Reference oscillators are ubiquitous in timing applications generally, and in modern wireless communication devices particularly. Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonators are of particular interest due to their small size and potential for integration with other MEMS devices and electrical circuits on the same chip. In order to support their use in high volume low cost applications it would be beneficial for MEMS designers to have MEMS resonator designs and manufacturing processes that whilst employing low cost low resolution semiconductor processing yield improved resonator performance thereby reducing the requirements of the oscillator circuitry. It would be further beneficial for the oscillator circuitry to be able to leverage the improved noise performance of differential TIAs without sacrificing power consumption.

Microelectronic structure comprising a mobile mass mechanically linked to a first and to a second mechanical element by first and second mechanical linking device respectively, a polarisation source for the second mechanical linking device. The second mechanical linking means comprises two linking elements and a thermal reservoir placed between the linking elements, where at least one of the linking elements is made of piezoresistive material, where at least one of the first and second linking elements exhibit thermoelasticity properties. The thermal reservoir exhibits a thermal capacity which is different from those of the linking elements. The second linking device and the mobile mass are arranged relative to each other such that displacement of the mobile mass applies a mechanical stress to the second linking means.

A MEMS resonator system has a micromechanical resonant structure and an electronic processing circuit including a first resonant loop that excites a first vibrational mode of the structure and generates a first signal at a first resonance frequency. A compensation module compensates, as a function of a measurement of temperature variation, a first variation of the first resonance frequency caused by the temperature variation to generate a clock signal at a desired frequency that is stable relative to temperature. The electronic processing circuit further includes a second resonant loop, which excites a second vibrational mode of the structure and generates a second signal at a second resonance frequency. A temperature-sensing module receives the first and second signals and generates the measurement of temperature variation as a function of the first variation of the first resonance frequency and a second variation of the second resonance frequency caused by the temperature variation.

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.

There is disclosed acoustic resonators and filter devices. An acoustic resonator includes a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having front and back surfaces, a portion of the piezoelectric plate forming a diaphragm. An interdigital transducer (IDT) is formed on the front surface of the single-crystal piezoelectric plate such that interleaved fingers of the IDT are disposed on the diaphragm. The piezoelectric plate and the IDT are configured such that a radio frequency signal applied to the IDT excites a primary shear acoustic mode in the diaphragm. The interleaved fingers of the IDT are substantially molybdenum. The diaphragm is contiguous with the piezoelectric plate around at least 50% of the IDT.

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.

There is disclosed acoustic resonators and filter devices. An acoustic resonator includes a substrate having a surface and a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having front and back surfaces, the back surface attached to the surface of the substrate except for a portion of the piezoelectric plate forming a diaphragm that spans a cavity in the substrate. An interdigital transducer (IDT) is formed on the front surface of the single-crystal piezoelectric plate such that interleaved fingers of the IDT are disposed on the diaphragm. The interleaved fingers of the IDT are substantially molybdenum. The piezoelectric plate and the IDT are configured such that a radio frequency signal applied to the IDT excites a primary shear acoustic mode in the diaphragm. A thickness of the interleaved fingers of the IDT is between 0.25 times and 2.5 times a thickness of the piezoelectric plate.

A micromechanical resonator is provided that enables a smaller total package size with an acceptable quality factor for timing applications. The MEMS resonator includes a vibration portion with a base and three or more vibrating beams extending therefrom. Moreover, the MEMS resonator includes a frame that surrounds a periphery of the vibration portion and a pair of anchor between the vibrating beams for stabilizing the vibration portion within the frame. Furthermore, support beams couple the base of the vibration portion to the pair of anchors.

Particle detection device comprising a support, a platform for receiving particles, four beams suspending the platform from the support, such that the platform can be made to vibrate, means for making said platform vibrate at a resonance frequency, means for detecting the displacement of the platform in a direction of displacement. Each beam has a length l, a width L and a thickness e and the platform has a dimension in the direction of displacement of the platform and in which in a device with out of plane mode l10L and the dimension of each beam in the direction of displacement of the platform is at least 10 times smaller than the dimension of the platform in the direction of displacement.

A resonator including a vibrating portion with first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric film formed therebetween. Moreover, a frame surrounds the vibrating portion with a pair of holding units opposite to each other and connecting the vibrating portion with the frame. An extended electrode extends from the holder to the holding unit and either the first or second electrode extends to the holding unit, and is connected to the extended electrode. Furthermore, the resonator includes an electrical resistance value per unit area of the extended electrode that is smaller than an electrical resistance value per unit area of the first electrode or the second electrode that extends to the holding unit.