Patent classifications
H03H9/587
Single crystal piezoelectric RF resonators and filters
A filter package comprising an array of piezoelectric films comprising an array of mixed single crystals that each comprise doped Aluminum Nitride, typically Al.sub.xGa.sub.(1-x)N or Sc.sub.xAl.sub.(1-x)N, that is sandwiched between an array of lower electrodes and an array of upper electrodes comprising metal layers and silicon membranes with cavities thereover: the array of lower electrodes being coupled to an interposer with a first cavity between the array of lower electrodes and the interposer; the array of silicon membranes having a known thickness and attached over the array of upper electrodes with an array of upper cavities, each upper cavity between a silicon membrane of the array and a common silicon cover; each upper cavity aligned with a piezoelectric film, an upper electrode and silicon membrane, the upper cavities having side walls comprising SiO.sub.2; the individual piezoelectric films, their upper electrodes and silicon membranes thereover being separated from adjacent piezoelectric films, upper electrodes and silicon membranes by a passivation material.
SINGLE CRYSTAL PIEZOELECTRIC RF RESONATORS AND FILTERS WITH IMPROVED CAVITY DEFINITION
An FBAR filter device comprising an array of resonators, each resonator comprising a single crystal piezoelectric layer sandwiched between a first and a second metal electrode,
wherein the first electrode is supported by a support membrane over an air cavity, the air cavity being embedded in a silicon dioxide layer over a silicon handle, with through-silicon via holes through the silicon handle and into the air cavity, the side walls of said air cavity in the silicon dioxide layer being defined by barriers of a material that is resistant to silicon oxide etchants, and wherein the interface between the support membrane and the first electrode is smooth and flat.
METHOD FOR FABRICATING SINGLE CRYSTAL PIEZOELECTRIC RF RESONATORS AND FILTERS WITH IMPROVED CAVITY DEFINITION
A method of fabricating an FBAR filter device including an array of resonators, each resonator comprising a single crystal piezoelectric film sandwiched between a first metal electrode and a second metal electrode, wherein the first electrode is supported by a support membrane over an air cavity, the air cavity embedded in a silicon dioxide layer over a silicon handle, with through-silicon via holes through the silicon handle and into the air cavity, the side walls of said air cavity in the silicon dioxide layer being defined by perimeter trenches that are resistant to a silicon oxide etchant.
FBAR DEVICES HAVING MULTIPLE EPITAXIAL LAYERS STACKED ON A SAME SUBSTRATE
An integrated circuit film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) device having multiple resonator thicknesses is formed on a common substrate in a stacked configuration. In an embodiment, a seed layer is deposited on a substrate, and one or more multi-layer stacks are deposited on the seed layer, each multi-layer stack having a first metal layer deposited on a first sacrificial layer, and a second metal layer deposited on a second sacrificial layer. The second sacrificial layer can be removed and the resulting space is filled in with a piezoelectric material, and the first sacrificial layer can be removed to release the piezoelectric material from the substrate and suspend the piezoelectric material above the substrate. More than one multi-layer stack can be added, each having a unique resonant frequency. Thus, multiple resonator thicknesses can be achieved on a common substrate, and hence, multiple resonant frequencies on that same substrate.
RF FILTERS AND RESONATORS OF CRYSTALLINE III-N FILMS
A bulk acoustic resonator architecture is fabricated by epitaxially forming a piezoelectric film on a top surface of post formed from an underlying substrate. In some cases, the acoustic resonator is fabricated to filter multiple frequencies. In some such cases, the resonator device includes two different resonator structures on a single substrate, each resonator structure configured to filter a desired frequency. Including two different acoustic resonators in a single RF acoustic resonator device enables that single device to filter two different frequencies in a relatively small footprint.
SINGLE-FLIPPED RESONATOR DEVICES WITH 2DEG BOTTOM ELECTRODE
Techniques are disclosed for forming integrated circuit single-flipped resonator devices that include an electrode formed of a two-dimensional electron gas (2 DEG). The disclosed resonator devices may be implemented with various group III-nitride (III-N) materials, and in some cases, the 2 DEG may be formed at a heterojunction of two epitaxial layers each formed of III-N materials, such as a gallium nitride (GaN) layer and an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer. The 2 DEG electrode may be able to achieve similar or increased carrier transport as compared to a resonator device having an electrode formed of metal. Additionally, in some embodiments where AlN is used as the piezoelectric material for the resonator device, the AlN may be epitaxially grown which may provide increased performance as compared to piezoelectric material that is deposited by traditional sputtering techniques.
FILM BULK ACOUSTIC RESONATOR (FBAR) DEVICES WITH 2DEG BOTTOM ELECTRODE
Techniques are disclosed for forming high frequency film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) devices that include a bottom electrode formed of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). The disclosed FBAR devices may be implemented with various group III-nitride (III-N) materials, and in some cases, the 2DEG may be formed at a heterojunction of two epitaxial layers each formed of III-N materials, such as a gallium nitride (GaN) layer and an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer. The 2DEG bottom electrode may be able to achieve similar or increased carrier transport as compared to an FBAR device having a bottom electrode formed of metal. Additionally, in some embodiments where AlN is used as the piezoelectric material for the FBAR device, the AlN may be epitaxially grown which may provide increased performance as compared to piezoelectric material that is deposited by traditional sputtering techniques.
5.5 GHz WI-FI 5G COEXISTENCE ACOUSTIC WAVE RESONATOR RF FILTER CIRCUIT
An RF circuit device using modified lattice, lattice, and ladder circuit topologies. The devices can include four resonator devices and four shunt resonator devices. In the ladder topology, the resonator devices are connected in series from an input port to an output port while shunt resonator devices are coupled the nodes between the resonator devices. In the lattice topology, a top and a bottom serial configurations each includes a pair of resonator devices that are coupled to differential input and output ports. A pair of shunt resonators is cross-coupled between each pair of a top serial configuration resonator and a bottom serial configuration resonator. The modified lattice topology adds baluns or inductor devices between top and bottom nodes of the top and bottom serial configurations of the lattice configuration. These topologies may be applied using single crystal or polycrystalline bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators.
BULK ACOUSTIC WAVE RESONATOR
A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator includes: an acoustic reflector disposed in a substrate; a lower electrode disposed over the acoustic reflector; a piezoelectric layer disposed over the lower electrode; and an upper electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer. A contacting overlap of the lower electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the upper electrode over the acoustic reflector comprising an active area of the BAW resonator. An opening exists in the upper electrode in a region of the BAW resonator susceptible to unacceptable overheating.
ACOUSTICALLY COUPLED RESONATOR NOTCH AND BANDPASS FILTERS
A notch filter includes an inductor coupled between an input node and an output node, and a dual-resonator structure coupled between the input node, the output node, and ground.