Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures are used to generate signals having a target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may generate output signals containing multiple frequencies which may be suitably combined with one or more additional signals to generate the target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may be used to form oscillators.

Abstract: Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer.

Abstract: Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer.

Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures, as well as related devices and methods of manufacture. The mechanical resonating structures can be microphones, each including a diaphragm and a piezoelectric stack. The diaphragm can have one or more openings formed therethrough to enable the determination of an acoustic pressure being applied to the diaphragm through signals emitted by the piezoelectric stack.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for control of charge in a semiconductor material of a mechanical resonating structure are described. Controlling the charge of the material may control the material properties of the semiconductor, such as the stiffness. Such control may result in changes in the behavior of the mechanical resonating structure, allowing for control and tuning of the behavior of the mechanical resonating structure.

Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures are used to generate signals having a target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may generate output signals containing multiple frequencies which may be suitably combined with one or more additional signals to generate the target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may be used to form oscillators.

Abstract: Oscillators including mechanical resonators are described, as are methods of operating the oscillators such that the mechanical resonator exhibits non-linear behavior. The non-linear behavior may include multiple stable states, for instance being bi-stable. The non-linear behavior may exhibit hysteresis. The mechanical resonator may be driven to operate in a desired portion of the non-linear operating regime.

Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures are described, as well as related devices and methods. The mechanical resonating structures may have a compensating structure for compensating temperature variations.

Abstract: Coupled timing oscillators are described. The coupling may be electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical in some instances. In some cases, the timing oscillators include mechanical resonators. Any number of timing oscillators may be coupled. The coupled timing oscillators may be operated cooperatively to produce an oscillating signal with improved signal characteristics, such as phase noise and jitter.

Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures are described, as well as related devices and methods. The mechanical resonating structures may have a compensating structure for compensating temperature variations. The compensating structure may have multiple layers, one of which may have a stiffness that increases with increasing temperature and one of which may have a stiffness that decreases with increases in temperature.

Abstract: Integrated circuits having electrically conductive traces are described. The electrically conductive traces may be formed of multiple electrically conductive layers. One or more of the multiple electrically conductive layers may have a cut formed therein to form a gap in that electrically conductive layer. One or more electrical conductive layers of the electrical conductive traces may bridge the gap.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal.

Abstract: Resonator structures and electrodes are described, as well as methods for manufacturing the same. Resonator electrodes may be formed using two or more photolithographic steps and masks, with different masks being used to define different features of the electrodes. The masks may create self-aligned electrodes, which can be aligned with one or more anchors of the resonator.

Abstract: A variable phase amplifier circuit is disclosed and its method of use in tuning devices having resonators. The variable phase amplifier receives an input differential signal pair. The input differential signal pair can be generated by a resonator device. The variable phase amplifier generates a modified differential signal pair in response to receiving the input differential signal pair. The variable phase amplifier provides a means to vary the phase of the modified differential signal pair with respect to the input differential signal pair, in an accurate and stable manner. If the modified differential signal pair with a phase shift introduced in it is fed back to the resonator device, the resonator will change its frequency of oscillation, where the new frequency of oscillation is a function of the phase of the modified differential signal pair.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure include, for example, constructing a mechanical resonating structure by applying an active layer on a surface of a compensating structure, wherein the compensating structure comprises one or more materials having an adaptive resistance to deform that reduces a variance in a resonating frequency of the mechanical resonating structure, wherein at least the active layer and the compensating structure form a mechanical resonating structure having a plurality of layers of materials, and wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of layers of materials results in a plurality of thickness ratios therebetween. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a resonant structure having a plate, a drive electrode and a sense electrode. The resonant structure defines an axis substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by the plate when the resonant structure is not excited. The plate is formed from a piezoelectric material. The drive electrode is configured to excite the resonant structure, and the sense electrode is configured to sense a signal in response to rotation of the resonant structure about the axis.

Abstract: Frequency synthesizers for use with oscillators that generate an arbitrary frequency are described, as well as related devices and methods. Divider information can be generated or otherwise accessed for use in configuring a phase lock loop device that is adapted for coupling with the oscillator, where the phase lock loop device can include a plurality of integer dividers without utilizing a fractional divider, where the divider information can include frequency deviations corresponding to groups of integer divider settings for the phase lock loop device, and where each deviation of the frequency deviations can be based on a frequency differential between a standard operating frequency and an output frequency for the phase lock loop utilizing one group of integer divider settings from the groups of integer divider settings.

Abstract: An electromechanical resonating structure, including: first level major elements coupled to each other to form a second or higher level hierarchy; and first level sub-micron size minor elements with a characteristic frequency and coupled to each of the first level major elements to form a second level hierarchy in which a signal is effectively amplified by vibrating each of the plurality of major elements in at least one mode determined by the geometry and dimensions of the first level sub-micron minor elements.

Abstract: Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer.