Abstract: A movable section located in a hollow portion covered with a wall and a first sealing layer which are on a substrate and the first sealing layer located in an area facing the movable section are provided, the movable section is located between the substrate and the first sealing layer, and at least part of the movable section and the first sealing layer is an electric conductor.

Abstract: The oscillator comprises at least a first series of a multiple of four sub-assemblies each of which comprises an excitation terminal and an output terminal. The sub-assemblies are arranged in series in a closed loop. The output terminal of each sub-assembly is connected to the excitation terminal of the following sub-assembly. The output terminal of one of the sub-assemblies constitutes the output terminal of the oscillator. Each sub-assembly comprises excitation means and a nanowire which constitutes the electromechanical resonator and the piezoresistive detection means of movement of the resonator. A first terminal of the nanowire is connected to a first supply voltage. The second terminal of the nanowire constitutes the output terminal of the sub-assembly which is grounded via a corresponding resistive circuit. An input terminal of the excitation means constitutes the excitation terminal of the sub-assembly.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that provides a technique for generating an accurate time base for MEMS sensors and actuators which has a vibrating MEMS structure. The accurate clock is generated from the MEMS oscillations and converted to the usable range by means of a frequency translation circuit.

Abstract: A resonator having an effective spring constant (kz) and comprising a beam having a beam spring constant (kB) adapted to resonate in an oscillation direction, and extending at a non-zero angle (?) to the oscillation direction, wherein the resonator has a predetermined geometry and is formed from one or more materials, the or each material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the CTE of the or each material together with the predetermined geometry of the resonator causing ? to vary with temperature, such that the temperature dependence of the beam spring constant is compensated for, resulting in the effective spring constant of the resonator remaining substantially constant within an operating temperature range.

Abstract: A resonator device (200) comprises a base (206) comprising an anchor (204) and a vibration unit (212) connected to the anchor (204). The vibration unit (212) is configured to have a first vibration mode (218) and a second vibration mode (216) different from the first vibration mode (218). According to an embodiment, the vibration unit (212) is configured such that the first vibration mode (218) and the second vibration mode (216) destructively interfere at the anchor (204).

Abstract: An electromechanical resonator produced on a substrate, and a method of producing thereof, including: a suspended structure produced at least partly from the substrate, configured to have a vibration imparted to it such that it resonates at least one natural resonance frequency of the suspended structure; an anchor structure to anchor the suspended structure, by at least one area of its periphery, to the remainder of the substrate, and dimensioned to resonate at the resonance frequency; a mechanism to excite the suspended structure, to cause it to vibrate at the resonance frequency; and a mechanism to detect the vibration frequency of the suspended structure.

Abstract: A MEMS resonator including: an input port which is applied with an input voltage; an output port which outputs an output current; and N MEMS resonating units (N being an integer greater than or equal to 2), the MEMS resonating unit each including a vibrator and being connected to the input port and output port, in which the N MEMS resonating units are serially connected to the input port.

Abstract: In a logical element, supporting portions, and a beam supported by them at two ends are formed. The beam has a back side surface spaced apart from the top side surface of a substrate, creating a space between the facing surfaces of the beam and substrate. An excitation electrode is formed on one supporting portion, whereas an oscillation detecting electrode is formed on the other supporting portion.

Abstract: A piezoresistive MEMS oscillator uses an output circuit to control the voltage across the resonator body. This results in a DC bias of the resonator. A current path is provided between the output of the output circuit and the resonator body such that changes in current through or voltage across the resonator body, resulting from changes in resistance of the resonator body, are coupled to the output. This arrangement uses the bias current flowing through the resonator to derive the output. In this way, the same DC current is used to provide the required DC resonator bias and to drive the output circuit to its DC operating point. The benefit of this arrangement is a reduced power-consumption. In addition, when using an arrangement where a virtual-earth for the resonator to amplifier connection is employed, a reduced sensitivity for bond pad capacitances and other stray capacitances is obtained.

Abstract: A method for generating a drive signal for a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanner is provided. The method includes generating the drive signal for the MEMS scanner using a direct digital synthesis, numerically-controlled oscillator. For a particular embodiment, the drive signal is generated by receiving a summation of (i) an initial control word and (ii) an accumulated correction signal generated based on a comparison of a horizontal drive signal for the MEMS scanner and a horizontal sensor signal received from the MEMS scanner. The summation is added to a phase accumulator output, an address is extracted from the phase accumulator output, and a digital lookup table output is addressed based on the extracted address. The digital lookup table output is converted into an analog signal with a digital-to-analog converter, the analog signal is filtered to generate the drive signal, and the horizontal drive signal is generated based on the drive signal.

Abstract: Oscillators and methods of manufacturing and operating the same are provided, the oscillators include a pinned layer, a free layer and a barrier layer having at least one filament between the pinned layer and the free layer. The pinned layer may have a fixed magnetization direction. The free layer corresponding to the pinned layer. The at least one filament in the barrier layer may be formed by applying a voltage between the pinned layer and the free layer. The oscillators may be operated by inducing precession of a magnetic moment of at least one region of the free layer that corresponds to the at least one filament, and detecting a resistance change of the oscillator due to the precession.

Abstract: Self powered microelectromechanical oscillators are provided for various applications.

Abstract: An oscillator and a method of operating the same are provided, the oscillator may include a free layer, a pinned layer on a first surface of the free layer, and a reference layer on a second surface of the free layer. The free layer may have a variable magnetization direction. The pinned layer may have a pinned magnetization direction. The reference layer may have a magnetization direction non-parallel to the magnetization direction of the pinned layer.

Abstract: In a method for regulating an excited oscillation of a system to a resonance case of the system, instantaneous values of the oscillating quantity are discretely recorded using one sampling frequency, and the sampling frequency is selected to be below twice a maximum frequency of the system. In addition, the following steps are provided: ascertaining an oscillation amplitude from the instantaneous values; regulating a control amplitude on the basis of the ascertained oscillation amplitude; specifying a control frequency on the basis of the control amplitude; generating a control oscillation in consideration of the control frequency; combining the oscillation amplitude and the control oscillation to form a control signal; and exciting the system in consideration of the control signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit comprises the steps of adjusting an oscillation frequency of a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator that is vibratable in a flexural mode of an inverse phrase and that has first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, forming at least one groove in each of two of opposite main surfaces of each of first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, disposing an electrode on a surface of the at least one groove formed in each of two of the opposite main surfaces and each of two of opposite side surfaces of each of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines so that the electrodes of the grooves of the first quartz crystal tuning fork tine are connected to the electrodes of the side surfaces of the second quartz crystal tuning fork tine and the electrodes of the grooves of the second quartz crystal tuning fork tine are connected to the electrodes of the side surfaces of the first quartz crystal tuning fork tine, the quartz crystal tuning fork resonat

Abstract: A resonator includes a CMOS substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode. The CMOS substrate is configured to provide one or more control signals to the first electrode. The resonator also includes a resonator structure including a silicon material layer. The resonator structure is coupled to the CMOS substrate and configured to resonate in response to the one or more control signals.

Abstract: A tunable nanostructure such as a nanotube is used to make an electromechanical oscillator. The mechanically oscillating nanotube can be provided with inertial clamps in the form of metal beads. The metal beads serve to clamp the nanotube so that the fundamental resonance frequency is in the microwave range, i.e., greater than at least 1 GHz, and up to 4 GHz and beyond. An electric current can be run through the nanotube to cause the metal beads to move along the nanotube and changing the length of the intervening nanotube segments. The oscillator can operate at ambient temperature and in air without significant loss of resonance quality. The nanotube is can be fabricated in a semiconductor style process and the device can be provided with source, drain, and gate electrodes, which may be connected to appropriate circuitry for driving and measuring the oscillation. Novel driving and measuring circuits are also disclosed.

Abstract: Oscillators and methods of operating the same, the oscillators include a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a first free layer over the pinned layer, and a second free layer over the first free layer. The oscillators are configured to generate a signal using precession of a magnetic moment of at least one of the first and second free layers.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oscillator in which current consumption relating to oscillation is reduced. The oscillator comprises: an amplifier to an input and output of which a piezoelectric oscillator and a feedback resistor are connected in parallel, and which is constituted by a CMOS logic inverter circuit; and a control circuit, which is constituted by a CMOS logic circuit, for clamping input/output levels of the amplifier and halting oscillation before oscillation start-up, unclamping the input/output levels at beginning of oscillation start-up and supplying a pulse signal to an output terminal of the amplifier a prescribed period of time after the beginning of oscillation start-up.

Abstract: The device resonant comprises a plurality of synchronized oscillators. Each oscillator comprises a resonator which comprises detection means providing detection signals representative of oscillation of the resonator to a feedback loop connected to an excitation input of the resonator. The detection signals control the conductivity of the feedback loop of the oscillator. The excitation inputs of all the resonators are connected to a common point which constitutes the output of the resonant device. A capacitive load is connected between said common point and a reference voltage.

Abstract: A piezoresistive MEMS oscillator comprises a resonator body, first and second drive electrodes located adjacent the resonator body for providing an actuation signal; and at least a first sense electrode connected to a respective anchor point. The voltages at the electrodes are controlled and/or processed such that the feedthrough AC current from one drive electrode to the sense electrode is at least partially offset by the feedthrough AC current from the other drive electrode to the sense electrode.

Abstract: Micromechanical resonating devices, as well as related methods, are described herein. The resonating devices can include a micromechanical resonating structure, an actuation structure that actuates the resonating structure, and a detection structure that detects motion of the resonating structure.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices, systems and methods. In one embodiment, a MEMS resonating device comprises a resonator element configured to provide timing; and at least one passive temperature compensation structure arranged on the resonator element.

Abstract: The present invention exploits the combination of the amplification, provided by the integration of a FET (or any other three terminal active device), with the signal modulation, provided by the MEM resonator, to build a MEM resonator with built-in transistor (hereafter called active MEM resonator). In these devices, a mechanical displacement is converted into a current modulation and depending on the active MEM resonator geometry, number of gates and bias conditions it is possible to selectively amplify an applied signal. This invention integrates proposes to integrate transistor and micro-electro-mechanical resonator operation in a device with a single body and multiple surrounding gates for improved performance, control and functionality. Moreover, under certain conditions, an active resonator can serve as DC-AC converter and provide at the output an AC signal corresponding to its mechanical resonance frequency.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an oscillating signal including a negative-resistance circuit, a crystal, and a component to modify a series resonance of the crystal to decrease power consumption of the negative-resistance circuit in generating the oscillating signal. The component may include a positive-reactance circuit, one or more inductive elements, or pair of inductive elements coupled to the crystal. The apparatus may further include a frequency-tuning component for adjusting a frequency of the oscillating signal, such as a variable capacitor coupled to the crystal. The negative-resistance circuit may include a digital inverter circuit, an inverting analog amplifier, or a self-regulating circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to integrating an inertial mechanical device on top of an IC substrate monolithically using IC-foundry compatible processes. The IC substrate is completed first using standard IC processes. A thick silicon layer is added on top of the IC substrate. A subsequent patterning step defines a mechanical structure for inertial sensing. Finally, the mechanical device is encapsulated by a thick insulating layer at the wafer level. Compared with the incumbent bulk or surface micromachined MEMS inertial sensors, vertically monolithically integrated inertial sensors provided by embodiments of the present invention have one or more of the following advantages: smaller chip size, lower parasitics, higher sensitivity, lower power, and lower cost.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit comprises a piezoelectric vibrator, an amplifier device including inverters provided in a plurality of stages, and an inverter control device. The inverters provided in the plurality of stages includes a performance-variable inverter configured which is operational in both of an initial phase of oscillation startup and a post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized and capable of a variable performance depending on whether the initial phase of oscillation startup or the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized, and an ON/OFF inverter which is operational in the initial phase of oscillation startup and disconnected in the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized.

Abstract: In a SAW oscillator, each of a first SAW element and a second SAW element includes interdigital electrodes and a reflector formed on a piezoelectric material. A first oscillating circuit part forms an oscillating loop including the first SAW element. A second oscillating circuit part forms an oscillating loop including the second SAW element. The first and second oscillating circuit parts have an identical admittance property. The first and second SAW elements are configured that an electrode pitch is identical and an admittance property indicating a relation between a frequency and an admittance value is different therebetween. Further, a first intersection point between the admittance property of the first SAW element and the admittance property of the first oscillating circuit part and a second intersection point between the admittance property of the second SAW element and the admittance property of the second oscillating circuit part are at different frequencies.

Abstract: Some embodiments regard a method comprising: generating a current according to a movement of the MEMS device; the movement is controlled by a control signal; generating a peak voltage according to the current; and adjusting the control signal when the peak voltage is out of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A resonator and a method of manufacturing a resonator are provided. The resonator includes a sacrificial layer formed on a substrate, and a resonant structure formed on the sacrificial layer, the resonant structure comprising a carbon nano-substance layer and a silicon carbide layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a resonator of the harmonic bulk acoustic resonator IIBAR type, comprising a piezoelectric transducer (6) clamped between two electrodes (4, 8) with a strong electroacoustic coupling, cut according to a first cutting angle ?1, and an acoustic substrate (10) with a working frequency acoustic quality coefficient at least equal to 5.1012, cut according to a second cutting angle ?2 with at least one shearing vibration mode. The transducer and the substrate are arranged in such a way that the polarisation direction of the shearing mode of the transducer and the polarisation direction of the shearing of the substrate are aligned, and the second cutting angle ?2 is such that the temperature coefficient of the frequency of the first order CTFB1 corresponding to the shearing mode and to the second cutting angle ?2 is zero with inversion of the sign thereof on either side of, or equal to, a bias.

Abstract: A dual in-situ mixing approach for extended tuning range of resonators. In one embodiment, a dual in-situ mixing device tunes an input radio-frequency (RF) signal using a first mixer, a resonator body, and a second mixer. In one embodiment, the first mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a local oscillator signal. The resonator body receives the output of the first mixer, and the second mixer is coupled to receive the output of the resonator body and the local oscillator signal to provide a tuned output RF signal as a function of the frequency of local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A system for suppressing undesirable oscillations in a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanner is provided. The system includes a tunable notch filter and a MEMS scanner. The tunable notch filter is operable to receive an original drive signal and to generate a compensated drive signal based on the original drive signal. The MEMS scanner, which is coupled to the tunable notch filter, is operable to receive the compensated drive signal and to be driven by the compensated drive signal without oscillating at a first mode resonance frequency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a MEMS resonator comprising a first electrode, a movable element (48) comprising a second electrode, the movable element (48) at least being movable towards the first electrode, the first electrode and the movable element (48) being separated by a gap (46, 47) having sidewalls. According to the invention, the MEMS resonator is characterized in that the gap (46, 47) has been provided with a dielectric layer (60) on at least one of the sidewalls.

Abstract: A parametric feedback oscillator includes a resonator which has at least one transduction element and at least one electromechanical resonating element. The resonator is configured to accept as input a parametric excitation signal at a frequency 2?0 and to provide a resonating output signal at a frequency ?0. A cascaded feedback path in any electrically coupled cascade order includes at least one non-linear element, at least one phase shifter electrically, and at least one amplifier. The cascade feedback path is configured to receive as input the resonating output signal at a frequency ?0 and configured to provide as output a feedback path signal as the parametric excitation signal at a frequency 2?0 to the resonator. A parametric feedback oscillator output terminal is configured to provide the resonating output signal at the frequency ?0 as an output signal. A method of causing a parametric feedback oscillation is also described.

Abstract: Timing oscillators as well as related methods and devices are described. A timing oscillator may include a mechanical resonating structure with major elements and minor elements coupled to the major element. The timing oscillator can generate stable signals with low phase noise at very high frequencies which allows a timing oscillator to be used effectively in a number of devices including computers and mobile phones for time and data synchronization purposes. The signal generated by the timing oscillator can be tuned using a driver circuit and a compensation circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus including a resonator electrode and a second electrode separated from the resonator electrode by a gap having a size that facilitates electron transfer across the gap, wherein the resonator electrode is a resonator electrode mounted for oscillatory motion relative to the second electrode that results in a size of the gap between the resonator electrode and the second electrode being time variable; a feedback circuit configured to convey an electron transfer signal dependent upon electron transfer across the gap as a feedback signal; and a drive electrode adjacent the resonator electrode configured to receive a feedback signal from a feedback circuit configured to provide a time-varying feedback signal dependent upon electron transfer across a gap.

Abstract: Timing oscillators as well as related methods and devices are described. A timing oscillator may include a mechanical resonating structure with major elements and minor elements coupled to the major element. The timing oscillator can generate stable signals with low phase noise at very high frequencies which allows a timing oscillator to be used effectively in a number of devices including computers and mobile phones for time and data synchronization purposes. The signal generated by the timing oscillator can be tuned using a driver circuit and a compensation circuit.

Abstract: A broadband linear vibrator that is small sized and yet capable of generating a greater vibrating force and outputting various broadband vibrations, and a mobile terminal capable of outputting various vibrations and sounds, wherein the broadband linear vibrator includes a case; a spring coupled to the case; an oscillator including a magnet for elastically supporting the spring and a stator formed inside the case for vibrating the oscillator, wherein a frequency band to a maximum use frequency that is detectable as a vibration or a sound source based on a resonant frequency is 1.2 times than a frequency band to a minimum use frequency, such that various feelings of vibrations and sounds can be advantageously provided by the broadband linear vibrator.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop includes: a variable oscillator connected to a first resonator, said oscillator being able to deliver an output signal at a first output frequency Fout1, a first frequency divider receiving the output signal and able to convert it into a divided frequency signal Fout1/n, a reference oscillator connected to a second so-called reference resonator, delivering a reference signal at a low reference frequency Fref, generating an electrical dissipation lower than a microampere, a phase comparator measuring the phase error between the divided frequency signal Fout1/n and the reference signal and being able to produce a test signal, a low-pass filter or an integrating circuit able to filter the test signal and able to generate a voltage or a control word designed to control the voltage-controlled or digitally controlled oscillator.

Abstract: A resonant circuit includes a substrate; a MEMS resonator including a fixed electrode and a movable electrode formed above the substrate and having a first terminal and a second terminal, the movable electrode having a movable portion opposing at least a part of the fixed electrode; and a voltage applying unit applying a bias voltage to the MEMS resonator, the voltage applying unit including a voltage divider circuit that includes a compensation resistance formed of a same layer as that of the movable portion to allow a resistance value to be changed by a thickness of the layer and a reference resistance formed of a layer different from that of the movable portion and connected to the compensation resistance to output a junction potential between the compensation resistance and the reference resistance to at least one of the first and the second terminals of the MEMS resonator.

Abstract: The crystal oscillator for surface mounting includes: a container body having first and second recesses on both principal surfaces thereof; a crystal blank hermetically encapsulated within the first recess; and an IC chip in which an oscillation circuit using the crystal blank is integrated, the IC chip being accommodated within the second recess. The IC chip is provided with a plurality of IC terminals including a pair of crystal terminals used for electrical connection with the crystal blank. A plurality of mounting electrodes to which the IC terminals are connected through flip-chip bonding are formed on a bottom surface of the second recess in correspondence with the IC terminals. A pair of mounting electrodes corresponding to the pair of crystal terminals are electrically connected to the crystal blank and also formed as a pair of dual-purpose electrodes having greater areas than the other mounting electrodes.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a multiplying oscillator capable of generating a high frequency signal by small circuit scale and power consumption in an oscillator for generating a signal with a frequency of a microwave band or more, and a local oscillator using this multiplying oscillator. A multiplying oscillator of the invention obtains a frequency signal four times or more a fundamental wave by adding a frequency adjusting unit 40 having a function of suppressing second harmonic of the fundamental wave to a resonance unit 20 in a multiplying oscillator which constructs an oscillator for connecting two negative resistance units 10 to 11 to the resonance unit 20 and generating a signal A and a signal B of mutually opposite phases in the fundamental wave and synthesizes the signal A and the signal B in phase in a synthetic unit 30 and obtains an oscillation signal output.

Abstract: An oscillator assembly including an oscillator seated on a pad of thermally conductive material formed on the surface of a printed circuit board and covered by a lid defining an oven for the oscillator. In one embodiment, a plurality of heaters are located on different sides of the oscillator and at least partially seated on the pad for evenly transferring heat to the pad and the oscillator. In one embodiment, the oscillator is a temperature compensated crystal oscillator and an integrated amplifier controller circuit on the printed circuit board integrates at least one operational amplifier for controlling the heater(s) and one or more transistors for providing heat to the oven. A canopy seated on the pad and covering the oscillator can be used for transferring heat more evenly to the oscillator. A cavity in the bottom of the printed circuit board defines an insulative air pocket.

Abstract: An integrated circuit oscillator includes a microelectromechanical (MEM) resonator having input and output terminals. An oscillation sustaining circuit is provided. The oscillation sustaining circuit is electrically coupled between the input and output terminals of the microelectromechanical resonator. The oscillation sustaining circuit includes a sustaining amplifier and a negative impedance circuit electrically coupled to the sustaining amplifier. The negative impedance circuit is configured to increase a tuning range of the oscillator by at least partially cancelling a parasitic shunt capacitance associated with the microelectromechanical resonator.

Abstract: A transfer impedance from input terminals of a resonator to output terminals of the resonator is larger than a driving-point impedance of the input terminals of the resonator at an oscillation frequency. The input terminals of the resonator are connected with the drain terminals of transistors Q1 and Q2 that are outputs of a differential amplifier, and the output terminals of the resonator are connected with gate terminals of the transistors Q1 and Q2 that are inputs of the differential amplifier. With this configuration, during the oscillating operation, the oscillation voltage amplitude of the gate terminals of the transistors Q1 and Q2 becomes larger than the oscillation voltage amplitude of the drain terminals. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the transistor, which is oscillating, from operating in a triode region, and suppress the deterioration of the Q-factor.

Abstract: An oscillator device includes an oscillation system having an oscillator and an elastic supporting member, a detecting member for detecting oscillation amplitude of the oscillator, a driving member for driving the oscillator, and a control unit for generating a driving signal for driving the oscillator and for supplying the driving signal to the driving member, wherein the control unit reciprocally sweeps a driving frequency of the driving signal so that a resonance frequency of the oscillation system is included within a frequency range swept, wherein the control unit determines a resonance frequency based on at least two frequencies with which an oscillation amplitude value obtainable by the reciprocal sweeping reaches a maximum, and wherein the control unit generates the driving signal based on the determined resonance frequency.

Abstract: The resonant device comprises an electromechanical resonator of nanometric or micrometric size that comprises a mobile element and a fixed element. Detection means provide detection signals representative of movement of the mobile element with respect to the fixed element to a feedback loop that is connected to an excitation input of the resonator. The resonator is formed on the same substrate as the detection means and feedback loop. The feedback loop comprises at most first and second transistors connected in series between a reference voltage and the excitation terminal. A capacitive load is connected between the excitation terminal and reference voltage. The detection signals control the conductivity of the first transistor.

Abstract: It is possible to reduce the size of a surface acoustic wave resonator by enhancing the Q value. In a surface acoustic wave resonator in which an IDT having electrode fingers for exciting surface acoustic waves is formed on a crystal substrate, a line occupying ratio is defined as a value obtained by dividing the width of one electrode finger by the distance between the center lines of the gaps between one electrode finger and the electrode fingers adjacent to both sides thereof, and the IDT includes a region formed by gradually changing the line occupying ratio from the center to both edges so that the frequency gradually becomes lower from the center to both edges than the frequency at the center of the IDT.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal.