Patents by Inventor Tsuyoshi Yokoyama

Tsuyoshi Yokoyama 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).

  • Patent number: 8085115
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate and the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposing the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film. The upper electrode has a main portion and an extended portion connected to the main portion, the main portion opposing the lower electrode and an opening disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode, the extended portion having a portion which opposes the opening and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20110267155
    Abstract: A filter element includes a plurality of multilayer filters that are connected in cascade, each of the plurality of multilayer filters including a plurality of piezoelectric thin-film resonators stacked vertically, each of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators including a piezoelectric film and a pair of first electrodes between which the piezoelectric film is interposed, and a capacitor connected between an input terminal of one of the plurality of multilayer filters of a preceding stage and an input terminal of another one of the plurality of multilayer filters of a following stage, exciting directions of piezoelectric thin-film resonators to which the input terminals of the multilayer filters of the preceding and following stages are connected being opposite to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoaki HARA, Shinji TANIGUCHI, Takeshi SAKASHITA, Tsuyoshi YOKOYAMA, Masafumi IWAKI, Tokihiro NISHIHARA, Masanori UEDA
  • Publication number: 20110241800
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an elastic wave device is provided with a lamination step of forming, on a substrate (1), a plurality of elastic wave devices, each of which includes a lower electrode (2), a piezoelectric film (3), and an upper electrode (4); a measuring step for measuring the operation frequency distribution of the elastic wave devices on the substrate (1); and an adjusting step for forming an adjusting region, in which the thickness of the elastic wave device is different from the thicknesses of other portions in a resonance portion of each elastic wave device, corresponding with the distribution of the operation frequencies. The adjusting region is formed so that the size of the area of the adjusting region of the resonator portion of each elastic wave device is different in accordance with the operation frequency distribution that is measured. Thus, the frequency characteristics of the elastic wave devices are easily adjusted by a small number of steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Takeshi Sakashita, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7978025
    Abstract: There is provided a film bulk acoustic resonator which has a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric membrane formed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric membrane, and an insulating film disposed adjacent to the piezoelectric membrane between the upper electrode and the substrate and at a position at which the upper electrode and the substrate are opposed each other. The substrate is preferably formed so as to form a void at a portion facing to the lower electrode. The lower electrode has preferably a tapered end and a part of the boundary between the piezoelectric membrane and the insulating film is disposed on an inside from the upper end of the tapered end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7884527
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes: a substrate; a lower electrode that is formed on the substrate; a piezoelectric film that is formed on the lower electrode and the substrate; and an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film, with the piezoelectric film being partially interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode facing each other. In this piezoelectric thin-film resonator, at least a part of the outer periphery of the piezoelectric film interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode overlaps the outer periphery of the region formed by the upper electrode and the lower electrode facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Tsutsumi, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20110006860
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator of the present has a substrate 1, an intermediate layer 7 disposed on the substrate 1 and is formed of an insulator, a lower electrode 3 disposed on the intermediate layer 7, a piezoelectric film 4 disposed on the lower electrode 3, and an upper electrode 5 disposed on a position facing the lower electrode 3 with the piezoelectric film 4 interposed therebetween, in which, in a resonant region 8 where the lower electrode 3 and the upper electrode 5 face each other, a space 6 is formed in the substrate 1 and the intermediate layer 7 or between the lower electrode 3 and the intermediate layer 7 and the region of the space 6 is included in the resonant region 8. With the structure, the dissipation of the vibrational energy to the substrate from the resonance portion can be suppressed, thereby improving the quality factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoaki Hara, Tokihiro Nishihara, Shinji Taniguchi, Takeshi Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100237750
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode provided on the substrate, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film. At least a portion of the upper electrode and that of the lower electrode oppose each other through the piezoelectric film, and at least a portion of the periphery of the upper electrode is reversely tapered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi SAKASHITA, Motoaki Hara, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7786649
    Abstract: A filter includes piezoelectric thin-film resonators having a substrate, a lower electrode supported by the substrate, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film. At least one of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators has a portion in which the upper electrode overlaps the lower electrode across the piezoelectric film. The above portion has a shape different from shapes of corresponding portions of other piezoelectric thin-film resonators, so that a spurious component in the above at least one of the piezoelectric thin-film resonators occur at a frequency different from frequencies of spurious components that occur in the other piezoelectric thin-film resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited, Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Masanori Ueda, Yasuyuki Saitou
  • Publication number: 20100148888
    Abstract: The filter includes a series arm piezoelectric thin film resonator placed in the series arm and a parallel arm piezoelectric thin film resonator placed in the parallel arm. Each of the series arm piezoelectric thin film resonator and the parallel arm piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate (21), a lower electrode (22) placed on the substrate (21), a piezoelectric film (23) placed on the lower electrode (22) and a upper electrode (24) placed on the piezoelectric film (23). The ratio of the major axis length A to the minor axis length B of the resonant portion (29) in the series arm piezoelectric thin film resonator is larger than that in the parallel arm piezoelectric thin film resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Motoaki HARA, Tokihiro NISHIHARA, Shinji TANIGUCHI, Takeshi SAKASHITA, Tsuyoshi YOKOYAMA, Masafumi IWAKI, Masanori UEDA, Yasuyuki SAITOU
  • Publication number: 20100148636
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonant element includes a resonant portion having a laminate structure made up of a lower electrode, an upper electrode and a piezoelectric film arranged between these two electrodes. The lower electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape and an outer circumference formed with an inclined portion inclined at an angle (about 30° for example) lying within a range of 25° through 55°. The upper electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape. An additional film is provided on the upper electrode at a portion corresponding to the inclined portion of the lower electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Motoaki Hara, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7737806
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes: a lower electrode that is formed on a substrate; a piezoelectric film that is formed on the substrate and the lower electrode; an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film, with a portion of the piezoelectric film being interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode facing each other; and an additional film that is formed on the substrate on at least a part of the outer periphery of the lower electrode at the portion at which the lower electrode and the upper electrode face each other, with the additional film being laid along the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited, Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Go Endo, Yasuyuki Saitou, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100117762
    Abstract: A resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film. The lower electrode includes a first film provided on the substrate, and a second film that is provided on the first film and has a specific gravity greater than that of the first film. The piezoelectric film is provided on the second film. The upper electrode includes a third film provided on the piezoelectric film, and a fourth film provided on the third film, the third film having a specific gravity greater than that of the fourth film. The third film is thicker than the second film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda, Go Endo, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Motoaki Hara
  • Publication number: 20100110940
    Abstract: An acoustic wave filter having excellent steepness is provided without adding any exterior components or any new manufacturing steps. A plurality of filters (10-1) each having a first resonator (2a-1) placed in a serial arm and having a resonance frequency frs and an anti-resonance frequency fas, and a second resonator (4a-1) placed in a parallel arm and having a resonator frp and an anti-resonance frequency fap are provided on a same substrate, where the resonance frequency frs of the first resonator is higher than the resonance frequency frp of the second resonator; the anti-resonance frequency fas of the first resonator is higher than the anti-resonance frequency fap of the second resonator; and the filters (10-1) are connected in multiple stages. At least one of the filters (10-1) connected in multiple stages has a third resonator (6-1) having a resonance frequency frp and an anti-resonance frequency fap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Motoaki HARA, Tokihiro Nishihara, Shinji Taniguchi, Takeshi Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100096358
    Abstract: A ladder filter includes a series resonator having a first film laminate in which an upper electrode and a lower electrode face each other across a piezoelectric film, and a first film provided on the first film laminate, and a parallel resonator having a second film laminate having a structure similar to that of the first film laminate, a second film provided on the second film laminate, and another first film identical to the first film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicants: Fujitsu Media Devices Limited, Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shinji TANIGUCHI, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Go Endo, Yasuyuki Saitou, Hisanori Ehara, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100060385
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate and the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposing the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film. The upper electrode has a main portion and an extended portion connected to the main portion, the main portion opposing the lower electrode and an opening disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode, the extended portion having a portion which opposes the opening and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji TANIGUCHI, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100060384
    Abstract: A filter has a plurality of piezoelectric thin film resonators formed by sandwiching a piezoelectric film with a lower electrode disposed on a substrate and an upper electrode. Each of the piezoelectric thin film resonators has an electrode region formed with the upper electrode and the lower electrode overlapping each other, whose outline includes a curve. Among the plural piezoelectric thin film resonators, the piezoelectric thin film resonators in the opposing electrode regions of the adjacent piezoelectric thin film resonators are shaped to have outlines complementary to each other. With the filter, influences caused by transverse mode undesired wave of the piezoelectric thin film resonators can be suppressed. Therefore, miniaturization can be achieved without sacrificing the mechanical strength of electrodes having hollow structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji TANIGUCHI, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Takeshi Sakashita, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100033063
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film, the lower electrode and the upper electrode opposing each other through the piezoelectric film to form an opposing region, the opposing region including a space at a boundary of the opposing region. The space extends from an innerside to an outer side of the opposing region and is formed in or on the piezoelectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Motoaki Hara, Shinji Taniguchi, Takeshi Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100026414
    Abstract: A filter includes: a first filter unit includes: a series resonators connected in series to each other between a first input terminal and a first output terminal; a parallel resonators each having one end connected to one terminal of each of the series resonators; and a common inductance having one end connected to the other ends of the parallel resonators and the other end connected to a ground terminal, and a second filter unit includes: a series resonators connected in series to each other between a second input terminal and a second output terminal; a parallel resonators each having one end connected to one terminal of each of the series resonators; and a common inductance having one end connected to the other ends of the parallel resonators and the other end connected to the ground terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masafumi IWAKI, Tokihiro NISHIHARA, Shinji TANIGUCHI, Takeshi SAKASHITA, Tsuyoshi YOKOYAMA, Motoaki HARA, Masanori UEDA
  • Publication number: 20100019866
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device includes a substrate and a plurality of piezoelectric thin film resonators formed over the substrate. Each of the plurality of the piezoelectric thin film resonators includes lower electrode provided on the substrate, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film and opposed to the lower electrode through the piezoelectric film. Each of the piezoelectric thin film resonators is partly supported by the substrate and extends above the substrate to form a cavity between the substrate and each lower electrodes. The cavity continuously extending under the plurality of the piezoelectric thin film resonators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Motoaki HARA, Tokihiro Nishihara, Shinji Taniguchi, Takeshi Sakashita, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: RE41813
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode arranged on the substrate, a piezoelectric film arranged on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode arranged on the piezoelectric film. A region in which the upper electrode overlaps with the lower electrode through the piezoelectric film has an elliptical shape, and a condition such that 1<a/b<1.9 is satisfied where a is a main axis of the elliptical shape, and b is a sub axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignees: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd., Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsutomu Miyashita