Rotation Of Crystal Axis (e.g., Cut Angle) Patents (Class 310/360)
  • Patent number: 11870416
    Abstract: Techniques for improving Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) resonator structures are disclosed, including filters, oscillators and systems that may include such devices. First and second layers of piezoelectric material may be acoustically coupled with one another to have a piezoelectrically excitable resonance mode. The first layer of piezoelectric material may have a first piezoelectric axis orientation, and the second layer of piezoelectric material may have a second piezoelectric axis orientation that substantially opposes the first piezoelectric axis orientation of the first layer of piezoelectric material. An acoustic reflector electrode may include a first pair of top metal electrode layers electrically and acoustically coupled with the first and second layer of piezoelectric material to excite the piezoelectrically excitable resonance mode at a resonant frequency of the BAW resonator. The acoustic reflector may include a patterned layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Qxonix Inc.
    Inventors: Dariusz Burak, Kevin J. Grannen, Jack Lenell
  • Patent number: 11552613
    Abstract: A resonator circuit device. The present invention provides for improved resonator shapes using egg-shaped, partial egg-shaped, and asymmetrical partial egg-shaped resonator structures. These resonator shapes are configured to give less spurious mode/noise below the resonant frequency (Fs) than rectangular, circular, and elliptical resonator shapes. These improved resonator shapes also provide filter layout flexibility, which allows for more compact resonator devices compared to resonator devices using conventionally shaped resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiqiang Bi, Dae Ho Kim, Pinal Patel, Kathy W Davis, Rohan W. Houlden
  • Patent number: 11367826
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric laminate, including: a substrate; and a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate, wherein the piezoelectric film is a film containing an alkali niobium oxide of a perovskite structure represented by a composition formula of (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0<x<1), and having Young's modulus of less than 100 GPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Shibata, Kazutoshi Watanabe, Fumimasa Horikiri
  • Patent number: 11192367
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric device including a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, and a diaphragm disposed between the pressure chamber and the piezoelectric element. The diaphragm has a vibration region that overlaps the pressure chamber in plan view. The piezoelectric element overlaps the vibration region in plan view. The diaphragm has a crystal plane {110} of a single crystal silicon base, or a crystal plane of a single crystal silicon base of which a Young's modulus and a Poisson's ratio vary according to a crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tamura, Sayaka Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11142843
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are related to polycrystalline textured materials exhibiting heterogeneous templated grain growth, methods of forming such materials, and related systems. An example of a method of forming a polycrystalline textured material exhibiting heterogeneous templated grain growth includes providing a plurality of seeds. The method also includes aligning at least some of the plurality of seeds (e.g., single-crystal seeds) so that a selected crystallographic orientation of at least some of the plurality of seeds are substantially aligned with each other. Additionally, the method includes positioning the plurality of seeds in a powder matrix. The method then includes pressing the plurality of seeds and the powdered matrix to form a green body. Further, the method includes sintering the green body at a temperature that is sufficient to grow a plurality of grains from corresponding ones of the plurality of seeds to form the polycrystalline textured material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Oliver Kent Johnson, Dallin James Frandsen
  • Patent number: 10924085
    Abstract: A guided acoustic wave device includes a substrate, a lithium tantalate layer on the substrate, and a transducer on the lithium tantalate film. The lithium tantalate has a crystalline orientation defined by (YXl)?°, where ? is between 10° and 37°. The inventors discovered that limiting the crystalline orientation of the lithium tantalate in this manner provides significant increases in the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the acoustic wave device, thereby increasing bandwidth and improving performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Shogo Inoue, Marc Solal
  • Patent number: 10910551
    Abstract: A piezoelectric material includes a first material layer including a polycrystalline lead zinc niobate-lead zirconate titanate material arranged in a 001 crystal direction; and a second material layer including a mono-crystalline material having a 001 crystal face, wherein the lead zinc niobate-lead zirconate titanate and the mono-crystalline material are different. Also a piezoelectric device including the piezoelectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jin S. Heo, Kyunghoon Cho, Shashank Priya, Yongke Yan
  • Patent number: 9391586
    Abstract: A quartz crystal vibrator includes a quartz crystal resonator element, a thermistor adapted to detect the temperature, and a package adapted to incorporate the quartz crystal resonator element and the thermistor, a plurality of electrode pads adapted to support the quartz crystal resonator element is disposed on an inner bottom surface of the package, to which the quartz crystal resonator element and the thermistor are installed, and a wiring pattern, which is extracted from at least one electrode pad, and has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of a package base of the package including the inner bottom surface, overlaps the thermistor in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kensaku Isohata
  • Patent number: 9385297
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a niobate-system ferroelectric thin film device, including: a lower electrode film formation step of forming a lower electrode film on a substrate; a niobate-system ferroelectric thin film formation step of forming a niobate-system ferroelectric thin film on the lower electrode film; an etch mask formation step of forming a desired etch mask pattern on the niobate-system ferroelectric thin film; and a ferroelectric thin film etching step of forming a desired fine pattern of the niobate-system ferroelectric thin film by wet etching using an etchant including an aqueous alkaline solution of a chelating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Fumimasa Horikiri, Kenji Shibata, Kazufumi Suenaga, Kazutoshi Watanabe, Masaki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9276192
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetoelectric (ME) composite including both a piezoelectric material and a magnetostrictive material, wherein a piezoelectric single crystal material having high piezoelectric properties is used as the piezoelectric material, and a metal magnetostrictive material having high magnetostrictive properties is used as the magnetostrictive material, thus achieving an ME composite having a layered structure via adhesion. When the ME layered composite is manufactured such that a <011> crystal orientation of the piezoelectric single crystal material is set to a thickness direction, high ME voltage coefficient, which is at least doubled, compared to a conventional <001> crystal orientation, can be obtained, and such an effect is further maximized in the resonance of the composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY AND MATERIALS
    Inventors: Jungho Ryu, Jong-Woo Kim, Woon-Ha Yoon, Dong-Soo Park
  • Patent number: 9260963
    Abstract: A method to determine a piston position in a sample bottle, having steps of providing a transducer near a chamber of the sample bottle, exciting the transducer to provide at least one wave of acoustic energy, propagating the acoustic energy through the chamber to a surface, reflecting the acoustic energy from the surface, receiving the acoustic energy at a receiver, determining a time of flight of the acoustic energy, and calculating the piston position from the time of flight of the acoustic energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony R. H. Goodwin, Thomas Meyer
  • Patent number: 9140667
    Abstract: The electrostatic sensors of bridge or cantilever type with multiple electrodes, the electrostatic sensors of comb type and piezoelectric sensors are used for the single molecule detection of ligands. The electrical driving of sensors is separated in some cases from the sensing for increased sensitivity. The large arrays of sensors with individual or common sensing circuits are employed to further improve detection sensitivity. The fabrication of the sensors, their functionalization for detection of many chemical and biological species and electrical circuitry, packaging, microfluidic subsystem and the system architecture are also disclosed. The individual, specific sensing of single species or simultaneous detection of multiple species is realized. The freeze drying or critical point drying after exposure of sensors to ligands present in liquids and detection in reduced pressure or vacuum is employed for increased sensitivity, down to the single molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Vlad Joseph Novotny
  • Patent number: 9041271
    Abstract: A crystal device is provided, in which a peeling of a bonding material is prevented by using the bonding material having a thermal expansion coefficient which is between the coefficients in a first direction and a second direction of a bonding surface of a crystal element. A crystal device includes a rectangular crystal element formed with a crystal material that includes an excitation part and a frame surrounding the excitation part. The device further includes a rectangular base bonded to a principal surface of the frame, and a lid bonded to another principal surface of the frame; and the frame, the base and the lid have edges respectively along a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The bonding material is applied having a thermal expansion coefficient that is between the coefficients in the first direction and second direction of the crystal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD
    Inventors: Masakazu Harada, Takumi Ariji, Takehiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150084486
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric element wherein a lower electrode made of Pt, a buffer layer made of PLT, and a piezoelectric thin film to be a perovskite ferroelectric thin film are formed in this order on a substrate. The average crystal grain size of Pt forming the lower electrode is not smaller than 50 nm and not larger than 150 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Eguchi
  • Patent number: 8957569
    Abstract: A GT-cut crystal resonator that can be provided with a support portion having a small and simple configuration without adverse effect on vibration characteristics includes: a crystal plate formed in an elliptical shape with a major axis and a minor axis respectively corresponding to vibration directions of two longitudinal vibration modes orthogonal to each other in a GT-cut; and a support portion that supports the crystal plate, the support portion being connected to a position on an outer periphery of the crystal plate where a minimum vibration displacement is obtained when the two longitudinal vibration modes are coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8866367
    Abstract: A method for forming an electrical device having a {100}-textured platinum electrode comprising: depositing a textured metal thin film onto a substrate; thermally oxidizing the metal thin film by annealing to convert it to a rocksalt structure oxide with a {100}-texture; depositing a platinum film layer; depositing a ferroelectric film. An electrical device comprising a substrate; a textured layer formed on the substrate comprising metal oxide having a rocksalt structure; a first electrode film layer having a crystallographic texture acting as a template; and at least one ferroelectric material layer exhibiting spontaneous polarization epitaxially deposited on the first electrode film layer whereby the rocksalt structure of the textured layer facilitates the growth of the first electrode film layer with a {100} orientation which forms a template for the epitaxial deposition of the ferroelectric layer such that the ferroelectric layer is formed with an {001} orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Glen R. Fox, Ronald G. Polcawich, Daniel M. Potrepka
  • Publication number: 20140306581
    Abstract: Among other things, piezoelectric materials and methods of their manufacture are described; particularly methods of forming regions of varying crystal structure within a relaxor piezoelectric substrate. Such methods may including heating the piezoelectric substrate above the transition temperature and below the Curie temperature such that a first phase transition occurs to a first crystal structure; rapidly cooling the piezoelectric substrate below the transition temperature at a cooling rate that is sufficiently high for the first crystal structure to persist; and applying an electric field through one or more selected regions of the piezoelectric substrate, such that within the one or more selected regions, a second phase transition occurs and results in a second crystal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Philip P. Garland, Robert B.A. Adamson, Andre B. Benzanson, Jeremy A. Brown
  • Publication number: 20140292948
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer between the first and the second electrodes. The piezoelectric layer includes a buffer layer disposed on the first electrode and containing Bi and an element selected from Al, Si, Cr, and Mn and a complex oxide layer disposed on the buffer layer and having a perovskite structure containing Bi, Fe, Ba, and Ti.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20140285068
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film element includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric thin-film layer that is formed on the lower electrode layer and includes potassium sodium niobate having a perovskite structure represented by the composition formula of (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0.4?x?0.7), and an upper electrode layer formed on the piezoelectric thin-film layer. The piezoelectric thin-film layer is formed such that a value of (Ec?+Ec+)/2 is not less than 10.8 kV/cm and a value of (Pr?+Pr+)/2 is not more than ?2.4 ?C/cm2 where Ec? and Ec+ are intersection points of a polarization-electric field hysteresis loop and the x-axis indicating an electric field and Pr? and Pr+ are intersection points of the polarization-electric field hysteresis loop and the y-axis indicating polarization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji SHIBATA, Masaki NOGUCHI, Kazufumi SUENAGA, Kazutoshi WATANABE, Fumimasa HORIKIRI
  • Publication number: 20140167566
    Abstract: A piezoelectric bulk wave device that includes a piezoelectric thin plate that is made of LiTaO3, and first and second electrodes that are provided in contact with the piezoelectric thin plate. The piezoelectric bulk wave device utilizes the thickness shear mode of the piezoelectric thin plate made of LiTaO3, and of the Euler Angles (?, ?, ?) of LiTaO3, ? is 0°, and ? is in the range of not less than 54° and not more than 107°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hajime Kando
  • Patent number: 8736140
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate and an interdigital transducer (IDT) that includes electrode fingers exciting a surface acoustic wave on the piezoelectric substrate, a first region at a center of the IDT, and a second region and a third region at opposite sides of the IDT. In the IDT, a line occupation rate at which an electromechanical coupling coefficient becomes a maximum is different from the line occupation rate at which reflection of the surface acoustic wave becomes a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8723395
    Abstract: A SAW device has an IDT which is provided on the principal surface of a quartz crystal substrate having Euler angles (?1.5°???1.5°, 117°???142°, 42.79?|?|?49.57°) and excites a SAW in a stopband upper end mode, and a pair of reflectors which are arranged on both sides of the IDT. Inter-electrode-finger grooves are recessed between the electrode fingers of the IDT, and inter-conductor-strip grooves are recessed between the conductor strips of the reflectors. A first direction (X? axis) perpendicular to the electrode fingers and the conductor strips intersects the electrical axis (X axis) of the quartz crystal substrate at an angle ?. At least a part of the IDT and the reflectors are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction at an angle ? of 1.0°???2.75°. An excellent frequency-temperature characteristic and a high Q value in an operation temperature range are realized simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8723396
    Abstract: A SAW device has an IDT which is provided on the principal surface of a quartz crystal sustrate having Euler angles (?1.5°???1.5°, 117°???142°, ?) and excites a SAW in a stopband upper end mode. Inter-electrode-finger grooves 8 are recessed between the electrode fingers of the IDT. When the Euler angle ? is 42.79°?|?|?49.57°, the thickness H of the electrode fingers of the IDT is set to be within 0.055 ?m?H?0.335 ?m, preferably, 0.080 ?m?H?0.335 ?m. When the Euler angle ? is |?|?90°×n (where n=0, 1, 2, 3), and the thickness H of the electrode fingers is set to 0.05 ?m?H?0.20 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihito Yamanaka, Takuya Owaki, Naohisa Obata
  • Patent number: 8723393
    Abstract: A SAW device 11 has an IDT which is provided on the principal surface of a quartz crystal substrate 12 having Euler angles (?1.5°???1.5°, 117°???142°, 42.79°?|?|?49.57°) and excites a SAW in a stopband upper end mode, and a pair of reflectors which are arranged on both sides of the IDT. Inter-electrode-finger grooves are recessed between the electrode fingers of the IDT, and inter-conductor-strip grooves are recessed between the conductor strips of the reflectors. The wavelength ? of the SAW and the depth G of the inter-electrode-finger grooves satisfy 0.01??G. An IDT line occupancy ? and the depth G of the inter-electrode-finger grooves satisfy a predetermined relational expression. The IDT line occupancy ? and a reflector line occupancy ?r satisfy the relationship ?<?r. Therefore, an excellent frequency-temperature characteristic and a high Q value in an operation temperature range are realized simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8723394
    Abstract: A SAW device has an IDT which is provided in the principal surface of a quartz crystal substrate having Euler angles (?1.5°???1.5°, 117°???142°, |?|?90°×n (where n=0, 1, 2, 3)) and excites a Rayleigh wave (wavelength: ?) in a stopband upper end mode. Inter-electrode-finger grooves are recessed between the electrode fingers of the IDT. The depth G of the inter-electrode-finger grooves is 0.01??G?0.07?, and an electrode finger thickness H and an IDT line occupancy ? satisfy a predetermined relationship. Thus, a frequency-temperature characteristic constantly has an inflection point between a maximum value and a minimum value in an operation temperature range, thereby suppressing a fluctuation in an inflection-point temperature due to a manufacturing variation in the IDT line occupancy ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naohisa Obata, Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8692443
    Abstract: An electrical component comprises a lead-based perovskite crystal material layer between a lower electrode on the surface of a substrate and an upper electrode, characterized in that the lower electrode comprises a stabilizing first layer made of a first material and a seeding second layer made of a second material, the first and second materials having the same chemical composition but different structural parameters and/or densities. A process for fabricating a component is also provided, in which the material with a perovskite structure may be PZT with a (100) or (111) orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Matthieu Cueff, Emmanuel Defay, Gwenael Le Rhun
  • Patent number: 8692439
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonator has a quartz crystal substrate having Euler angles of (?=0°, 110°???150°, 88°???92°) and an IDT having a plurality of electrode fingers disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and using a surface acoustic wave as an excitation wave, a plurality of grooves arranged in a propagation direction of the surface acoustic wave to form stripes is disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and the electrode fingers are disposed one of between the grooves and inside the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Owaki, Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140091676
    Abstract: A crystal unit according to this disclosure includes an IT-cut round crystal element supported at two points on an outer periphery portion of the IT-cut round crystal element. A rotation angle in plane between a straight line connecting the two points and Z? axis of a double-rotation is within a specific range. The specific range includes an angle where an amount of frequency variation is zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TOYOAKI KUSUNOKI
  • Patent number: 8680743
    Abstract: A SAW device 11 has an IDT which is provided on the principal surface of a quartz crystal substrate 12 having Euler angles (?1.5°???1.5°, 117°???142°, 42.79°?|?|?49.57°) and excites a SAW in a stopband upper end mode, and a pair of reflectors which are arranged on both sides of the IDT. Inter-electrode-finger grooves are recessed between the electrode fingers of the IDT, and inter-conductor-strip grooves are recessed between the conductor strips of the reflectors. The wavelength ? of the SAW and the depth G of the inter-electrode-finger grooves satisfy 0.01??G. An IDT line occupancy ? and the depth G of the inter-electrode-finger grooves satisfy a predetermined relational expression. The IDT line occupancy ? and a reflector line occupancy ?r satisfy the relationship ?<?r. Therefore, an excellent frequency-temperature characteristic and a high Q value in an operation temperature range are realized simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8653722
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a manufacturing method of a quartz-crystal device, in which its lid and base is manufactured with smaller thermal expansion coefficient between AT-cut quartz-crystal wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Mizusawa
  • Publication number: 20130320813
    Abstract: A dielectric device has a first electrode film having a non-oriented or amorphous structure, a dielectric film provided on the first electrode film and having a preferentially oriented structure, and a second electrode film provided on the dielectric film and having a non-oriented or amorphous structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki KURACHI, Hitoshi SAKUMA, Yasuhiro AIDA, Kazuhiko MAEJIMA, Mayumi NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 8593037
    Abstract: A quartz resonator flow cell has a piezoelectric quartz wafer with an electrode, pads, and interconnects disposed on a first side thereof. The piezoelectric quartz wafer has a second electrode disposed on a second side thereof, the second electrode opposing the first electrode. A substrate is provided having fluid ports therein and the piezoelectric quartz wafer is mounted to the substrate such that the second side thereof faces the substrate with a cavity being formed between the substrate and the wafer. The fluid ports in the substrate are aligned with the electrode on the second side of the piezoelectric quartz wafer which is in contact with the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Randall L. Kubena, Tsung-Yuan Hsu
  • Publication number: 20130279042
    Abstract: A thin film piezoelectric element of the present invention includes a substrate and a piezoelectric thin film stack formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric thin film stack includes a top electrode layer, a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the top electrode layer and the bottom electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer includes a first piezoelectric layer and a second piezoelectric layer whose compositions have different phase structures. The present invention can obtain high piezoelectric constants, enhanced coercive field strength and good thermal stability, thereby enabling larger applied field strength without depolarization and achieving a large stroke for its applied device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei XIONG, Panjalak ROKRAKTHONG, Kenjiro HATA, Kazushi NISHIYAMA, Daisuke IITSUKA, Atsushi IIJIMA
  • Publication number: 20130279044
    Abstract: A thin film piezoelectric element of the present invention includes a substrate and a piezoelectric thin film stack formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric thin film stack includes a top electrode layer, a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the top electrode layer and the bottom electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer includes a first piezoelectric layer and a second piezoelectric layer whose compositions have different phase structures. The present invention can obtain high piezoelectric constants, enhanced coercive field strength, thereby enabling larger applied field strength without depolarization and achieving a large stroke for its applied device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei XIONG, Panjalak Rokrakthong, Kenjiro Hata, Kazushi Nishiyama, Daisuke Iitsuka, Atsushi Iijima
  • Patent number: 8525607
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator having a plurality of quartz crystals that are manufactured so that the directional orientation of the acceleration sensitivity vector is essentially the same for each crystal. This enables convenient mounting of the crystals to a circuit assembly with consistent alignment of the acceleration vectors. The crystals are aligned with the acceleration vectors in an essentially anti-parallel relationship and can be coupled to the oscillator circuit in either a series or parallel arrangement. Mounting the crystals in this manner substantially cancels the acceleration sensitivity of the composite resonator and oscillator, rendering it less sensitive to vibrational forces and shock events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Greenray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Fry, Wayne Bolton, John Esterline
  • Publication number: 20130222485
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a lead-free piezoelectric film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and having low dielectric loss and high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the lead-free piezoelectric film. The present invention is directed to a piezoelectric film comprising a (NaxBiy)TiO0.5x+1.5y+2—BaTiO3 layer with a (110) orientation, where 0.30?x?0.46 and 0.51?y?0.62.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Panasonic Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130193808
    Abstract: A thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis orientation and on the first electrode, a second piezoelectric layer having a second c-axis orientation over the first piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode on the second piezoelectric layer. The first and second piezoelectric layers are made of respective different piezoelectric materials. The FBAR can be set to have different resonance frequencies by selecting the first and second c-axis orientations to be respectively the same or different. The high and low frequency range of the FBAR can thus be extended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chris FENG, John CHOY, Kevin J. GRANNEN, Phil NIKKEL, Tom YEH
  • Publication number: 20130187516
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate, and at least a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric film represented by a general formula of (NaxKyLiz)NbO3 (0?x?1, 0?y?1, 0?z?0.2, x+y+z=1); and an upper electrode layer successively formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric film has a crystal structure of pseudo-cubic crystal, tetragonal crystal, orthorhombic crystal, monoclinic crystal or rhombohedral crystal, or has a state that at least two of the crystal structures coexist. The piezoelectric film is preferentially oriented to certain specific axes that are not more than two axes of crystal axes in the crystal structures. At least one of domain crystal component of a c-axis orientation domain crystal component and an a-axis orientation domain crystal component exists as the components of the crystal axes oriented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130106248
    Abstract: In a representative embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator, comprises: a first electrode disposed over a substrate; a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction; a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer; and a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Dariusz BURAK, Kevin J. GRANNEN, John D. LARSON, III, Alexandre SHIRAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130070029
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical conversion element, including an electromechanical conversion film including a PIT, an upper electrode formed on a top of the electromechanical conversion film and including a first strontium ruthenium oxide, and a lower electrode formed on a bottom of the electromechanical conversion film and including a second strontium ruthenium oxide, wherein Sr-pzt/Sr-sr?0.01, wherein Sr-pzt is a SIMS intensity for a secondary ion of strontium of the PZT at a position of ½ of a thickness of the electromechanical conversion film and Sr-sr is a SIMS intensity for a secondary ion of strontium of the second strontium ruthenium oxide at a position of ½ of a thickness of the lower electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Masaru Shinkai, Masahiro Ishimori, Yoshikazu Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20130038176
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a piezoelectric film element includes forming a piezoelectric film including a lead-free alkali niobate based compound having a perovskite structure represented by a compositional formula of (K1-xNax)NbO3 on a substrate, and dry-etching the piezoelectric film by using a low-pressure plasma including a fluorine system reactive gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumimasa HORIKIRI, Kenji SHIBATA, Kazufumi SUENAGA, Kazutoshi WATANABE, Akira NOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20130015392
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric film having an alkali niobate-based perovskite structure expressed by a general formula (NaxKyLiz)NbO3(0?x?1, 0?y?1, 0?z?0.2, x+y+z=1), wherein the alkali niobate has a crystal structure of a pseudo-cubic crystal, a tetragonal crystal, an orthorhombic crystal, a monoclinic crystal, a rhombohedral crystal, or has a crystal structure of coexistence of them, and when total of K—O bonding and K-Metal bonding is set as 100% in a binding state around K-atom of the alkali niobate, a K—O bonding ratio is 46.5% or more and a K-Metal bonding ratio is 53.5% or less, wherein the Metal indicates a metal atom included in the piezoelectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazufumi SUENAGA, Kenji Shibata, Kazutoshi Watanabe, Akira Nomoto, Fumimasa Horikiri
  • Publication number: 20130002767
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer element that includes an electromechanical transducer film formed of a complex oxide (PZT) including lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti). The electromechanical transducer film is formed by laminating plural PZT thin films until a thickness of the formed electromechanical transducer film becomes a predetermined thickness. When an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of average Pb included in the formed electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Pb(avg) and an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of Pb in any one of laminate interfaces of the plural PZT thin films is denoted by Pb(interface), the Pb(avg) is greater than or equal to 100 atomic percentage (at %) and less than or equal to 110 atomic percentage (at %), and a fluctuation ratio ?Pb=Pb(avg)?Pb(interface) of Pb in the laminate interface is less than or equal to 20 percent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
    Inventors: Satoshi MIZUKAMI, Yoshikazu AKIYAMA, Masaru SHINKAI, Keiji UEDA, Kanshi ABE, Takakazu KIHIRA, Naoya KONDO
  • Publication number: 20120306322
    Abstract: An electrical component comprises a lead-based perovskite crystal material layer between a lower electrode on the surface of a substrate and an upper electrode, characterized in that the lower electrode comprises a stabilizing first layer made of a first material and a seeding second layer made of a second material, the first and second materials having the same chemical composition but different structural parameters and/or densities. A process for fabricating a component is also provided, in which the material with a perovskite structure may be PZT with a (100) or (111) orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique et aux Energines Alternatives
    Inventors: Matthieu CUEFF, Emmanuel DEFAY, Gwenaël LE RHUN
  • Patent number: 8319404
    Abstract: In an exemplary method for making crystal vibrating devices, four wafers are provided: a crystal wafer, a base wafer, a first-lid wafer, and a second-lid wafer. The crystal wafer defines multiple crystal vibrating pieces including respective frames and respective electrodes formed on both main surfaces thereof. The base wafer defines multiple base plates bondable to one main surface of respective frames. The first-lid wafer defines multiple first lids bondable to the other main surface of the respective frames. Each first lid defines a void registrable with respective electrodes. The second-lid wafer is sized similarly to and bondable to the first-lid wafer so as to sealably close the voids. In a first bonding step the crystal wafer is bonded to the base wafer and first-lid wafer. In a subsequent adjustment step the thickness of at least one electrode per each crystal vibrating piece is adjusted to adjust the vibrational frequency of the respective vibrating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120187804
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film device comprises a piezoelectric thin film having upper and lower surfaces and a defined tilted crystal morphology, a top electrode disposed on the upper surface, a substrate having a surface morphology that corresponds to the defined crystallographically tilted morphology, and a bottom electrode disposed between and crystallographically linked to both the lower surface of the piezoelectric thin film and the substrate surface, the bottom and top electrodes having a parallel planar configuration relative to the plane of the substrate and the defined crystallographically tilted morphology having a crystallographic c-axis direction oriented at a >0° angle relative to the normal to the plane of the electrodes; and method of making the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Brady J. GIBBONS, Chris Shelton, Peter Mardilovich, Tony S. Cruz-Uribe
  • Patent number: 8188800
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator having a plurality of quartz crystals that are manufactured so that the directional orientation of the acceleration sensitivity vector is essentially the same for each crystal. This enables convenient mounting of the crystals to a circuit assembly with consistent alignment of the acceleration vectors. The crystals are aligned with the acceleration vectors in an essentially anti-parallel relationship and can be coupled to the oscillator circuit in either a series or parallel arrangement. Mounting the crystals in this manner substantially cancels the acceleration sensitivity of the composite resonator and oscillator, rendering it less sensitive to vibrational forces and shock events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Greenray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Fry, Wayne Bolton, John Esterline
  • Patent number: 8148878
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element having a crystal structure that enables a piezoelectric film to be formed in an unstressed state is provided. The piezoelectric film contains an a-axis oriented crystal and a c-axis oriented crystal, where a difference in lattice constant between the a-axis oriented crystal and the c-axis oriented crystal is not more than 0.06 ?. The present inventors have newly found that a stress accumulated in the piezoelectric film can be reduced while maintaining favorable piezoelectric properties when a condition that the difference in lattice constant between the a-axis oriented crystal and the c-axis oriented crystal is not more than 0.06 ? is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, the c-axis oriented crystal and the a-axis oriented crystal are properly balanced and as a result crystal particles of the piezoelectric film are closest-packed on its base in an ideal state, which contributes to a reduced stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Maekawa, Takao Noguchi, Kenichi Tochi, Ken Unno
  • Patent number: 8084917
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate and an interdigital transducer (IDT) that includes electrode fingers exciting a surface acoustic wave on the piezoelectric substrate, a first region at a center of the IDT, and a second region and a third region at opposite sides of the IDT. In the IDT, a line occupation rate at which an electromechanical coupling coefficient becomes a maximum is different from the line occupation rate at which reflection of the surface acoustic wave becomes a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihito Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8026652
    Abstract: A quartz crystal resonator element includes an AT-cut quartz crystal substrate, the substrate having edges parallel to each of a Z? axis obtained by rotating a Z? axis in a range of ?120° to +60° about a Y? axis and an X? axis perpendicular to the Z? axis when an angle formed by rotating a +Z? axis in a direction of a +X axis about the Y? axis is a positive rotation angle; a thin section that forms a resonating section; and a thick section adjacent to the resonating section, the thin section and the thick section being formed on the quartz crystal substrate by wet etching. The thin section is formed either on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a +Y?-axis side or on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a ?Y?-axis side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Epson Toyocom Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yasuike