Abstract: A system and method of precisely adjusting the properties of a device using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) are described. Use of the invention permits the precise removal or addition of small amounts of material without significantly damaging or degrading the performance of the device. The system is capable of adjusting the properties of a single device or multiple devices and the devices may be processed serially, in small groups, or all at once. The system is also capable of delivering a single dose or a variety of doses depending on the amount of material needed to be removed or added to adjust the properties.

Abstract: An apparatus for smoothing a surface of a substrate includes an ionizer to form gas cluster particles; a power supply to accelerate the gas cluster particles; a triode/Einzel lens combination assembly to focus the accelerated gas cluster particles; a permanent magnet beam filter; scan plates to irradiate the filtered accelerated gas cluster particles onto a surface of a workpiece situated in a reduced pressure atmosphere chamber; and a substrate loading/unloading mechanism to load and unload the workpiece. The ionizer includes an alignment device wherein the alignment device includes a X/Y translation element and an angular translation element. The substrate loading/unloading mechanism provides a workpiece from a plurality of workpieces onto a holder positioned at a first position within the reduced pressure atmosphere chamber, the first position being substantially parallel to a central axis of a flow of the filtered accelerated gas cluster particles.

Abstract: A system and method of precisely adjusting the properties of a device using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) are described. Use of the invention permits the precise removal or addition of small amounts of material without significantly damaging or degrading the performance of the device. The system is capable of adjusting the properties of a single device or multiple devices and the devices may be processed serially, in small groups, or all at once. The system is also capable of delivering a single dose or a variety of doses depending on the amount of material needed to be removed or added to adjust the properties.

Abstract: A low vibration sensitive SAW device includes a first quartz substrate having a pair of opposing surfaces, each surface which supports surface wave propagation. A pair of transducers are coupled to each of said surface wave propagation surfaces providing a pair of surface wave devices on opposing surfaces of the substrate. Each surface wave propagating surface is covered by a matching quartz cover and a glass-frit seal to provide a three piece all-quartz package. The pair of devices are connected together in parallel generally externally from the package, and when the dual device package undergoes vibration in a direction perpendicular to the surface wave propagation surfaces, one surface of the substrate will be subjected to a tensile strain field, whereas the opposite surface of the substrate will be subjected to identical but opposite direction strain field that is compressive.

Abstract: A SAW device such as a resonator includes a surface supporting surface wave propagation and a pair of aluminum transducer elements each coupled to said surface wave propagation surface. Each aluminum transducer element is doped with a predetermined amount of silicon. Frequency shifts which result from exposing the SAW device to high temperature cycles as often encountered when packaging the device are reduced, since the silicon present as a dopant in the aluminum will provide an effect on frequency which can be taken into consideration during design and fabrication. These frequency effects will dominate any frequency effects which may result from silicon migration from the substrate to the transducers as a result of the thermal cycling encountered during sealing of the SAW device.

Abstract: A SAW oscillator package having low vibration sensitivity includes a stiffener layer disposed between a mounting surface for the oscillator and the oscillator circuit package. Preferably, the stiffening layer comprises a slab of a highly stiff material such as a ceramic and, in particular, aluminum oxide, as well as other material which preferably have suitable thermal expansion coefficients matched between the material of the package and the mounting surface. Moreover, the rigidly of the SAW device itself is also increased by either reducing the lateral dimensions of the SAW device or increasing the thickness of the SAW substrate and/or cover.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a substrate having a surface which supports surface acoustic wave propagation and having a pair of interdigitated transducers disposed thereon. Each of the pair of interdigitated transducers has a set conductive members. To improve the ratio of devices having acceptable long-term frequency stability characteristics to those without such acceptable characteristics, the conductive members of the pair of interdigitated transducers have a larger than conventional thickness.

Abstract: Techniques for adjusting the surface acousic wave velocity of a packaged SAW device are described. A first technique involves depositing a film from a cover of the device onto a surface wave propagating surface thereby providing a localized region on said surface where the acoustic properties and, hence, the velocity characteristics of the surface wave propagating surface are altered. An alternate embodiment of a pair of beams are directed through a transparent cover and converge on the surface wave propagating surface, selectively removing a portion of said surface to provide a localized alteration in the acoustic properties of the surface wave propagating surface.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device having interdigitated transducers comprised of an improved metalization system including copper and titanium doped aluminum transducers. A method of producing the interdigitated transducers includes deposition of the metals on a quartz substrate and subsequent heat treatment. The metalization system provides SAW devices having improved long-term frequency stability, particularly when operated at high power levels. The surface acoustic wave device may be incorporated in a feedback loop of an amplifier to form an oscillator circuit.

Abstract: Techniques for adjusting the surface acoustic wave velocity of a packaged SAW device are described. A first technique involves depositing a film from a cover of the device onto a surface wave propagating surface thereby providing a localized region on said surface where the acoustic properties and, hence, the velocity characteristics of the surface wave propagating surface are altered. An alternate embodiment of a pair of beams are directed through a transparent cover and converge on the surface wave propagating surface, selectively removing a portion of said surface to provide a localized alteration in the acoustic properties of the surface wave propagating surface.

Abstract: A technique for adjusting the frequency of odd mode transverse waves propagating in a SAW device is described. A pair of localized regions of frequency determining trimming material are deposited onto selected portions of a surface wave propagating surface, to provide localized regions on said surface where the odd order transverse mode has energy maxima. These regions change the acoustic properties and hence the velocity characteristics of the surface wave propagating surface in said regions. The frequency of the odd mode transverse wave is changed accordingly and is preferably changed to match that of the fundamental transverse propagating wave. This decreases the insertion loss of the device at the fundamental frequency and eliminates the odd mode transverse wave propagation characteristic within the operating frequency range of the resonator.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a substrate which supports surface acoustic wave propagation having a predetermined surface acoustic wave velocity characteristic and a pair of interdigitated transducers coupled to said surface wave propagation surface. The pair of interdigitated transducers are spaced by a region of said surface wave propagation surface. To adjust the surface wave velocity characteristic of said surface wave device, a thin layer of a nonconducting elastic material, such as aluminum oxide or zinc sulfide is deposited onto a portion of the region disposed between the pair of interdigitated transducers, to change the surface wave velocity characteristic of the surface wave device.