Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a technique of fabricating or manufacturing MEMS having mechanical structures that operate in controlled or predetermined mechanical damping environments. In this regard, the present invention encapsulates the mechanical structures within a chamber, prior to final packaging and/or completion of the MEMS. The environment within the chamber containing and/or housing the mechanical structures provides the predetermined, desired and/or selected mechanical damping. The parameters of the encapsulated fluid (for example, the gas pressure) in which the mechanical structures are to operate are controlled, selected and/or designed to provide a desired and/or predetermined operating environment.

Abstract: A semiconductor layer having an opening and a MEMS resonator formed in the opening is disposed between first and second substrates to encapsulate the MEMS resonator. An electrical contact that extends from the opening to an exterior of the MEMS device is formed at least in part within the semiconductor layer and at least in part within the first substrate.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to micromachined resonator comprising: a first resonant structure extending along a first axis, wherein the first axis is different from a crystal axis of silicon, a second resonant structure extending along a second axis, wherein the second axis is different from the first axis and the crystal axis of silicon and wherein the first resonant structure is coupled to the second resonant structure, and wherein the first and second resonant structures are comprised of silicon (for example, substantially monocrystalline) and include an impurity dopant (for example, phosphorus) having a concentrations which is greater than 1019 cm?3, and preferably between 1019 cm?3 and 1021 cm?3.

Abstract: A micromachined apparatus includes micromachined thermistor having first and second ends physically and thermally coupled to a substrate via first and second anchor structures to enable a temperature-dependent resistance of the micromachined thermistor to vary according to a time-varying temperature of the substrate. The micromachined thermistor has a length, from the first end to the second end, greater than a linear distance between the first and second anchor structures.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a resonant semiconductor structure, drive electrode, sense electrode and electrically conductive shielding structure. The first drive electrode generates a time-varying electrostatic force that causes the resonant semiconductor structure to resonate mechanically, and the first sense electrode generates a timing signal in response to the mechanical resonance of the resonant semiconductor structure. The electrically conductive shielding structure is disposed between the first drive electrode and the first sense electrode to shield the first sense electrode from electric field lines emanating from the first drive electrode.

Abstract: After forming a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator within a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) cover wafer is bonded to the SOI wafer via one or more eutectic solder bonds that implement respective paths of electrical conductivity between the two wafers and hermetically seal the MEMS resonator within a chamber.

Abstract: In a MEMS device having a substrate and a moveable micromachined member, a mechanical structure secures the moveable micromachined member to the substrate, thermally isolates the moveable micromachined member from the substrate and provides a conduction path to enable heating of the moveable micromachined member to a temperature of at least 300 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: A low-profile packaging structure for a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator system includes an electrical lead having internal and external electrical contact surfaces at respective first and second heights within a cross-sectional profile of the packaging structure and a die-mounting surface at an intermediate height between the first and second heights. A resonator-control chip is mounted to the die-mounting surface of the electrical lead such that at least a portion of the resonator-control chip is disposed between the first and second heights and wire-bonded to the internal electrical contact surface of the electrical lead.

Abstract: A semiconductor layer having an opening and a MEMS resonator formed in the opening is disposed between first and second substrates to encapsulate the MEMS resonator. An electrical contact that extends from the opening to an exterior of the MEMS device is formed at least in part within the semiconductor layer and at least in part within the first substrate.

Abstract: A cavity is formed within a first substrate together with trenches that separate first and second portions of the first substrate from each other and from the remainder of the first substrate. The first portion of the first substrate is disposed within the cavity and constitutes a microelectromechanical structure, while the second portion of the substrate is disposed at least partly within the cavity and constitutes a first portion of an electrical contact. A second substrate is secured to the first substrate over the cavity to define a chamber containing the microelectromechanical structure. The second substrate has a first portion that constitutes a second portion of the electrical contact and is disposed in electrical contact with the second portion of the first substrate such that the electrical contact extends from within the chamber to an exterior of the chamber.

Abstract: A low-profile packaging structure for a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator system includes an electrical lead having internal and external electrical contact surfaces at respective first and second heights within a cross-sectional profile of the packaging structure and a die-mounting surface at an intermediate height between the first and second heights. A resonator-control chip is mounted to the die-mounting surface of the electrical lead such that at least a portion of the resonator-control chip is disposed between the first and second heights and wire-bonded to the internal electrical contact surface of the electrical lead.

Abstract: A semiconductor layer having an opening and a MEMS resonator formed in the opening is disposed between first and second substrates to encapsulate the MEMS resonator. An electrical contact that extends from the opening to an exterior of the MEMS device is formed at least in part within the semiconductor layer and at least in part within the first substrate.

Abstract: A MEMS resonator system that reduces interference signals arising from undesired capacitive coupling between different system elements. The system, in one embodiment, includes a MEMS resonator, electrodes, and at least one resonator electrode shield. In certain embodiments, the resonator electrode shield ensures that the resonator electrodes interact with either one or more shunting nodes or the active elements of the MEMS resonator by preventing or reducing, among other things, capacitive coupling between the resonator electrodes and the support and auxiliary elements of the MEMS resonator structure. By reducing the deleterious effects of interfering signals using one or more resonator electrode shields, a simpler, lower interference, and more efficient system relative to prior art approaches is presented.

Abstract: A continuous or distributed resonator geometry is defined such that the fabrication process used to form a spring mechanism also forms an effective mass of the resonator structure. Proportional design of the spring mechanism and/or mass element geometries in relation to the fabrication process allows for compensation of process-tolerance-induced fabrication variances. As a result, a resonator having increased frequency accuracy is achieved.

Abstract: A continuous or distributed resonator geometry is defined such that the fabrication process used to form a spring mechanism also forms an effective mass of the resonator structure. Proportional design of the spring mechanism and/or mass element geometries in relation to the fabrication process allows for compensation of process-tolerance-induced fabrication variances. As a result, a resonator having increased frequency accuracy is achieved.

Abstract: A low-profile packaging structure for a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator system includes an electrical lead having internal and external electrical contact surfaces at respective first and second heights within a cross-sectional profile of the packaging structure and a die-mounting surface at an intermediate height between the first and second heights. A resonator-control chip is mounted to the die-mounting surface of the electrical lead such that at least a portion of the resonator-control chip is disposed between the first and second heights and wire-bonded to the internal electrical contact surface of the electrical lead.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to a temperature sensing apparatus comprising a micromachined thermistor configured to output voltage and/or current signals which are/is correlated to an ambient temperature. The micromachined thermistor includes a micromachined thermistor structure suspended over and released from the substrate, wherein the micromachined thermistor structure includes a temperature dependent characteristic (e.g., resistance to an electrical current), and electrical contacts connected to the micromachined thermistor structure, wherein the electrical contacts are adapted to conduct the voltage and/or current signals. The apparatus, in one aspect, includes measurement circuitry, to generate data which is representative of the ambient temperature using the electrical resistance of the micromachined thermistor structure.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, present invention is directed to a thin film encapsulated MEMS, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a thin film encapsulated MEMS including an integrated getter area and/or an increased chamber volume, which causes little to no increase in overall dimension(s) from the perspective of the mechanical structure and chamber. The integrated getter area is disposed within the chamber and is capable of (i) “capturing” impurities, atoms and/or molecules that are out-gassed from surrounding materials and/or (ii) reducing and/or minimizing the adverse impact of such impurities, atoms and/or molecules (for example, reducing the probability of adding mass to a resonator which would thereby change the resonator's frequency).

Abstract: A cavity is formed within a first substrate together with trenches that separate first and second portions of the first substrate from each other and from the remainder of the first substrate. The first portion of the first substrate is disposed within the cavity and constitutes a microelectromechanical structure, while the second portion of the substrate is disposed at least partly within the cavity and constitutes a first portion of an electrical contact. A second substrate is secured to the first substrate over the cavity to define a chamber containing the microelectromechanical structure. The second substrate has a first portion that constitutes a second portion of the electrical contact and is disposed in electrical contact with the second portion of the first substrate such that the electrical contact extends from within the chamber to an exterior of the chamber.

Abstract: In a packaging structure for a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator system, a resonator-control chip is mounted on a lead frame having a plurality of electrical leads, including electrically coupling a first contact on a first surface of the resonator-control chip to a mounting surface of a first electrical lead of the plurality of electrical leads through a first electrically conductive bump. A MEMS resonator chip is mounted to the first surface of the resonator-control chip, including electrically coupling a contact on a first surface of the MEMS resonator chip to a second contact on the first surface of the resonator-control chip through a second electrically conductive bump. The MEMS resonator chip, resonator-control chip and mounting surface of the first electrical lead are enclosed within a package enclosure that exposes a contact surface of the first electrical lead at an external surface of the packaging structure.