Patents by Inventor Philip J. Stephanou

Philip J. Stephanou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Contour-mode piezoelectric micromechanical resonators
    Patent number: 7791432
    Abstract: A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Philip J. Stephanou, Albert P. Pisano
  • Contour-Mode Piezoelectric Micromechanical Resonators
    Publication number: 20090144963
    Abstract: A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Philip J. Stephanou, Albert P. Pisano
  • Contour-Mode Piezoelectric Micromechanical Resonators
    Publication number: 20090108959
    Abstract: A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Philip J. Stephanou, Albert P. Pisano
  • Contour-mode piezoelectric micromechanical resonators
    Patent number: 7492241
    Abstract: A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Gianluca Piazza, Philip J. Stephanou, Albert P. Pisano