Abstract: Embodiments of an acoustically-coupled transformer have a first stacked bulk acoustic resonator (SBAR) and a second SBAR. Each of the SBARs has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) and an upper FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. The upper FBAR is stacked atop the lower FBAR. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The piezoelectric element is characterized by a c-axis. The c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the lower FBARs are opposite in direction, and the c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the upper FBARs are opposite in direction. The transformer additionally has a first electrical circuit connecting the lower FBAR of the first SBAR to the lower FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connecting the upper FBAR of the first SBAR to the upper FBARs of the second SBAR.

Abstract: The encapsulated film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an FBAR stack over the substrate, an element for acoustically isolating the FBAR stack from the substrate, encapsulant covering the FBAR stack, and an acoustic Bragg reflector between the top surface of the FBAR stack and the encapsulant. The FBAR stack comprises an FBAR and has a top surface remote from the substrate. The FBAR comprises opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer and a plastic Bragg layer juxtaposed with the metal Bragg layer.

Abstract: The film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an acoustic Bragg reflector over the substrate, a piezoelectric element over the acoustic Bragg reflector, and a remote-side electrode over the piezoelectric element. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer juxtaposed with a plastic Bragg layer. The large ratio between the acoustic impedances of the plastic material of the plastic Bragg layer and the metal of the metal Bragg layer provides sufficient acoustic isolation between the FBAR and the substrate for the frequency response of the FBAR device to exhibit minor, if any, spurious artifacts arising from undesirable acoustic coupling between the FBAR and the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of an acoustically-coupled transformer have a first stacked bulk acoustic resonator (SBAR) and a second SBAR. Each of the SBARs has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) and an upper FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. The upper FBAR is stacked atop the lower FBAR. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The piezoelectric element is characterized by a c-axis. The c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the lower FBARs are opposite in direction, and the c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the upper FBARs are opposite in direction. The transformer additionally has a first electrical circuit connecting the lower FBAR of the first SBAR to the lower FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connecting the upper FBAR of the first SBAR to the upper FBARs of the second SBAR.

Abstract: Embodiments of an acoustically-coupled transformer have a first stacked bulk acoustic resonator (SBAR) and a second SBAR. Each of the SBARs has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) and an upper FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. The upper FBAR is stacked atop the lower FBAR. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The piezoelectric element is characterized by a c-axis. The c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the lower FBARs are opposite in direction, and the c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the upper FBARs are opposite in direction. The transformer additionally has a first electrical circuit connecting the lower FBAR of the first SBAR to the lower FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connecting the upper FBAR of the first SBAR to the upper FBARs of the second SBAR.

Abstract: An embodiment of the acoustically-coupled transformer has first and second stacked bulk acoustic resonators (SBARs) each having a stacked pair of film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) with an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes with piezoelectric material between the electrodes. A first electrical circuit connects one FBARs of the first SBAR to one FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connects the other FBAR of the first SBAR to the other FBAR of the second SBAR. The c-axis of the piezoelectric material of one of the FBARs is opposite in direction to the c-axes of the piezoelectric materials of the other three FBARs. This arrangement substantially reduces the amplitude of signal-frequency voltages across the acoustic decouplers and significantly improves the common mode rejection of the transformer. This arrangement also allows conductive acoustic decouplers to be used, increasing the available choice of acoustic decoupler materials.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a thin film resonator has a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a composite layer between the two electrodes. The composite layer includes a piezoelectric (PZ) layer having a first coupling coefficient and a coupling coefficient control (CCC) layer having a second coupling coefficient. By varying the relative thicknesses of the PZ layer and the CCC layer during the manufacturing process, the coupling coefficient of the resonator can be established (to any value between the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) with minimal impact on resonant frequency. Further, it is relatively less difficult to fabricate the PZ layer and the CCC layer having the desired coupling coefficient (as a combination of the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) compared to the difficulties of fabrication of a uniform PZ layer having the desired coupling coefficient.

Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices having multiple resonant frequencies and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, an acoustic resonator device includes an acoustic resonant structure that includes first and second electrodes and first and second piezoelectric layers. The first and second electrodes abut opposite sides of a resonant volume free of any interposing electrodes. The first and second piezoelectric layers are disposed for acoustic vibrations in the resonant volume and have different respective acoustical resonance characteristics and respective piezoelectric axes oriented in different directions. The acoustic resonant structure has resonant electric responses at first and second resonant frequencies respectively determined at least in part by the acoustical resonance characteristics of the first and second piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: The encapsulated film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an FBAR stack over the substrate, an element for acoustically isolating the FBAR stack from the substrate, encapsulant covering the FBAR stack, and an acoustic Bragg reflector between the top surface of the FBAR stack and the encapsulant. The FBAR stack comprises an FBAR and has a top surface remote from the substrate. The FBAR comprises opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer and a plastic Bragg layer juxtaposed with the metal Bragg layer.

Abstract: The film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device comprises a substrate, an acoustic Bragg reflector over the substrate, a piezoelectric element over the acoustic Bragg reflector, and a remote-side electrode over the piezoelectric element. The acoustic Bragg reflector comprises a metal Bragg layer juxtaposed with a plastic Bragg layer. The large ratio between the acoustic impedances of the plastic material of the plastic Bragg layer and the metal of the metal Bragg layer provides sufficient acoustic isolation between the FBAR and the substrate for the frequency response of the FBAR device to exhibit minor, if any, spurious artifacts arising from undesirable acoustic coupling between the FBAR and the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of an acoustically-coupled transformer have a first stacked bulk acoustic resonator (SBAR) and a second SBAR. Each of the SBARs has a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) and an upper FBAR, and an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. The upper FBAR is stacked atop the lower FBAR. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The piezoelectric element is characterized by a c-axis. The c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the lower FBARs are opposite in direction, and the c-axes of the piezoelectric elements of the upper FBARs are opposite in direction. The transformer additionally has a first electrical circuit connecting the lower FBAR of the first SBAR to the lower FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connecting the upper FBAR of the first SBAR to the upper FBARs of the second SBAR.

Abstract: An embodiment of the acoustically-coupled transformer has first and second stacked bulk acoustic resonators (SBARs) each having a stacked pair of film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) with an acoustic decoupler between the FBARs. Each FBAR has opposed planar electrodes with piezoelectric material between the electrodes. A first electrical circuit connects one FBARs of the first SBAR to one FBAR of the second SBAR, and a second electrical circuit connects the other FBAR of the first SBAR to the other FBAR of the second SBAR. The c-axis of the piezoelectric material of one of the FBARs is opposite in direction to the c-axes of the piezoelectric materials of the other three FBARs. This arrangement substantially reduces the amplitude of signal-frequency voltages across the acoustic decouplers and significantly improves the common mode rejection of the transformer. This arrangement also allows conductive acoustic decouplers to be used, increasing the available choice of acoustic decoupler materials.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a thin film resonator has a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a composite layer between the two electrodes. The composite layer includes a piezoelectric (PZ) layer having a first coupling coefficient and a coupling coefficient control (CCC) layer having a second coupling coefficient. By varying the relative thicknesses of the PZ layer and the CCC layer during the manufacturing process, the coupling coefficient of the resonator can be established (to any value between the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) with minimal impact on resonant frequency. Further, it is relatively less difficult to fabricate the PZ layer and the CCC layer having the desired coupling coefficient (as a combination of the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) compared to the difficulties of fabrication of a uniform PZ layer having the desired coupling coefficient.

Abstract: A magnetron with mechanisms for smoothly and continuously adjusting a DC power applied to its targets to compensate for the changes in the sputtering characteristics of the targets that occur with target aging. A magnetron according to the present teachings includes a set of concentric targets for sputtering a film onto a wafer in response to an AC power and a DC power applied to the targets and a power controller that adjusts the DC power. The adjustments to the DC power enable the magnetron to maintain uniformity in the thicknesses of films formed with the magnetron throughout the life of its targets.

Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices having multiple resonant frequencies and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, an acoustic resonator device includes an acoustic resonant structure that includes first and second electrodes and first and second piezoelectric layers. The first and second electrodes abut opposite sides of a resonant volume free of any interposing electrodes. The first and second piezoelectric layers are disposed for acoustic vibrations in the resonant volume and have different respective acoustical resonance characteristics and respective piezoelectric axes oriented in different directions. The acoustic resonant structure has resonant electric responses at first and second resonant frequencies respectively determined at least in part by the acoustical resonance characteristics of the first and second piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: A magnetron with mechanisms for controlling the magnetic field that acts on its targets in such a manner as to provide control over erosion patterns and independent control of stress, uniformity, deposition rate, and coupling coefficient of a deposited film. A magnetron according to the present teachings includes a set of targets each for eroding a material for deposition onto a wafer contained in the magnetron and a mechanism for adjusting a racetrack position on each target. The racetrack position defines the areas of the targets from which a predominant amount of the material is eroded. The control of racetrack position enables precise control of erosion characteristics and control over stress, uniformity, deposition rate, and coupling coefficient.

Abstract: A magnetron with mechanisms for smoothly and continuously adjusting a DC power applied to its targets to compensate for the changes in the sputtering characteristics of the targets that occur with target aging. A magnetron according to the present teachings includes a set of concentric targets for sputtering a film onto a wafer in response to an AC power and a DC power applied to the targets and a power controller that adjusts the DC power. The adjustments to the DC power enable the magnetron to maintain uniformity in the thicknesses of films formed with the magnetron throughout the life of its targets.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an acoustic resonator, for example a Thin Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators (FBAR), on a substrate. A depression is etched and filled with sacrificial material. The FBAR is fabricated on the substrate spanning the depression, the FBAR having an etch hole. The depression may include etch channels in which case the FBAR may include etch holes aligned with the etch channels. A resonator resulting from the application of the technique is suspended in air and includes at least one etch hole and may include etch channels.

Abstract: An apparatus having both a resonator and an inductor fabricated on a single substrate and a method of fabricating the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a resonator and an inductor that is connected to the resonator. Both the resonator and the inductor are fabricated over their respective cavities to produce a high Q-factor filter circuit.

Abstract: A thin-film resonator having a protective layer and a method of making the same are disclosed. The resonator has a bottom electrode, piezoelectric layer, a top electrode, and protective layer. The protective layer covers the top electrode to protect the top electrode from air and moisture. A protective underlayer can be used to protect the bottom electrode from air and moisture. The protective underlayer can also serve as a seed layer to assist in fabrication of high quality piezoelectric layer.