Patents Examined by Jeffrey M Shin
  • Patent number: 11784632
    Abstract: A vibrator device includes: a base; a vibrator disposed in the base; and a lid including a substrate having a light transmitting property and a silicon substrate joined to the substrate and a part of the base surrounding the vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Osamu Kawauchi, Akihiko Ebina
  • Patent number: 11784631
    Abstract: A resonance element supported by a bearing structure includes a crystal chip and an excitation electrode. The crystal chip includes a main surface having a support surface portion being in contact with the bearing structure. The excitation electrode is disposed on the main surface, has an electrode area, and includes an electrode indentation boundary partly encompassing the support surface portion. The electrode indentation boundary has a first boundary end and a second boundary end being opposite to the first boundary end. The electrode indentation boundary and a reference line segment defined by the first and the second boundary ends form an electrode indentation region having an indentation area. A ratio of the indentation area to the electrode area ranges from 0.05 to 0.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TAI-SAW TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Haur Rau, Kun-Yu Huang, Chi-Yun Chen
  • Patent number: 11777446
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a forward stage including first and second terminals and a transformer-coupled band-pass filter (BPF) coupled between the first and second terminals and including a coupling device between the first and second terminals, and a transformer including first and second windings in a metal layer of an IC. The first winding includes a first conductive structure coupled to the first terminal and a second conductive structure coupled to a voltage node, a third conductive structure including first and second extending portions connected to the first and second conductive structures. The second winding includes a fourth conductive structure including a third extending portion coupled to the voltage node, and a fourth extending portion coupled to the second terminal. The third extending portion is between the second conductive structure and the first extending portion, and the fourth extending portion is between the first conductive structure and the second extending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Chi-Hsien Lin, Ho-Hsiang Chen, Hsien-Yuan Liao, Tzu-Jin Yeh, Ying-Ta Lu
  • Patent number: 11770102
    Abstract: An oscillator is comprising a plurality of resonators and a voltage bias circuit that applies voltages to the plurality of resonators. Each of the plurality of resonators has a negative resistance element. In the oscillator, the plurality of resonators are connected in parallel to the voltage bias circuit respectively via separate inductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Kandori, Noriyuki Kaifu
  • Patent number: 11764729
    Abstract: An oscillator includes: a resonator element; a circuit element configured to output a clock signal; and a container accommodating the resonator element and the circuit element and including a substrate having a first surface. The substrate includes a first electrode provided on the first surface and electrically coupled to the resonator element, a second electrode electrically coupled to the resonator element, and an output electrode configured to output the clock signal. The first electrode and the second electrode are disposed side by side in a first direction. The output electrode is disposed adjacent to the first electrode in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. When an end portion of the first electrode on a side close to the second electrode is defined as a first end portion, the output electrode includes a first region disposed closer to the second electrode side than the first end portion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Shinya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11757409
    Abstract: An oscillator includes: a resonator element; a circuit element; and a container including a substrate mounted with the circuit element, in which the circuit element includes a first coupling terminal coupled to the resonator element, a second coupling terminal coupled to the resonator element and aligned in a first direction with the first coupling terminal in the first direction, and an output terminal disposed adjacent to the first coupling terminal in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and in which the substrate includes a first surface mounted with the circuit element and a second surface, and the substrate includes a first coupling electrode provided on the first surface and coupled to the first coupling terminal, a second coupling electrode coupled to the second coupling terminal, an output electrode coupled to the output terminal, a first coupling wiring provided on the second surface and coupled to the first coupling electro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Shinya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11757408
    Abstract: An electrical field detector includes an electromechanical oscillator, part of which is included of a piezoelectric element, a frequency measuring device which is coupled to the oscillator so as to measure the oscillation frequency, and an electrical masking assembly. The electrical masking assembly is arranged close to the piezoelectric element so that, during an use of the detector, the piezoelectric element moves by vibrating relative to the electrical masking assembly. A variable part of the piezoelectric element is thus exposed to the electrical field to be measured. A change in the oscillating frequency then forms an electrical field measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AÉROSPATIALES
    Inventors: Raphael Levy, Thomas Perrier, Pierre Lavenus, Jean Guerard, Vincent Gaudineau
  • Patent number: 11750110
    Abstract: A low voltage, low frequency multi-level power converter capable of power conversion is disclosed. The power converter may include a low voltage, low frequency circuit that includes a plurality of phase-shifting inverters in series; a plurality of low voltage source inputs, and a plurality of phase-shifting inverters in series. Each of the plurality of phase-shifting inverters may be configured to receive at least one of the plurality of low voltage source inputs; and generate at least one square wave output. A semi-sine wave output may be derived from the generated at least one square wave output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: JABIL INC.
    Inventors: Salman Talebi Rafsanjan, David Michael Eckerson
  • Patent number: 11750169
    Abstract: A bulk acoustic resonator operable in a bulk acoustic mode includes a resonator body mounted to a separate carrier that is not part of the resonator body. The resonator body includes a piezoelectric layer, a device layer, and a top conductive layer on the piezoelectric layer opposite the device layer. The piezoelectric layer is a single crystal of LiNbO3 cut at an angle of 130°±30°. A surface of the device layer opposite the piezoelectric layer is for mounting the resonator body to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Wen-Qing Xu, Di Lan, Christopher S. Koeppen
  • Patent number: 11750234
    Abstract: A method for calibrating the DC operating point of a PWM receiver circuit is disclosed. The PWM receiving circuit includes an envelop detector having a first resistor string, and includes a bias circuit having a second resistor string and a plurality of switches. The second resistor string is coupled between a supply voltage and a reference voltage and functions as a voltage divider. Each switch, when closed, accesses a second voltage at a node of the second resistor string connected to the closed switch. To perform the calibration process, the plurality of switches is closed one at a time, and the second voltage is compared with a first voltage at a first node of the first resistor string. The switch that, when closed, produces the smallest difference between the first voltage and the second voltage remains closed after the calibration process, and is used for demodulating the PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giuseppe Palmisano, Alessandro Castorina
  • Patent number: 11742825
    Abstract: In bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators having convex surfaces, an example BAW resonator includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer having a convex surface, and a second electrode formed on the convex surface. An example integrated circuit (IC) package includes a BAW resonator in the IC package, the BAW resonator including a piezoelectric layer having a convex surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ting-Ta Yen
  • Patent number: 11738539
    Abstract: A wafer has a layer containing silicon, a layer of polycrystalline diamond deposited on the silicon-containing layer, and a bow-compensation layer on the other side of the silicon-containing layer for reducing wafer-bow. A method of making a bonded structure includes an activation process for creating dangling bonds on the surface of one substrate, followed by contact-bonding the surface to a second substrate at low temperature. A bonded structure may include two substrates contact bonded to each other, one substrate including a layer containing silicon, a layer of polycrystalline diamond, a bow-compensation layer for reducing wafer-bow of the first substrate, and the other substrate including gallium nitride, silicon carbide, lithium niobate, lithium tantalate, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, or another suitable material other than diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC
    Inventors: Wen-Qing Xu, Di Lan, Christopher Koeppen
  • Patent number: 11736085
    Abstract: In examples, a device comprises a semiconductor die, a thin-film layer, and an air cavity positioned between the semiconductor die and the thin-film layer. The air cavity comprises a resonator positioned on the semiconductor die. A rib couples to a surface of the thin-film layer opposite the air cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Anindya Poddar, Hau Nguyen, Masamitsu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11736090
    Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices, filter devices, and methods of fabrication. A resonator device includes a piezoelectric plate having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, a back-side conductor pattern formed on the back surface, and a first front-side conductor pattern and a second front-side conductor pattern formed on respective portions of the front surface opposite the back-side conductor pattern. A portion of the piezoelectric plate between the first front-side conductor pattern and the back-side conductor pattern forms a first resonator and a portion of the piezoelectric plate between the second front-side conductor pattern and the back-side conductor pattern forms a second resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Viktor Plesski, Julius Koskela
  • Patent number: 11736064
    Abstract: A differential oscillator includes a differential circuit and a transformer-coupled band-pass filter (BPF) coupled between first and second output nodes. The BPF includes a coupling device coupled between the output nodes and a transformer including first and second windings in a metal layer of an IC. The first winding includes first and second conductive structures coupled to the first output node and a voltage node, respectively, and a third conductive structure including first and second extending portions connected to the first and second conductive structures, respectively. The second winding includes a fourth conductive structure including a third extending portion coupled to the voltage node and a fourth extending portion coupled to the second output node. The third extending portion is between the second conductive structure and the first extending portion, and the fourth extending portion is between the first conductive structure and the second extending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Hsien Lin, Ho-Hsiang Chen, Hsien-Yuan Liao, Tzu-Jin Yeh, Ying-Ta Lu
  • Patent number: 11724934
    Abstract: Multiple degenerately-doped silicon layers are implemented within resonant structures to control multiple orders of temperature coefficients of frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SiTime Corporation
    Inventors: Charles I. Grosjean, Nicholas Miller, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Joseph C. Doll
  • Patent number: 11722120
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable optical ring resonator is described herein. The ring resonator includes a resonator ring and a tuner ring, along with one or more springs. The springs may be internal or external, i.e., either within or outside the areal footprint of the resonator ring and the tuner ring. The one or more springs are configured to displace the tuner ring from the resonator ring by a desired gap based upon a desired resonant wavelength of the resonator ring. Tuning is implemented by applying a voltage to the ring resonator, with motion of the tuner ring causing a corresponding change in the effective index of the resonator ring. As the ring resonator is essentially a capacitive device, it draws very little power once tuning is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Wood, Alejandro J. Grine, Darwin K. Serkland, Alexander Ruyack
  • Patent number: 11722119
    Abstract: Bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators, and particularly top electrodes with step arrangements for BAW resonators are disclosed. Top electrodes on piezoelectric layers are disclosed that include a border (BO) region with a dual-step arrangement where an inner step and an outer step are formed with increasing heights toward peripheral edges of the top electrode. Dielectric spacer layers may be provided between the outer steps and the piezoelectric layer. Passivation layers are disclosed that extend over the top electrode either to peripheral edges of the piezoelectric layer or that are inset from peripheral edges of the piezoelectric layer. Piezoelectric layers may be arranged with reduced thickness portions in areas that are uncovered by top electrodes. BAW resonators as disclosed herein are provided with high quality factors and suppression of spurious modes while also providing weakened BO modes that are shifted farther away from passbands of such BAW resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Alireza Tajic, Paul Stokes, Robert Aigner
  • Patent number: 11716070
    Abstract: Acoustic sensor devices and sensor systems are disclosed. An acoustic sensor device includes a piezoelectric plate having a front surface and a back surface. A floating back-side conductor pattern is formed on the back surface. A first and second front-side conductor patterns are formed on a portion of the front surface opposite the back-side conductor pattern. A sensing layer is formed over all or a portion of the floating back-side conductor pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Viktor Plesski, Dejan Nenov, Ventsislav Yantchev, Robert Hammond
  • Patent number: 11705866
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator includes an oscillating substrate, a hollow frame, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The oscillating substrate includes a main oscillating region and a thinned region that has a thickness smaller than that of the main oscillating region. The first and second electrodes are disposed on a first surface of the oscillating substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface, respectively. The hollow frame is disposed on the second surface. The second electrode includes a second electrode portion that has at least one opening in positional correspondence with the thinned region. A method for making the crystal oscillator is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY, AKER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ray-Hua Horng, Yi-Lun Lin