A method for manufacturing a micromechanical layer structure, including: providing a first protective layer patterned to have at least one opening which is filled with sacrificial layer material; depositing a functional-layer layer structure; producing a first opening in the functional-layer layer structure to at least one opening of the first protective layer, so that in at least one of the layers of the functional-layer layer structure; depositing a second protective layer so that the first opening is filled with material of the second protective layer; patterning the second protective layer and the filled first opening to have a second opening to the first protective layer, the second opening having the same or a lesser width than the first opening; removing sacrificial layer material at least in the opening of the first protective layer; and removing protective layer material at least in the second opening.

Micro-machined acoustic and ultrasonic transducer (MAUT), particularly piezoelectric MAUT (PMAUT), performance tradeoffs have meant reasonable pixel depth resolution necessitated low quality factor (Q) transducers with power distributed over a large bandwidth yielding modest imaging ranges whilst high-Q transducers providing higher acoustic power output for longer imaging ranges exhibit extended ringing limiting pixel depth information. Accordingly, the inventors have established MAUTs supporting high-Q transducers for long-range high-resolution imaging by integrating electromechanical actuators (dampers) which can be selectively engaged to mechanically damped the MAUT. In several applications PMAUT arrays are required where all transducer elements should have almost identical resonant frequencies. However, prior art fabrication processes have tended to produce PMAUTs with large inter-chip and inter-wafer variances. Prior art methodologies to reduce inter-wafer process variations do not address intra-wafer or inter-chip process variations and accordingly the inventors have established manufacturing methodologies and design solutions to address these for the PMAUT resonant frequency.

The present disclosure is generally directed to utilizing capacitors stacks with capacitors mounted in a terminal-to-terminal mounting orientation to reduce overall footprint of capacitor arrays for bypass filtering circuits. In an embodiment, each capacitor stack includes at least a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a ground plane interconnect. The first capacitor includes first and second terminals disposed opposite each other. The first terminal provides a mating surface to couple to the second capacitor, the second terminal couples to a ground plane. The second capacitor includes first and second terminals disposed opposite each other. The first terminal provides a mounting surface to electrically couple to and support the first capacitor, and the second terminal provides a mating surface to electrically and physically couple to the ground plane. Accordingly, the first capacitor can be inverted and mounted atop the second capacitor to eliminate the necessity of wire bonds, for example.

Certain aspects provide an integrated circuit (IC) including a resonator. One example IC generally includes a substrate, a first oxide region disposed above the substrate, and a resonator. The resonator may include a piezoelectric layer, a second oxide region disposed below the piezoelectric layer and bonded to the first oxide region, and a cavity in the second oxide region, wherein at least a portion of the second oxide region is below the cavity.

A balun comprising a three-dimensional (3D) printed base. In one embodiment the balun further comprises a piece of copper tape adhered to an outer surface of the 3D printed base.

A balun comprising a three-dimensional (3D) printed base. In one embodiment the balun further comprises a piece of copper tape adhered to an outer surface of the 3D printed base.

An RF circuit device using modified lattice, lattice, and ladder circuit topologies. The devices can include four resonator devices and four shunt resonator devices. In the ladder topology, the resonator devices are connected in series from an input port to an output port while shunt resonator devices are coupled to the nodes between the resonator devices. In the lattice topology, a top and a bottom serial configurations each includes a pair of resonator devices that are coupled to differential input and output ports. A pair of shunt resonators is cross-coupled between each pair of a top serial configuration resonator and a bottom serial configuration resonator. The modified lattice topology adds baluns or inductor devices between top and bottom nodes of the top and bottom serial configurations of the lattice configuration. These topologies may be applied using single crystal or polycrystalline bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators.

An RF circuit device using modified lattice, lattice, and ladder circuit topologies. The devices can include four resonator devices and four shunt resonator devices. In the ladder topology, the resonator devices are connected in series from an input port to an output port while shunt resonator devices are coupled to the nodes between the resonator devices. In the lattice topology, a top and a bottom serial configurations each includes a pair of resonator devices that are coupled to differential input and output ports. A pair of shunt resonators is cross-coupled between each pair of a top serial configuration resonator and a bottom serial configuration resonator. The modified lattice topology adds baluns or inductor devices between top and bottom nodes of the top and bottom serial configurations of the lattice configuration. These topologies may be applied using single crystal or polycrystalline bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of manufacturing a packaged acoustic wave component with two acoustic wave devices interconnected by a thermally conductive frame. The method includes providing a first acoustic wave device having a multi-layer piezoelectric substrate structure with a first piezoelectric layer disposed over a first support layer and an interdigital transducer electrode. The method further includes stacking the first acoustic wave device relative to a second acoustic wave device such that a thermally conductive frame extends between the first acoustic wave device and the second acoustic wave device. The thermally conductive frame provides a thermal path for heat dissipation from the first acoustic wave device to the second acoustic wave device.

A microelectromechanical device having a mobile structure including mobile arms formed from a composite material and having a fixed structure including fixed arms capacitively coupled to the mobile arms. The composite material includes core regions of insulating material and a silicon coating.