A method for manufacturing a vibration element including first and second vibrating arms each having a first surface and a second surface that are front and rear sides with respect to each other and a bottomed groove that opens via the first surface, the method including a first protective film formation step of forming a first protective film, a first dry etching step of performing dry etching via the first protective film to form grooves and the outer shapes of the first and second vibrating arms, a second protective film formation step of forming a second protective film in the grooves, and a second dry etching step of performing dry etching via the second protective film to form the first surface and the outer shapes of the first and second vibrating arms.

A method for manufacturing a vibration element including a first protective film formation step of forming a first protective film, a first dry etching step of performing dry etching via the first protective film to form first grooves and the outer shapes of vibrating arms, a second protective film formation step of forming a second protective film in the first grooves, a second dry etching step of performing dry etching via the second protective film, a third protective film formation step of forming a third protective film, a third dry etching step of performing dry etching via the third protective film to form second grooves and the outer shapes of the vibrating arms, a fourth protective film formation step of forming a fourth protective film in the second grooves, and a fourth dry etching step of performing dry etching via the fourth protective film.

A method for manufacturing a vibration element including a first protective film formation step of forming a first protective film, a first dry etching step of performing dry etching via the first protective film to form first grooves and the outer shapes of vibrating arms, a second protective film formation step of forming a second protective film in the first grooves, a second dry etching step of performing dry etching via the second protective film, a third protective film formation step of forming a third protective film, a third dry etching step of performing dry etching via the third protective film to form second grooves and the outer shapes of the vibrating arms, a fourth protective film formation step of forming a fourth protective film in the second grooves, and a fourth dry etching step of performing dry etching via the fourth protective film.

A vibration element manufacturing method includes a first dry etching step of dry-etching a quartz crystal substrate from the first surface side to form first grooves and the outer shapes of first and second vibrating arms, a second dry etching step of dry-etching the quartz crystal substrate from the second surface side to form second grooves and the outer shapes, and a wet etching step of wet-etching the side surfaces of the first and second vibrating arms, the first grooves, and the second grooves to form inclining surfaces that couple bottom surfaces to in-groove side surfaces of the first and second grooves, and the first and second grooves satisfy the relationship of D1/D ≥ 0.80, where D represents the depth of each of the first and second grooves, and D1 represents the result of subtraction of the length of the inclining surfaces in a direction Z from the depth in each of the first and second grooves.

A vibration element manufacturing method includes a first dry etching step of dry-etching a quartz crystal substrate from the first surface side to form first grooves and the outer shapes of first and second vibrating arms, a second dry etching step of dry-etching the quartz crystal substrate from the second surface side to form second grooves and the outer shapes, and a wet etching step of wet-etching the side surfaces of the first and second vibrating arms, the first grooves, and the second grooves to form inclining surfaces that couple bottom surfaces to in-groove side surfaces of the first and second grooves, and the first and second grooves satisfy the relationship of D1/D ≥ 0.80, where D represents the depth of each of the first and second grooves, and D1 represents the result of subtraction of the length of the inclining surfaces in a direction Z from the depth in each of the first and second grooves.

Resonating sensors for use in high-pressure and high-temperature environments are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor with a double-ended tuning fork piezoelectric resonator that includes a first tine and a second tine. These tines are spaced apart from one another so as to form a slot between the first and second tines. The width of the slot from the first tine to the second tine varies along the lengths of the first and second tines. Various other resonators, devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

The disclosed technology generally relates to quartz crystal devices and more particularly to quartz crystal devices configured to vibrate in torsional mode. In one aspect, a quartz crystal device configured for temperature sensing comprises a fork-shaped quartz crystal comprising a pair of elongate tines laterally extending from a base region in a horizontal lengthwise direction of the fork-shaped quartz crystal. Each of the tines has formed on one or both of opposing sides thereof a vertically protruding line structure laterally elongated in the horizontal lengthwise direction. The quartz crystal device further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the one or both of the opposing sides of each of the tines and configured such that, when an electrical bias is applied between the first and second electrodes, the fork-shaped quartz crystal vibrates in a torsional mode in which each of the tines twists about a respective axis extending in the horizontal lengthwise direction.

The disclosed technology generally relates to quartz crystal devices and more particularly to quartz crystal devices configured to vibrate in torsional mode. In one aspect, a quartz crystal device configured for temperature sensing comprises a fork-shaped quartz crystal comprising a pair of elongate tines laterally extending from a base region in a horizontal lengthwise direction of the fork-shaped quartz crystal. Each of the tines has formed on one or both of opposing sides thereof a vertically protruding line structure laterally elongated in the horizontal lengthwise direction. The quartz crystal device further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the one or both of the opposing sides of each of the tines and configured such that, when an electrical bias is applied between the first and second electrodes, the fork-shaped quartz crystal vibrates in a torsional mode in which each of the tines twists about a respective axis extending in the horizontal lengthwise direction.

There is provided a piezoelectric vibrator element which is excellent in vibration characteristics, high in quality, and capable of suppressing a frequency fluctuation after a frequency adjustment. The piezoelectric vibrator element is provided with a piezoelectric plate having a pair of vibrating arm parts, an electrode film disposed on obverse and reverse surfaces of the piezoelectric plate, and weight metal films for a frequency adjustment disposed on the electrode film at the obverse surface side in the vibrating arm parts. The reverse surface of the vibrating arm part has a reverse side exposure part from which the piezoelectric plate is exposed. The obverse surface of the vibrating arm part has an obverse side exposure part from which the weight metal film and the electrode film are removed, and from which the piezoelectric plate is exposed. A whole of the obverse side exposure part overlaps the reverse side exposure part at a distance from the electrode film on the reverse surface viewed from a thickness direction of the piezoelectric plate.

There is provided a piezoelectric vibrator element which is excellent in vibration characteristics, high in quality, and capable of suppressing a frequency fluctuation after a frequency adjustment. The piezoelectric vibrator element is provided with a piezoelectric plate having a pair of vibrating arm parts, an electrode film disposed on obverse and reverse surfaces of the piezoelectric plate, and weight metal films for a frequency adjustment disposed on the electrode film at the obverse surface side in the vibrating arm parts. The reverse surface of the vibrating arm part has a reverse side exposure part from which the piezoelectric plate is exposed. The obverse surface of the vibrating arm part has an obverse side exposure part from which the weight metal film and the electrode film are removed, and from which the piezoelectric plate is exposed. A whole of the obverse side exposure part overlaps the reverse side exposure part at a distance from the electrode film on the reverse surface viewed from a thickness direction of the piezoelectric plate.