Abstract: An acoustic resonator device includes a bottom electrode disposed on a substrate over an air cavity, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer, where an overlap between the top electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the bottom electrode over the air cavity defines a main membrane region. The acoustic resonator device further includes at least one air-ring defining a boundary of the main membrane region, and at least one first frame formed between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric layer or formed between the substrate and the bottom electrode, and a second frame formed between the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode.

Abstract: A power amplifier including a MOSFET including a source supplied with a first DC power, a gate connected to an RF input signal, and a drain connected to a power supply terminal of an RF power amplification unit; a supply voltage modulation control unit that determines a DC gate voltage of the MOSFET based on an envelope of the RF input signal; and a bypass circuit connected between the drain and the power supply terminal. The MOSFET outputs a second DC power via the drain and amplifies the RF input signal based on a third DC power substantially identical to a differential between the first and the second DC power, and also outputs an RF power via the drain. The bypass circuit receives and rectifies the RF power to supply a recycled DC power to the power supply terminal of the RF power amplification unit.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprises a piezoelectric layer, a first acoustic resonator comprising first and second electrodes formed on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer, and a second acoustic resonator comprising first and second electrodes formed on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer and acoustically coupled to the first acoustic resonator.

Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) switch comprises first and second heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) that control transmission of an RF input signal between an input terminal and an output terminal. In some embodiments, the RF input signal is transmitted from the input terminal to the output terminal where the first and second HBTs are turned ON, and otherwise the RF input signal is not transmitted from the input terminal to the output terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a thickness of at least one insulating layer of a printed circuit board (PCB), the at least one insulating layer having a transmission line located thereon. The apparatus includes an impedance measurement unit configured to input a plurality of input signals to the transmission line, each of the input signals having a respective frequency, to receive output signals from the transmission line, and to determine impedance values of the at least one insulating layer based on the input signals and the output signals; and a thickness calculation unit configured to calculate a thickness of the at least one insulating layer based on the impedance values.

Abstract: A power amplifier includes first and second amplification stages. The first amplification stage is configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) input signal. The second amplification stage includes at least one transistor configured to amplify an output of the first amplification stage, the second amplification stage being configured to have a capacitance between a gate of the at least one transistor and a first power supply voltage. The capacitance automatically varies with amplitude of the output of the first amplification stage.

Abstract: A thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis orientation and on the first electrode, a second piezoelectric layer having a second c-axis orientation over the first piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode on the second piezoelectric layer. The first and second piezoelectric layers are made of respective different piezoelectric materials. The FBAR can be set to have different resonance frequencies by selecting the first and second c-axis orientations to be respectively the same or different. The high and low frequency range of the FBAR can thus be extended.

Abstract: An acoustic resonator device includes an annular acoustic resonator, a heater coil and a heat sensor. The annular acoustic resonator is positioned over a trench formed in a substrate of the acoustic resonator device. The heater coil is disposed around a perimeter of the annular acoustic resonator, the heater coil including a resistor configured to receive a heater current. The heat sensor is configured to adjust the heater current in response to a temperature of the heater coil.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a first apparatus port receiving a first signal having a first frequency; a second apparatus port outputting the first signal having the first frequency; a first passive device connected between the first and second apparatus ports; a second passive device connected between the first and second apparatus ports; a plurality of phase shifters each providing a corresponding phase shift, wherein at least one of the phase shifters provides its phase shift in a first signal path between the first and second apparatus ports through the first passive device, and wherein at least another phase shifter provides its phase shift in a second signal path between the first and second apparatus ports through the second passive device. The phase shifts are selected to cancel an upper or lower intermodulation product between the first signal and a second signal having a second frequency received at the second apparatus port.

Abstract: A transducer device includes first and second resonant elements and a common coupling cavity. The first resonant element includes a first membrane arranged over a first cavity in a substrate and a first transducer structure stacked on the first membrane. The second resonant element includes a second membrane arranged over a second cavity in the substrate. The common coupling cavity is configured to couple acoustic signals from the first and second resonant elements.

Abstract: A method is provided for tuning a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillator comprising an acoustic resonator and a tuning and amplification circuit arranged in a loop. The method comprises determining an initial oscillation frequency of the oscillator, modifying a capacitance of the tuning and amplification circuit according to the initial oscillation frequency, and adjusting a power level of the oscillator according to the modified capacitance.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes semiconductor devices on a substrate, a moisture barrier on the substrate surrounding the semiconductor devices, and a metal conductive redistribution layer formed over the moisture barrier. The metal conductive redistribution layer and the moisture barrier define a closed compartment containing the semiconductor devices.

Abstract: In a representative embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator, comprises: a first electrode disposed over a substrate; a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction; a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer; and a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction.

Abstract: An amplifier having an operating frequency includes: an input port and an output port; three gain elements, each having an input terminal and an output terminal; an input matching network; and an output matching network. The input matching network includes: a first microstrip line which is connected to the input port and is an inductor at the operating frequency; a second microstrip line extending between the input terminals of the three gain elements; and a first split shunt capacitor connecting the first microstrip line to the second microstrip line. The output matching network includes: a third microstrip line which is connected to the output port and is an inductor at the operating frequency; a fourth microstrip line extending between the output terminals of the three gain elements; and a second split shunt capacitor connecting the third microstrip line to the fourth microstrip line.

Abstract: A transducer device includes a coupling cavity, a first resonant element and a second resonant element. The first resonant element is coupled to the coupling cavity and configured to send or receive acoustic signals. The second resonant element is coupled to the coupling cavity and configured to modify a frequency response of the first resonant element via the coupling cavity.

Abstract: A device for separating signal transmission and reception has first, second, and third device ports, a circulator including a first circulator port, a second circulator port and a third circulator port, a transmission filter coupled between the first circulator port and the first device port, and a reception filter coupled between the third circulator port and the third device port. The second circulator port is coupled to the second device port An input to the first port is output from the second port and an input to the second port is output from the third port. The circuit provides isolation between transmission and reception to improve communication efficiency and can reduce the size of a communication system.

Abstract: A thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) includes a first electrode stacked on a substrate over a cavity, a piezoelectric layer stacked on the first electrode, and a second electrode stacked on the piezoelectric layer. Multiple lateral features are formed on a surface of the second electrode, the lateral features including multiple stepped structures.

Abstract: An acoustic resonator comprises a substrate having a trench with lateral boundaries, a first electrode formed on the substrate over the trench and having lateral edges that are laterally offset from the lateral boundaries of the trench by a first distance, a first piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode, a second electrode formed on the first piezoelectric layer and having edges that are laterally aligned inside the lateral boundaries of the trench, a second piezoelectric layer located on the second electrode, and a third electrode located on the second piezoelectric layer and having edges that are laterally offset from the edges of the second electrode.

Abstract: In accordance with a representative embodiment, a BAW resonator structure, comprises a first BAW resonator, comprising: a first lower electrode having a first electrical resistance; a first upper electrode having a second electrical resistance; and a first piezoelectric layer disposed between the first lower electrode and the first upper electrode. The BAW resonator structure also comprises a second BAW resonator, comprising: a second lower electrode having the second electrical resistance; a second upper electrode having the first electrical resistance; and a second piezoelectric layer disposed between the second lower electrode and the second upper electrode. The BAW resonator structure also comprises an acoustic coupling layer disposed between the first BAW resonator and the second BAW resonator. The first electrical resistance is less than the second electrical resistance. An communication device comprising a coupled resonator filter (CRF) is also disclosed.

Abstract: An acoustic resonator structure comprises a substrate having a trench, a conductive pattern formed in the trench, a pillar formed within the trench, and an acoustic resonator supported at a central location by the pillar and suspended over the trench.