electrode, wherein the second electrode is formed on the insulating layer. The surface region is performed such that a voltage dependence of a capacitance between the substrate and the second electrode is substantially suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Martin Handtmann, Martin Franosch
  • Patent number: 7616079
    Abstract: The invention relates to a resonator operating with bulk acoustic waves (BAW resonator, BAW=Bulk Acoustic Wave) and band-pass filters constructed of such resonators. To increase the edge steepness of the transmission band of a BAW band-pass filter, the invention proposes reducing the effective coupling of a BAW resonator by using the connection in parallel of a BAW resonator and a capacitor instead of only one resonator. In addition, to increase the edge steepness of the transmission band, the use of a connection of coupled BAW resonators in the serial branch of a filter circuit with another resonator or resonator stack in the parallel branch of the filter circuit is proposed, the additional resonator or resonator stack being connected to the center electrode of the resonator stack specified initially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Pasi Tikka, Ralph Stömmer, Edgar Schmidhammer, Michael Unterberger
  • Patent number: 7535323
    Abstract: A filter circuit includes at least one series resonator having a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first and second terminals of the at least one series resonator are coupled to an input and an output of the filter circuit, respectively. The filter circuit further includes at least one shunt resonator having a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal of the at least one shunt resonator is coupled to the input of the filter circuit and the second terminal of the at least one shunt resonator is coupled to ground. A polarity of the first terminal of the at least one series resonator and a polarity of the first terminal of the at least one shunt resonator are selected so as to reduce harmonic signal generation and other types of distortion in the filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Barber, Sahana Kenchappa, Russ Reisner
  • Patent number: 7479851
    Abstract: A piezoelectric component comprises at least two stacked crystal filters on a substrate. Each stacked crystal filter comprises a bottom electrode, a first piezoelectric layer arranged above the bottom electrode, a central electrode arranged above the first piezoelectric layer, a second piezoelectric layer arranged above the central electrode, and a top electrode arranged above the second piezoelectric layer. The bottom electrodes are directly connected to one another and the central electrodes are directly connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Aigner, Stephan Marksteiner, Winfried Nessler
  • Patent number: 7463105
    Abstract: A microresonator includes a plurality of beam-type oscillator elements arranged in parallel and to which DC voltages are applied, wherein the DC voltages are caused to be different among the oscillator elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Morita, Keitaro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20080297281
    Abstract: Disclosed are piezoelectrically-transduced micromachined bulk acoustic resonators fabricated on a polycrystalline diamond film deposited on a carrier substrate. Exemplary resonators comprise a substrate having a smooth diamond layer disposed thereon. A piezoelectric layer is disposed on the diamond layer and top and bottom electrodes sandwich the piezoelectric layer. The resonant structure comprising the diamond layer, piezoelectric layer and electrodes are released from the substrate and are free to vibrate. Additionally, one or more sensing platforms may be coupled to the substrate to form a mass sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Farrokh Ayazi, Reza Abdolvand
  • Patent number: 7400217
    Abstract: The band-pass filter has an upper film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, and, between the FBARs, an acoustic decoupler comprising a layer of acoustic decoupling material. Each of the FBARs has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The acoustic decoupler controls the coupling of acoustic energy between the FBARs. Specifically, the acoustic decoupler couples less acoustic energy between the FBARs than would be coupled by direct contact between the FBARs. The reduced acoustic coupling gives the band-pass filter desirable in-band and out-of-band properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Pte Ltd
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Stephen L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7388455
    Abstract: The film acoustically-coupled transformer (FACT) has a first and second decoupled stacked bulk acoustic resonators (DSBARs). Each DSBAR has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR atop the lower FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between them FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. A first electrical circuit interconnects the lowers FBAR of the first DSBAR and the second DSBAR. A second electrical circuit interconnects the upper FBARs of the first DSBAR and the second DSBAR. In at least one of the DSBARs, the acoustic decoupler and one electrode of the each of the lower FBAR and the upper FBAR adjacent the acoustic decoupler constitute a parasitic capacitor. The FACT additionally has an inductor electrically connected in parallel with the parasitic capacitor. The inductor increases the common-mode rejection ratio of the FACT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Pte Ltd
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Naghmeh Sarkeshik, Stephen L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7385467
    Abstract: Proposed is a resonator which works with bulk acoustic waves and is based on a layer structure known in the art, which is arranged over a substrate. According to the invention, the total surface of the layer structure, including all resonators contained therein, is covered with a dielectric layer and a metal layer which together form an acoustic mirror, a low-k dielectric being used for the dielectric layer. The total-surface mirror offers broadband functionality over a suitable frequency range. The dielectric contained within the mirror acts as a sealing protective layer for the resonator or resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Ralph Stoemmer, Habbo Heinze
  • Publication number: 20080129417
    Abstract: A ladder filter includes a series resonator having a first film laminate in which an upper electrode and a lower electrode face each other across a piezoelectric film, and a first film provided on the first film laminate, and a parallel resonator having a second film laminate having a structure similar to that of the first film laminate, a second film provided on the second film laminate, and another first film identical to the first film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Go Endo, Yasuyuki Saitou, Hisanori Ehara, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7362198
    Abstract: The decoupled stacked bulk acoustic resonator (DSBAR) device has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each of the FBARs has opposed planar electrodes and a layer of piezoelectric material between the electrodes. The acoustic decoupler has acoustic decoupling layers of acoustic decoupling materials having different acoustic impedances. The acoustic impedances and thicknesses of the acoustic decoupling layers determine the acoustic impedance of the acoustic decoupler, and, hence, the pass bandwidth of the DSBAR device. Process-compatible acoustic decoupling materials can then be used to make acoustic decouplers with acoustic impedances (and pass bandwidths) that are not otherwise obtainable due to the lack of process-compatible acoustic decoupling materials with such acoustic impedances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Stephen L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7358831
    Abstract: The encapsulated film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an FBAR stack over the substrate, an element for acoustically isolating the FBAR stack from the substrate, encapsulant covering the FBAR stack, and an acoustic Bragg reflector between the top surface of the FBAR stack and the encapsulant. The FBAR stack comprises an FBAR and has a top surface remote from the substrate. The FBAR comprises opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer and a plastic Bragg layer juxtaposed with the metal Bragg layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Inventors: John D Larson, III, Stephen Ellis, Yury Oshmyansky
  • Patent number: 7332985
    Abstract: The film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an acoustic Bragg reflector over the substrate, a piezoelectric element over the acoustic Bragg reflector, and a remote-side electrode over the piezoelectric element. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer juxtaposed with a plastic Bragg layer. The large ratio between the acoustic impedances of the plastic material of the plastic Bragg layer and the metal of the metal Bragg layer provides sufficient acoustic isolation between the FBAR and the substrate for the frequency response of the FBAR device to exhibit minor, if any, spurious artifacts arising from undesirable acoustic coupling between the FBAR and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: John D Larson, III, Stephen Ellis, Paul A. Bradley, Yury Oshmyansky
  • Patent number: 7242270
    Abstract: The band-pass filter has first terminals, second terminals, a first decoupled stacked bulk acoustic resonator (DSBAR), a second DSBAR, and an electrical circuit connecting the first DSBAR and the second DSBAR in series between the first terminals and the second terminals. Each DSBAR has a first film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), a second FBAR and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John D Larson, III, Stephen Ellis
  • Patent number: 7187254
    Abstract: Multiple thin film bulk acoustic resonators (10, 11) configured in series (10) and parallel (11) within a coplanar waveguide line structure provides a compact ladder filter. The resonators (10, 11) are formed over an opening (28) in a substrate (20) and connected to associated circuitry by one or more transmission lines formed on the substrate (20). The arrangement of the resonators (10, 11) between the ground and signal lines of a coplanar line structure provides a means of minimising the area of the filter. Embedding a ladder filter within the coplanar transmission line structure eliminates the need for wire bonds, thus simplifying fabrication. Embodiments for 2×2, and hither order filters are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Qingxin Su, Paul B. Kirby, Eiju Komuro, Masaaki Imura, Roger W. Whatmore
  • Patent number: 7187255
    Abstract: A filter and method of manufacturing a filter having a lattice arrangement that efficiently utilizes substrate space. An embodiment of the invention is directed to a filter having a plurality of resonators disposed on a substrate, each resonator comprising a first electrode and a second electrode disposed vertically adjacent such that an acoustic cavity of a piezoelectric material is formed between each first electrode and each second electrode of each resonator, the first and second electrodes of each resonator electrically isolated from each other via the piezoelectric material. In this manner, the filter is realized without having to use any vias. Additionally, the resonators may be of a shape that allows each to be disposed close together such that some sides of each of the resonators are parallel to each other. Thus, substrate space can be preserved even further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun Wang, Michael Louis Frank, Richard Ruby
  • Patent number: 7173504
    Abstract: The film acoustically-coupled transformer (FACT) has decoupled stacked bulk acoustic resonators (DSBARs), a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit. Each of the DSBARs has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR and an acoustic decoupler. The upper FBAR is stacked on the lower FBAR and the acoustic decoupler is located between the FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The first electrical circuit interconnects the lower FBARs. The second electrical circuit interconnects the upper FBARs. The FBARs of one of the DSBARs differ in electrical impedance from the FBARs of another of the DSBARs. The FACT has an impedance transformation ratio greater than 1:m2, where m is the number of DSBARs. The actual impedance transformation ratio depends on the ratio of the impedances of the FBARs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Naghmeh Sarkeshik, Stephen L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7116040
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Inoue
  • Patent number: 7038559
    Abstract: An apparatus including vertically separated acoustic resonators are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first acoustic resonator on a substrate and a second acoustic resonator vertically separated above the first acoustic resonator. Because the resonators are vertically separated above another, total area required to implement the resonators is reduced thereby savings in die size and cost are realized. The vertically separated resonators are supported by standoffs that are fabricated on the substrate, or on a resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventors: Richard C. Ruby, John D. Larson, III
  • Patent number: 7019605
    Abstract: The band-pass filter has a stacked pair of film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each of the FBARs has opposed planar electrodes and a layer of piezoelectric material between the electrodes. The acoustic decoupler has a single layer of acoustic decoupling material having a nominal thickness equal to an odd integral multiple of one quarter of the wavelength in the acoustic decoupling material of an acoustic wave having a frequency equal to the center frequency. The acoustic decoupling material comprises plastic. The acoustic decoupler controls the coupling of acoustic energy between the FBARs. Specifically, the acoustic decoupler couples less acoustic energy between the FBARs than would be coupled by direct contact between the FBARs. The reduced acoustic coupling gives the band-pass filter desirable in-band and out-of-band properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventor: John D. Larson, III
  • Patent number: 6987433
    Abstract: An embodiment of the acoustically-coupled transformer has first and second stacked bulk acoustic resonators (SBARs) each having a stacked pair of film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) with an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes with piezoelectric material between the electrodes. A first electrical circuit connects one FBARs of the first SBAR to one FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connects the other FBAR of the first SBAR to the other FBAR of the second SBAR. The c-axis of the piezoelectric material of one of the FBARs is opposite in direction to the c-axes of the piezoelectric materials of the other three FBARs. This arrangement substantially reduces the amplitude of signal-frequency voltages across the acoustic decouplers and significantly improves the common mode rejection of the transformer. This arrangement also allows conductive acoustic decouplers to be used, increasing the available choice of acoustic decoupler materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Larson, III, Yury Oshmyansky
  • Patent number: 6985052
    Abstract: The invention relates to a component operating with bulk acoustic waves, which comprises a mount substrate, thin-film resonators and an acoustic mirror, with coupled resonators being arranged jointly on this mirror. At least one mirror layer—a coupling layer—is in the form of an electrically conductive layer. This mirror layer forms coupling capacitances with lower electrodes of the resonators, thus resulting in deliberate capacitive coupling between the resonators which, according to the invention, is used in order to achieve additional pole points in the blocking areas of the filter transfer function. The capacitive coupling of the resonators may, for example, be influenced by partial structuring of the coupling layer in order, in particular, to shift the frequency of the pole points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventor: Pasi Tikka
  • Patent number: 6965281
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an FBAR based duplexer device, and a manufacturing method thereof, which a plurality of sacrificial layer units are formed on a substrate wafer so as to be spaced apart from one another at regular distances, and device functional portions are formed on the sacrificial layer units, respectively. The device functional portions have a piezoelectric layer unit and a plurality of electrodes. Then, side wall and roof of protective formed by the use of dry film. After hardening the dry film, the wafer is cut into a plurality of the wafer sections so as to contain the device functional portions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., ltd.
    Inventors: Kook Hyun Sunwoo, Jong Oh Kwon
  • Patent number: 6963257
    Abstract: A duplexer comprising a transmit resonator device and a receive resonator device for filtering transmit and receive signals. The resonator device has a first BAW resonator for generating an acoustic wave signal from an input electric signal, a first acoustic delay for delaying the acoustic wave signal, and an intermediate BAW resonator for receiving the delayed acoustic wave signal at one end and converting the delayed acoustic wave signal to an electric signal. Through electrical coupling, the electric signal also appears at another end of the intermediate BAW resonator for generating a further acoustic wave signal at the other end. The resonator further comprises a second delay for delaying the further acoustic wave signal, and a second BAW resonator for producing an output electric signal from the delayed further acoustic wave signal. The duplexer can be used in a transceiver in a mobile phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignees: Nokia Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Juha Ellä, Robert Aigner
  • Patent number: 6954117
    Abstract: In an electronic component having a piezo-electric resonator 10 formed on an element substrate 11 and obtaining a signal having a predetermined resonant frequency by a bulk wave propagating within a piezo-electric film 15, a mounting substrate 19 on which the piezo-electric resonator 10 is mounted by face-down bonding through N bumps 18, when a maximum diameter of said N bumps 18 is defined as D ?m, die shear strength of said N bumps 18 is not smaller than ND/6 (g), preferably, not smaller than ND/3.6 (g).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Komuro, Toshiyuki Nagatsuka, Tsutomu Yasui