A suspended device structure comprises a substrate, a cavity disposed in a surface of the substrate, and a device suspended entirely over a bottom of the cavity. The device is a piezoelectric device and is suspended at least by a tether that physically connects the device to the substrate. The tether has a non-linear centerline. A wafer can comprise a plurality of suspended device structures.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.

This disclosure reveals a resonator where at least one suspended inertial mass is driven into rotational oscillation by a piezoelectric drive transducer, or where the rotational motion of at least one suspended inertial mass is sensed by a piezoelectric sense transducer. The disclosure is based on the idea of attaching suspenders to the inertial mass with at least one flexure, which allows the end of the suspender which is attached to the inertial mass to rotate in relation to the inertial mass at this attachment point when the inertial mass is in motion. The resonator may be employed in a resonator system, a clock oscillator or a gyroscope.

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.

A resonator array comprises substantially paralleled first and second resonant layers having resonating masses. A first set of lateral drive electrodes cause the first resonating mass to vibrate along an axis in a first geometric plane. A second set of lateral drive electrodes cause the second resonating mass to vibrate along an axis in a second geometric plane in an opposite direction of the first resonating mass by about 180 degrees. Rotation in the system causes the masses to vibrate out-of-plane in opposite directions. The opposite vibrational directions of the first and second resonating masses produces a balanced system with small motion in a bonding area between the stacked resonators. As a result, there is minimal propagation of mechanical waves from the balanced system to a substrate resulting in lower anchor loss and a high Q-factor.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.

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.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.

A resonant sensor including a support, a proof body suspended from the support and having a resonant frequency ?a, an element that measures a force including at least one resonator of resonant frequency ?.sub.rn, the force being applied by the proof body, and a mechanical decoupling structure interposed between the proof body and the resonator. The decoupling structure includes a decoupling mass, a first connecting element between the decoupling mass and the proof body, a second connecting element between the decoupling mass and the resonator, the decoupling structure having a main vibration mode whose resonant frequency ?.sub.d is such that ?a<?.sub.d<?.sub.rn, the decoupling structure forming a mechanical low-pass filter between the proof body and the resonator.

Degenerately doped semiconductor materials are deployed within resonant structures to control the first and higher order temperature coefficients of frequency, thereby enabling temperature dependence to be engineered without need for cumulative material layers which tend to drive up cost and compromise resonator performance.