Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. For example, a method and apparatus for selecting at least one desired channel in an RF receiver subsystem is shown. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI to VLSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: A module bonded together at a microplatform and an improved method for making the module are provided. The method includes providing a micromechanical device including a first substrate, the microplatform, a first plurality of bonding sites on the microplatform, a micromechanical structure fabricated and supported on the microplatform and a support structure to suspend the microplatform above the first substrate. The method further includes providing a transistor circuit wafer including a second plurality of bonding sites thereon and integrated BiCMOS transistor circuits. The first and second plurality of bonding sites are aligned and compression bonded so that the microplatform is both electrically and mechanically coupled to the second substrate to form the module. The platform carrier wafer can be torn off, leaving bonded platforms behind on the substrate wafer. This allows small form factor merging of the two different technologies.

Abstract: A module bonded together at a microplatform and an improved method for making the module are provided. The method includes providing a micromechanical device including a first substrate, the microplatform, a first plurality of bonding sites on the microplatform, a micromechanical structure fabricated and supported on the microplatform and a support structure to suspend the microplatform above the first substrate. The method further includes providing a transistor circuit wafer including a second plurality of bonding sites thereon and integrated BiCMOS transistor circuits. The first and second plurality of bonding sites are aligned and compression bonded so that the microplatform is both electrically and mechanically coupled to the second substrate to form the module. The platform carrier wafer can be torn off, leaving bonded platforms behind on the substrate wafer. This allows small form factor merging of the two different technologies.

Abstract: A micromechanical resonator device and a micromechanical device utilizing same are disclosed based upon a radially or laterally vibrating disk structure and capable of vibrating at frequencies well past the GHz range. The center of the disk is a nodal point, so when the disk resonator is supported at its center, anchor dissipation to the substrate is minimized, allowing this design to retain high-Q at high frequency. In addition, this design retains high stiffness at high frequencies and so maximizes dynamic range. Furthermore, the sidewall surface area of this disk resonator is often larger than that attainable in previous flexural-mode resonator designs, allowing this disk design to achieve a smaller series motional resistance than its counterparts when using capacitive (or electrostatic) transduction at a given frequency. Capacitive detection is not required in this design, and piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, etc. detection are also possible.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. A method and subsystem are provided for processing RF signals utilizing a plurality of vibrating micromechanical devices typically in the form of an IF mixer-filter and an RF channel selector or an image-reject RF filter. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Also, such methods and circuits can eliminate the need for a low noise amplifier in a receiver or transceiver subsystem. Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. Apparatus is provided for selecting at least one desired passband or channel in an RF transmitter subsystem utilizing a bank of vibrating micromechanical devices. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. A method and apparatus are shown for generating a signal having at least one desired output frequency such as LO frequency in an RF subsystem in response to a tuning voltage and without the need for a phase-locking circuit. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: A module bonded together at a microplatform and an improved method for making the module are provided. The method includes providing a micromechanical device including a first substrate, the microplatform, a first plurality of bonding sites on the microplatform, a micromechanical structure fabricated and supported on the microplatform and a support structure to suspend the microplatform above the first substrate. The method further includes providing a transistor circuit wafer including a second plurality of bonding sites thereon and integrated BiCMOS transistor circuits. The first and second plurality of bonding sites are aligned and compression bonded so that the microplatform is both electrically and mechanically coupled to the second substrate to form the module. The platform carrier wafer can be torn off, leaving bonded platforms behind on the substrate wafer. This allows small form factor merging of the two different technologies.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. For example, a method and apparatus for selecting at least one desired channel in an RF receiver subsystem is shown. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI to VLSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: A mechanical resonator device which has a phenomena-dependent electrical stiffness is provided. The phenomena may be temperature or acceleration, for example. The device includes a substrate and a resonator supported above the substrate by supports. The device further includes an electrode supported above the substrate adjacent the resonator by supports to obtain an electrode-to-resonator gap wherein electrical stiffness generated across the gap is phenomena-dependent to take instability of resonant frequency of the device caused by the phenomena into consideration.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring angular speed of an object uses a micromechanical filter apparatus and allows Q-multiplication in both drive and sense modes. The invention takes advantage of the constant amplitude region of a filter spectrum within a passband of the filter apparatus to sense with a constant scaling factor that is independent of frequency variations with the passband. Thus, the system has much less sensitivity to drive mode resonance frequency shifts due to temperature variations, fabrication non-idealities and aging. The system senses angular rate or speed at resonance, which results in a great improvement over conventional gyroscopes operated off-resonance.

Abstract: A high-Q micromechanical device such as a capacitor and method of tuning same by electrostatically moving the capacitor's dielectric are provided. The high-Q, tunable, micromechanical capacitor is realized using an IC-compatible, electroplated-metal, surface-micromachining technology and demonstrates quality (Q−) factors in excess of 290—the highest reported to date for on-chip tunable capacitors at frequencies near 1 GHz. When combined with on-chip (or off-chip) high-Q inductors, these tunable capacitors are expected to be useful for not only low-phase noise integrated VCO applications, but also for tunable, low-loss, RF filters and tunable matching networks, both key functions capable of enhancing the multi-band programmability of wireless communication handsets.

Abstract: A high-Q micromechanical device such as a capacitor and method of tuning same by electrostatically moving the capacitor's dielectric are provided. The high-Q, tunable, micromechanical capacitor is realized using an IC-compatible, electroplated-metal, surface-micromachining technology and demonstrates quality (Q−) factors in excess of 290—the highest reported to date for on-chip tunable capacitors at frequencies near 1 GHz. When combined with on-chip (or off-chip) high-Q inductors, these tunable capacitors are expected to be useful for not only low-phase noise integrated VCO applications, but also for tunable, low-loss, RF filters and tunable matching networks, both key functions capable of enhancing the multi-band programmability of wireless communication handsets.

Abstract: A micromechanical resonator device and a micromechanical device utilizing same are disclosed based upon a radially or laterally vibrating disk structure and capable of vibrating at frequencies well past the GHz range. The center of the disk is a nodal point, so when the disk resonator is supported at its center, anchor dissipation to the substrate is minimized, allowing this design to retain high-Q at high frequency. In addition, this design retains high stiffness at high frequencies and so maximizes dynamic range. Furthermore, the sidewall surface area of this disk resonator is often larger than that attainable in previous flexural-mode resonator designs, allowing this disk design to achieve a smaller series motional resistance than its counterparts when using capacitive (or electrostatic) transduction at a given frequency. Capacitive detection is not required in this design, and piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, etc. detection are also possible.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. A method and apparatus are provided for upconverting and filtering an information signal utilizing a vibrating micromechanical device based on an AC signal having a desired frequency. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: A method and resulting formed device are disclosed wherein the method combines polysilicon surface-micromachining with metal electroplating technology to achieve a capacitively-driven, lateral micromechanical resonator with submicron electrode-to-resonator capacitor gaps. Briefly, surface-micromachining is used to achieve the structural material for a resonator, while conformal metal-plating is used to implement capacitive transducer electrodes. This technology makes possible a variety of new resonator configurations, including disk resonators and lateral clamped-clamped and free-free flexural resonators, all with significant frequency and Q advantages over vertical resonators. In addition, this technology introduces metal electrodes, which greatly reduces the series resistance in electrode interconnects, thus, minimizing Q-loading effects while increasing the power handling ability of micromechanical resonators.

Abstract: A module bonded together at a microplatform and an improved method for making the module are provided. The method includes providing a micromechanical device including a first substrate, the microplatform, a first plurality of bonding sites on the microplatform, a micromechanical structure fabricated and supported on the microplatform and a support structure to suspend the microplatform above the first substrate. The method further includes providing a transistor circuit wafer including a second plurality of bonding sites thereon and integrated BiCMOS transistor circuits. The first and second plurality of bonding sites are aligned and compression bonded so that the microplatform is both electrically and mechanically coupled to the second substrate to form the module. The platform carrier wafer can be torn off, leaving bonded platforms behind on the substrate wafer. This allows small form factor merging of the two different technologies.

Abstract: A micromechanical resonator device is disclosed that utilizes competition between the thermal dependencies of geometrically tailored stresses and Young's modulus to (1) reduce the temperature coefficient (TCf) of the resonance frequencies of the micromechanical resonator device without any additional power consumption; and (2) introduce a zero TCf temperature at which subsequent oven-controlled resonators may be biased. A key feature in this resonator design involves the strategic sizing of the geometries of the resonator and its support structure to harness thermal expansion temperature coefficients that oppose and cancel those of Young's modulus variation. This transforms the original monotonically decreasing resonance frequency versus temperature curve to an S-shaped curve (or a linear one with a much smaller slope), with a smaller overall frequency excursion over a given temperature range, and with points at which the resonance frequency TCf is zero.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. Apparatus is provided for selecting at least one desired passband or channel in an RF transmitter subsystem utilizing a bank of vibrating micromechanical devices. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.

Abstract: Several MEMS-based methods and architectures which utilize vibrating micromechanical resonators in circuits to implement filtering, mixing, frequency reference and amplifying functions are provided. Apparatus is provided for filtering signals utilizing vibrating micromechanical resonators. One of the primary benefits of the use of such architectures is a savings in power consumption by trading power for high selectivity (i.e., high Q). Consequently, the present invention relies on the use of a large number of micromechanical links in SSI networks to implement signal processing functions with basically zero DC power consumption.