Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a radio frequency device and a process for making the same. According to the process, a precursor wafer, which includes device regions, individual interfacial layers formed of SiGe, and a silicon handle substrate, is first provided. Each individual interfacial layer is over an active layer of a corresponding device region, and the silicon handle substrate is over each individual interfacial layer. A first bonding layer is formed underneath the precursor wafer. The precursor wafer is then attached to a support carrier with a second bonding layer. The first bonding layer and the second bonding layer merge to form a bonding structure between the precursor wafer and the support carrier. Next, the silicon handle substrate is removed from the precursor wafer to provide an etched wafer, and a first mold compound is applied to the etched wafer to provide a mold device wafer.

Abstract: A wireless device operable to detect a nearby object is disclosed. Herein, an object is considered a nearby object when a roundtrip propagation duration of a pulse(s) between an antenna and the object is less than two nanoseconds (2 ns). Given the close proximity of the object, an echo of the emitted pulse(s) may be reflected instantaneously toward the antenna to potentially overlap with the emitted pulse(s), thus causing difficulty in detecting the reflected pulse(s). In this regard, in embodiments disclosed herein, an acoustic delay circuit is provided in the wireless device to add a temporal delay in the emitted pulse(s) and the reflected pulse(s) to prevent the reflected pulse(s) from overlapping with the emitted pulse(s). As a result, the wireless device can accurately receive the reflected pulse(s) to thereby detect the nearby object.

Abstract: Lateral field excitation acoustic resonators and methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one aspect, an acoustically resonating material such as a piezoelectric film or membrane is spaced from a substrate by electrodes having an air gap therebetween. When current flows through the electrodes, lateral field acoustic waves are excited in the resonating material with relatively good coupling and adequate heat dissipation.

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.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filter structure with a conductive bridge forming an electrical loop with an electrode for reduced electrical losses. In exemplary aspects disclosed herein, the BAW filter structure includes a transducer with electrodes, a piezoelectric layer between the electrodes, and at least one conductive bridge offset from at least a portion of one of the electrodes by an insulating volume. The conductive bridge forms a first electrical loop between a medial end and a distal end of the electrode. Such a configuration reduces electrical resistance, heat resistance, and/or ohmic losses for improved electrical loss of the BAW filter structure.

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.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact unit and to a method for steering electric arcs on a contact unit, in particular for supplying vehicles with power via an overhead wire (20), the contact unit comprising a sliding contact device (19), the sliding contact device having a contact strip support (21) and a contact strip (22) disposed thereon, the contact unit having a steering device (24) for electric arcs (25) which is disposed on the contact unit, the steering device being provided with a magnet (30).

Abstract: Disclosed is a Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filter structure with a conductive bridge forming an electrical loop with an electrode for reduced electrical losses. In exemplary aspects disclosed herein, the BAW filter structure includes a transducer with electrodes, a piezoelectric layer between the electrodes, and at least one conductive bridge offset from at least a portion of one of the electrodes by an insulating volume. The conductive bridge forms a first electrical loop between a medial end and a distal end of the electrode. Such a configuration reduces electrical resistance, heat resistance, and/or ohmic losses for improved electrical loss of the BAW filter structure.

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.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a bonded wafer with low carrier lifetime in silicon comprises providing a silicon substrate having opposing top and bottom surfaces, modifying a top portion of the silicon substrate to reduce carrier lifetime in the top portion relative to the carrier lifetime in portions of the silicon substrate other than the top portion, bonding a piezoelectric layer having opposing top and bottom surfaces separated by a distance T over the top surface of the silicon substrate, and providing a pair of electrodes having fingers that are inter-digitally dispersed on a top surface of the piezoelectric layer, the electrodes comprising a portion of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device. The modifying and bonding steps may be performed in any order. The modified top portion of the silicon substrate prevents the creation of a parasitic conductance within that portion during operation of the SAW device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a bonded wafer with low carrier lifetime in silicon comprises providing a silicon substrate having opposing top and bottom surfaces, modifying a top portion of the silicon substrate to reduce carrier lifetime in the top portion relative to the carrier lifetime in portions of the silicon substrate other than the top portion, bonding a piezoelectric layer having opposing top and bottom surfaces separated by a distance T over the top surface of the silicon substrate, and providing a pair of electrodes having fingers that are inter-digitally dispersed on a top surface of the piezoelectric layer, the electrodes comprising a portion of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device. The modifying and bonding steps may be performed in any order. The modified top portion of the silicon substrate prevents the creation of a parasitic conductance within that portion during operation of the SAW device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filter structure with a conductive bridge forming an electrical loop with an electrode for reduced electrical losses. In exemplary aspects disclosed herein, the BAW filter structure includes a transducer with electrodes, a piezoelectric layer between the electrodes, and at least one conductive bridge offset from at least a portion of one of the electrodes by an insulating volume. The conductive bridge forms a first electrical loop between a medial end and a distal end of the electrode. Such a configuration reduces electrical resistance, heat resistance, and/or ohmic losses for improved electrical loss of the BAW filter structure.

Abstract: A zero-output coupled resonator filter (ZO-CRF) and related radio frequency (RF) filter circuit are provided. In examples discussed herein, the ZO-CRF can be configured to function as a shunt resonator(s) in an RF filter circuit (e.g., a ladder filter circuit). The ZO-CRF includes a first resonator and a second resonator that are coupled to each other via a coupling layer. The first resonator and the second resonator receive a first voltage and a second voltage, respectively. The first voltage and the second voltage can be configured in a number of ways to cause the ZO-CRF to resonate at different resonance frequencies. As such, it may be possible to modify resonance frequency of the ZO-CRF in an RF filter circuit based on signal connection. As a result, it may be possible to reduce total inductance of the RF filter circuit, thus helping to reduce footprint of the RF filter circuit.

Abstract: Various arrangements for electrically coupling the electrodes of coupled resonator structures (CRSes) to form unique two- and three-terminal devices as well as the use of such CRSes in filter networks are disclosed.

Abstract: An acoustic resonator includes a first piezoelectric layer, a second piezoelectric layer, a coupler layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The first piezoelectric layer has a first polarity. The second piezoelectric layer has a second polarity opposite the first polarity. The coupler layer is between the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer. The first electrode is on the first piezoelectric layer opposite the coupler layer. The second electrode is on the second piezoelectric layer opposite the coupler layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tunable Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) resonator with a top electrode, a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, and a reflection region underneath the bottom electrode. The reflection region includes a reflection layer and an ion-conductible structure between the bottom electrode and the reflection layer. Herein, the ion-conductible structure has a first terminal layer coupled to the bottom electrode, a second terminal layer coupled to the reflection layer, and an ion conductor between the first terminal layer and the second terminal layer. The ion conductor is eligible to transport ions between the first terminal layer and the second terminal layer, so as to achieve a mass-loading shift between the first terminal layer and the second terminal layer, and consequently, to tune a resonance frequency of the tunable BAW resonator.

Abstract: A wire-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) apparatus is provided. In examples discussed herein, the wire-based MEMS apparatus includes a MEMS control bus and at least one passive MEMS switch circuit. The passive MEMS switch circuit is configured to close a MEMS switch(es) by generating a constant voltage(s) that exceeds a defined threshold voltage (e.g., 30-50 V). In a non-limiting example, the passive MEMS switch circuit can generate the constant voltage(s) based on a radio frequency (RF) voltage(s), which may be harvested from an RF signal(s) received via the MEMS control bus. In this regard, it may be possible to eliminate active components and/or circuits from the passive MEMS switch circuit, thus helping to reduce leakage and power consumption. As a result, it may be possible to provide the passive MEMS switch circuit in a low power apparatus for supporting such applications as the Internet-of-Things (IoT).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a microelectronics package with vertically stacked flip-chip dies, and a process for making the same. The disclosed microelectronics package includes a module board, a first thinned flip-chip die with a through-die via, a second flip-chip die with a package contact at the bottom, and a mold compound. Herein, a top portion of the through-die via is exposed at top of the first thinned flip-chip die. The first thinned flip-chip die and the mold compound reside over the module substrate. The mold compound surrounds the first thinned flip-chip die and extends above the first thinned flip-chip die to define an opening. The second flip-chip die, which has a smaller plane size than the first thinned flip-chip die, resides within the opening and is stacked with the first thinned flip-chip die by coupling the package contact to the exposed top portion of the through-die via.

Abstract: A filter circuit includes a first input node and a second input node for receiving an input signal, and a first output node and a second output node for providing an output signal. A first series acoustic resonator is coupled in series between the first input node and the first output node. At least one coupled resonator filter (CRF) includes first and second transducers, which may be acoustically coupled to one another. The first transducer has a first electrode coupled to the first input node, a second electrode coupled to the second input node, and a first piezoelectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. A second transducer has a third electrode coupled to the first output node, a fourth electrode coupled to the second output node, and a second piezoelectric layer between the third electrode and the fourth electrode.