A resonator is provided that includes a base, and three or more vibrating arms each including a first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric film disposed therebetween and having a top surface facing the first electrode. The piezoelectric film vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes. Moreover, the three or more vibrating arms include two first arms each located on an outermost side in a direction in which the three or more vibrating arms are arranged and that vibrate in a same phase, and one or more second arms disposed between the two first arms. Each first arm is greater in mass than each second arm.

The present disclosure provides a super-regenerative transceiver with a feedback element having a controllable gain. The super-regenerative transceiver utilizes the controllable gain to improve RF signal data sensitivity and improve RF signal data capture rates. Super-regenerative transceivers described herein permit signal data capture over a broad range of frequencies and for a range of communication protocols. Super-regenerative transceivers described herein are tunable, consume very little power for operation and maintenance, and permit long term operation even when powered by very small power sources (e.g., coin batteries).

A method of an open loop characterization of an electrostatic MEMS based resonator with a varying gap, the method including: converting, via a trans-impedance amplifier circuit, an output current signal of the resonator into a voltage; multiplying the output current signal converted into the voltage, by means of a multiplier circuit, with an AC signal or with a different signal at a frequency of the resonator and carrying a second harmonic signal to a main tone; and measuring a frequency response of a signal cleared of frequencies apart from the main tone using a network analyzer.

A resonator is provided that includes a vibration part and a mass addition portion. The vibration part includes a piezoelectric film, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode. The upper electrode and the lower electrode are disposed on opposite sides with the piezoelectric film therebetween. The amount of displacement of the vibration part is greater in a region corresponding to at least part of the mass addition portion than in any other region. The mass addition portion has an inclined surface that slopes in such a manner that the mass addition portion has end regions and a central region thinner than at least one of the end regions when the vibration part is viewed in a plan view.

Embodiments of multi-frequency excitation are described. In various embodiments, a natural frequency of a device may be determined. In turn, a first voltage amplitude and first fixed frequency of a first source of excitation can be selected for the device based on the natural frequency. Additionally, a second voltage amplitude of a second source of excitation can be selected for the device, and the first and second sources of excitation can be applied to the device. After applying the first and second sources of excitation, a frequency of the second source of excitation can be swept. Using the methods of multi-frequency excitation described herein, new operating frequencies, operating frequency ranges, resonance frequencies, resonance frequency ranges, and/or resonance responses can be achieved for devices and systems.

The present disclosure provides a frequency-converting super regenerative transceiver with a frequency mixer coupled to a resonator and a feedback element having a controllable gain. The frequency-converting super-regenerative transceiver utilizes the frequency mixer to shift the incoming frequencies, based on a controlled oscillator, to match the frequency of operation of the super-regenerative transceiver. The frequency-converting super-regenerative transceivers described herein permit signal data capture over a broad range of frequencies and for a range of communication protocols. The frequency-converting super-regenerative transceivers described herein are tunable, consume very little power for operation and maintenance, and permit long term operation even when powered by very small power sources (e.g., coin batteries).

The present disclosure describes micromechanical resonator, a resonator element for the resonator, and a method for trimming the resonator. The resonator comprises a resonator element having a length, a width, and a thickness, where the length and the width define a plane of the resonator element. The resonator element comprises at least two regions (52, 53) in the plane of the resonator element, wherein the at least two regions have different thicknesses.

Embodiments of a tunable bandpass microelectromechanical (MEMS) filter are described. In one embodiment, such a filter includes a pair of arch beam microresonators, and a pair of voltage sources electrically coupled to apply a pair of adjustable voltage biases across respective ones of the pair of arch beam microresonators. The pair of voltage sources offer independent tuning of the bandwidth of the filter. Based on the structure and arrangement of the filter, it can be tunable by 125% or more by adjustment of the adjustable voltage bias. The filter also has a relatively low bandwidth distortion, can exhibit less than 2.5 dB passband ripple, and can exhibit sideband rejection in the range of at least 26 dB.

A resonator that includes a base and one or more vibration arms with fixed ends connected to a front end of the base and open ends extending therefrom. Moreover, the vibration arms include first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric film that is disposed therebetween. The resonator further includes a protective film disposed opposing an upper face of the piezoelectric film and sandwiching the first electrode and a temperature characteristics adjusting film formed of a material different from a material of the protective film and that is provided on the fixed end side relative to the center of the vibration arms such that part of the protective film is exposed to a surface.

This piezoelectric wafer has: a piezoelectric vibration piece; a frame portion that supports the piezoelectric vibration piece; and a coupling portion that couples the piezoelectric vibration piece to the frame portion. A pair of first and second metal bumps is formed in juxtaposition on the piezoelectric vibration piece. The coupling portion has slits extending in its width direction except in a bridge, i.e., a part of the coupling portion in its width direction. An end in the width direction of the bridge is distantly spaced from the first and second metal bumps both in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the coupling portion with no overlap with these metal bumps.