A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a substrate having a substantially planar surface and a resonant member having sidewalls disposed in a nominally perpendicular orientation with respect to the planar surface. Impurity dopant is introduced via the sidewalls of the resonant member such that a non-uniform dopant concentration profile is established along axis extending between the sidewalls parallel to the substrate surface and exhibits a relative minimum concentration in a middle region of the axis.

Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed to be in contact with at least one piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam will turn on the at least one piezoelectric filter structure by interleaving electrodes in contact with the piezoelectric substrate or sandwiching the at least one piezoelectric substrate between the electrodes.

A continuous or distributed resonator geometry is defined such that the fabrication process used to form a spring mechanism also forms an effective mass of the resonator structure. Proportional design of the spring mechanism and/or mass element geometries in relation to the fabrication process allows for compensation of process-tolerance-induced fabrication variances. As a result, a resonator having increased frequency accuracy is achieved.

A continuous or distributed resonator geometry is defined such that the fabrication process used to form a spring mechanism also forms an effective mass of the resonator structure. Proportional design of the spring mechanism and/or mass element geometries in relation to the fabrication process allows for compensation of process-tolerance-induced fabrication variances. As a result, a resonator having increased frequency accuracy is achieved.

To realize a compact device that detects phase or controls phase or an amplitude with high sensitivity, a signal controller includes: a linear conductor having a first end fixed to a negative electrode and a second end serving as a free end; a positive electrode facing the free end with a small gap therebetween; a first signal source that applies a voltage between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the voltage applied being variable; a driving electrode that applies an electric field to a space around the conductor, the electric field having a component perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the conductor; and a second signal source that applies an AC signal to the driving electrode. The signal processor can be a device for controlling or modulating phase or amplitude.

Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed to be in contact with at least one piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam will turn on the at least one piezoelectric filter structure by interleaving electrodes in contact with the piezoelectric substrate or sandwiching the at least one piezoelectric substrate between the electrodes.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a resonant semiconductor structure, drive electrode, sense electrode and electrically conductive shielding structure. The first drive electrode generates a time-varying electrostatic force that causes the resonant semiconductor structure to resonate mechanically, and the first sense electrode generates a timing signal in response to the mechanical resonance of the resonant semiconductor structure. The electrically conductive shielding structure is disposed between the first drive electrode and the first sense electrode to shield the first sense electrode from electric field lines emanating from the first drive electrode.

A continuous or distributed resonator geometry is defined such that the fabrication process used to form a spring mechanism also forms an effective mass of the resonator structure. Proportional design of the spring mechanism and/or mass element geometries in relation to the fabrication process allows for compensation of process-tolerance-induced fabrication variances. As a result, a resonator having increased frequency accuracy is achieved.

The invention relates to a measurement system including a network of nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) resonators, characterized in that: each one of said resonators includes: an electrostatic activation device capable of generating a vibration of a beam exposed to said excitation signal, at least one piezoresistive stress gauge made of a doped semiconducting material, extending from the beam so as to detect a movement of said beam, the variation in the electrical resistance of said at least one gauge supplying an output signal; said network includes at least two groups of resonators, each group including at least two resonators having an identical empty resonance frequency, each group of resonators having an empty resonance frequency different from that of each other group; the resonators forming each group are connected in parallel; the groups of resonators forming said network are connected in parallel; said system includes a reading device designed to supply an excitation signal at the network input and to determine the resonance frequency of a group of resonators which is selected by injecting, into said excitation signal, a frequency component corresponding to the empty resonance frequency of each selected group of resonators, and by identifying, in the output signal of the network, a resonance frequency component of the selected group of resonators.

According to various embodiments, there is provided a micro-electromechanical resonator, including a substrate with a cavity therein; and a resonating structure suspended over the cavity, the resonating structure having a first end anchored to the substrate, wherein the resonating structure is configured to flex in a flexural mode along a width direction of the resonating structure, wherein the width direction is defined at least substantially perpendicular to a length direction of the resonating structure, wherein the length direction is defined from the first end to a second end of the resonating structure, wherein the second end opposes the first end.