BONDED SUBSTRATE, SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE ELEMENT, SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE ELEMENT DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING BONDED SUBSTRATE
20210108338 · 2021-04-15
Assignee
Inventors
- Kouhei KURIMOTO (Muroran-shi, Hokkaido, JP)
- Kazuhito KISHIDA (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, JP)
- Rinzo KAYANO (Muroran-shi, Hokkaido, JP)
- Jun MIZUNO (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, JP)
- Shoji KAKIO (Kofu-shi, Yamanashi, JP)
Cpc classification
H03H9/02574
ELECTRICITY
H03H9/25
ELECTRICITY
H10N30/072
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H03H3/08
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A bonded substrate includes: a quartz substrate cut at an intersection angle with a crystal X-axis; and a piezoelectric substrate laminated on the quartz substrate. Preferably, a cut angle of the quartz substrate has an angle in the range of 85 to 95 degrees with respect to the crystal X-axis. Preferably, the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the quartz substrate has an angle of 15 to 50 degrees with respect to a crystal Y-axis. Preferably, as a piezoelectric substrate, lithium niobate or lithium tantalate is used. Preferably, the piezoelectric substrate has a thickness h having a relationship of 0.02 to 0.11λ with respect to a wavelength λ of a surface acoustic wave.
Claims
1. A bonded substrate comprising: a quartz substrate cut at an intersection angle with a crystal X-axis; and a piezoelectric substrate laminated on the quartz substrate.
2. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein a cut angle of the quartz substrate has an angle in the range of 85 to 95 degrees with respect to the crystal X-axis.
3. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein: the quartz substrate has a surface acoustic wave propagation direction set on a crystal Y direction side; and the piezoelectric substrate has a surface acoustic wave propagation direction set in the propagation direction.
4. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the quartz substrate has an angle of 15 to 50 degrees with respect to a crystal Y-axis.
5. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric substrate is lithium niobate or lithium tantalate.
6. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric substrate is lithium tantalate X-cut at 31° and Y propagating or lithium niobate X-cut at 36° and Y propagating.
7. The bonded substrate according to claim 5, wherein the piezoelectric substrate has a thickness h having a relationship of 0.02 to 0.11λ with respect to a wavelength λ of a surface acoustic wave.
8. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric substrate is for exciting a longitudinal-type leaky surface acoustic wave.
9. The bonded substrate according to claim 1, wherein an amount of surface acoustic wave propagation attenuation is 0.1 dB/λ or less with respect to a wavelength λ of a surface acoustic wave.
10. A surface acoustic wave element comprising at least one interdigital electrode on a principal surface of the piezoelectric substrate in the bonded substrate according to claim 1.
11. A surface acoustic wave element device, wherein the surface acoustic wave element according to claim 10 is sealed in a package.
12. A method for manufacturing a bonded substrate comprising a quartz substrate and a piezoelectric substrate bonded to each other, the method comprising: cutting quartz at an intersection angle with a crystal X-axis of the quartz to provide a quartz substrate; setting a surface acoustic wave propagation direction on a Y-axis direction side in the quartz substrate; providing a piezoelectric substrate having a surface acoustic wave propagation direction set according to the propagation direction; laminating the piezoelectric substrate on the quartz substrate; and bonding the quartz substrate and the piezoelectric substrate to each other directly or with an intermediate layer interposed therebetween.
13. The method for manufacturing a bonded substrate according to claim 12 comprising: irradiating a bonding surface of the quartz substrate and a bonding surface of the piezoelectric substrate with ultraviolet light under a reduced pressure; contacting the bonding surface of the quartz substrate and the bonding surface of the piezoelectric substrate with each other after the irradiation; and pressurizing the quartz substrate and the piezoelectric substrate in a thickness direction to bond the bonding surfaces with each other.
14. The method for manufacturing a bonded substrate according to claim 13, wherein heating at a predetermined temperature is performed during the pressurization.
15. The method for manufacturing a bonded substrate according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate layer is an amorphous layer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0079] Hereinafter, a bonded substrate and a surface acoustic wave element according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0080] A bonded substrate 5 includes a quartz substrate 2 and a piezoelectric substrate 3 covalently bonded via a bonding interface 4. It is desirable that the bonding interface 4 is covalently bonded.
[0081] The quartz substrate 2 preferably has a thickness of 150 to 500 μm. The piezoelectric substrate 3 preferably has a thickness corresponding to 0.02 to 1.1 wavelengths with respect to the wavelengths of a surface acoustic wave. As the present invention, the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate more desirably corresponds to 0.05 to 0.1 wavelengths with respect to the wavelengths of the surface acoustic wave, and still more desirably 0.07 to 0.08 wavelengths with respect to the wavelengths of the surface acoustic wave.
[0082] The quartz substrate 2 is used, for example, which is obtained by cutting out quartz which is obtained by growing a crystal by a hydrothermal synthesis method at an intersection angle with a crystal X-axis. The angle is preferably 85 to 95° with respect to the crystal X-axis. More preferably, it is more desirable that the lower limit of the cut angle is 88 degrees and the upper limit of the cut angle is 92 degrees. The optimal value of the cut angle is 90° with respect to the crystal X-axis.
[0083] The quartz substrate 2 is provided, in which a surface acoustic wave propagation direction is set to a crystal Y-axis direction side. In this embodiment, a surface acoustic wave propagation direction 2D is preferably set to an angle of 15 to 50 degrees with respect to a crystal Y-axis. The optimal value of the angle is a 35° in a Y direction.
[0084] The piezoelectric substrate 3 can use a proper material, and be preferably composed of lithium tantalate or lithium niobate. Preferably, an X-cut piezoelectric substrate can be used. However, in the present invention, the cut angle of the piezoelectric substrate 3 is not limited to a specific angle.
[0085] In the piezoelectric substrate 3, a surface acoustic wave propagation direction 3D is set according to a propagation direction in the quartz substrate 2.
[0086] As shown in
[0087] As shown in
[0088] As shown in
[0089] In this embodiment, when the amorphous layer 6 is interposed, a bonding interface exists between the amorphous layer 6 and the quartz substrate 2, and on the other side of the amorphous layer 6, a bonding interface exists between the amorphous layer 6 and the piezoelectric substrate 3. The material of the amorphous layer 6 is not particularly limited in the present invention, but SiO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and the like can be used. The thickness of the amorphous layer is desirably 100 nm or less.
[0090] In forming the amorphous layer 6, the amorphous layer 6 can be formed by forming a thin film on the surface of the quartz substrate 2 or the piezoelectric substrate 3. Amorphous layers can be formed and bonded on both the surface of the quartz substrate 2 and the surface of the piezoelectric substrate 3.
[0091] The amorphous layer can be formed by a known method, and chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition such as sputtering can be utilized.
[0092] Next, manufacturing of the bonded substrate and the surface acoustic wave element will be described with reference to
[0093] A quartz substrate and a piezoelectric element of predetermined materials are provided. The quartz substrate is provided by cutting quartz at an intersection angle with the crystal X-axis of the quartz. The angle of 85 to 95° with respect to the crystal X-axis is selected.
[0094] When an amorphous layer is formed on a bonding surface, with respect to one or both of the quartz substrate and the piezoelectric element targeted for the formation, deposition processing is performed on the bonding surface side. A method for the deposition processing is not particularly limited, but a thin film forming technique such as a vacuum vapor deposition method or a sputtering method can be used. For example, an amorphous layer which has a thickness of 100 nm or less can be formed on the bonding surface by Electron Cyclotron Resonance plasma deposition. This amorphous film can be formed to have a very high film density, and hence, the degree of activation of the bonding surface is high, which results in generation of more OH groups.
[0095] The quartz substrate and the piezoelectric substrate are set in a processing apparatus 20 having a tightly-sealed structure in a state where the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the quartz substrate is preferably set to have an angle of 15 to 50 degrees with respect to a crystal Y direction and the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the piezoelectric substrate is set to coincide with the propagation direction of the quartz substrate. In the drawing, only the quartz substrate 2 is described for simplification.
[0096] A vacuum pump 21 is connected to the processing apparatus 20, and the processing apparatus 20 is evacuated, for example, to a pressure of 10 Pa or less. Discharge gas is introduced into the processing apparatus 20, and discharge is performed by a discharge apparatus 22 in the processing apparatus 20 to generate ultraviolet light. The discharge can be performed by using a method of applying a high frequency voltage or the similar method.
[0097] The quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3 are set in a state where they can be irradiated with ultraviolet light, and the bonding surfaces of the quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3 are irradiated with ultraviolet light to be activated. When an amorphous layer is formed on one or both of the quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3, the irradiation with ultraviolet light is performed with the surface of the amorphous layer being as the bonding surface.
[0098] On the quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3 which have undergone the irradiation with ultraviolet light, in a state where the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the quartz substrate 2 and the surface acoustic wave propagation direction of the piezoelectric substrate 3 coincide with each other, the bonding surfaces of the quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3 are contacted with each other and heated at ambient temperature or a temperature of 200° C. or less, and a pressure is applied across both of them to perform bonding. The applied pressure can be set at 10 Pa and the processing time can be set to be approximately from 5 minutes to 4 hours. However, the pressure and the processing time are not particularly limited in the present invention.
[0099] By the aforementioned processing, the quartz substrate 2 and the piezoelectric substrate 3 are securely covalently bonded at the bonding interface.
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[0101] Portion A of the figure shows a state where the bonding surfaces are activated by irradiation with ultraviolet light and OH groups are formed on the surfaces. Portion B of the figure shows a state where the substrates are contacted with each other, and pressurized and heated to perform bonding. In the bonding, the OH groups react to make the substrates to be covalently bonded with each other. Extra H.sub.2O is removed outside during heating.
[0102] The aforementioned steps provide the bonded substrate. With respect to the bonded substrate, as shown in
[0103] As shown in
Example 1
[0104] Hereinafter, Example of the present invention will be described.
[0105] A bonded substrate was obtained based on the aforementioned embodiment. A SAW resonator of an LLSAW was provided on the principal surface of a piezoelectric substrate.
[0106] In this example, as the piezoelectric substrate, lithium tantalate (LT) which was X-cut at 31° in a plane orientation and Y-propagating, and lithium niobate (LN) which was X-cut at 36° in a plane orientation and Y-propagating were used. As a quartz substrate, a substrate which was crystal-grown by a hydrothermal synthesis method and X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating or X-cut at 35° and Y-propagating to have a thickness of 250 μm was used. In Comparative Example, a quartz substrate which was AT-cut at 45° and X-propagating was used.
[0107] The bonded sample was polished on the piezoelectric substrate side to be thin. For the sample material obtained by making the piezoelectric substrate thin after bonding the quartz substrate and the piezoelectric substrate to each other, a phase velocity, an electromechanical coupling factor, and a temperature characteristic of frequency of the LLSAW were calculated according to theoretical analysis. Quartz constant of Kushibiki et al. (p. 83), lithium niobate (hereinafter, referred to as LN) constant of Kushibiki et al., and lithium tantalate (hereinafter, referred to as LT) constant (p. 377) described in “Acoustic Wave Device Technique” edited by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the 150th committee of acoustic wave element technique were used for calculating.
[0108] The LLSAW having propagation attenuation was analyzed based on the method of Yamanouchi et al., and a layer structure was analyzed by using the methods of Farnell and Adler. In these analyses, the phase velocity and the propagation attenuation of the LLSAW which propagates on the layer structure are analyzed by numerically solving the acoustic wave motion equation and the charge conservation equation under a boundary condition.
[0109] A phase velocity vf of the free surface (Free) and a phase velocity v.sub.m when the surface of the thin plate was electrically shorted (Metallized) were obtained, and K.sup.2 was obtained from K.sup.2=2×(v.sub.f−v.sub.n)/v.sub.f. A quartz supporting substrate was assumed to have a linear expansion coefficient in a propagation direction, and a temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of the shorted surface was calculated.
[0110] LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating was assumed as the piezoelectric substrate; in Invention Example, a quartz substrate which was X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating was assumed as the quartz substrate; and in Comparative Example, a quartz substrate which was AT-cut at 45° and X-propagating was assumed as the quartz substrate.
[0111] The relationship between a thickness h/λ of a piezoelectric substrate normalized by a surface acoustic wave λ and a phase velocity was obtained according to theoretical analysis, and the results were shown in
[0112] Next, according to theoretical analysis, the piezoelectric substrate of LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating and the piezoelectric substrate of LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating were assumed; in Invention Example, a quartz substrate which was X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating was assumed as the quartz substrate; in Comparative Example, a quartz substrate which was AT-cut at 45° and X-propagating was assumed, and a propagation velocity and a coupling factor K.sup.2 with respect to h/λ of the piezoelectric substrate normalized by the wavelength λ of the surface acoustic wave were obtained.
[0113] The analysis results were shown in
[0114] Invention Example assuming the piezoelectric substrate of LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating and the quartz substrate which was X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating was shown in
[0115] In the present Invention Example, at h/λ of about 0.06, the minimum of the propagation attenuation was 0.0005 dB/λ, so that the result of highly suppressed propagation attenuation was obtained. At h/λ of 0.02 to 0.11, the propagation attenuation is satisfactorily suppressed. By respectively setting the lower and upper limits of the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate to 0.04 and 0.08, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.01 or less. Similarly, by respectively setting the lower and upper limits to 0.05 and 0.07, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.005 or less, which is more desirable.
[0116] The coupling factor of the present invention was 5%, which was equivalent to that of the related technique.
[0117] Next, the analysis results were shown in
[0118] The analysis results of Invention Example assuming the piezoelectric substrate of LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating and the quartz substrate which was X-cut at 35° and Y-propagating were shown in
[0119] In the present Invention Example, at h/λ of about 0.07, the minimum of the propagation attenuation was 0.0002 dB/λ, so that the result of sufficiently suppressed propagation attenuation was obtained. At h/λ of 0.02 to 0.11, the propagation attenuation is satisfactorily suppressed. By respectively setting the lower and upper limits of the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate to 0.05 and 0.09, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.02 dB or less. Similarly, by respectively setting the lower and upper limits to 0.06 and 0.08, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.005 dB/λ or less, which is more desirable.
[0120] The coupling factor of the present invention was 5%, which was equivalent to that of the related technique.
[0121] Next, in the present Invention Example, the influence of the propagation attenuation by the cut angle of the quartz substrate was obtained according to theoretical analysis.
[0122] With respect to the bonded substrate in which LT X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating as the piezoelectric substrate and the quartz substrate X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating are bonded to each other, the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate was changed by h/λ (0.05, 0.07, 0.10) according to theoretical analysis, and the cut angle of the quartz substrate was changed within a range of 60 to 120 degrees with respect to the X-axis, to obtain the amount of the propagation attenuation. The results were shown in
[0123] The propagation attenuation represented 0.003 dB/λ as the minimum value in an angle of 90°, i.e., X-cut, regardless of the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate. Even when the cut angle was changed from 90°, the amount of the propagation attenuation was 0.02 or less within a range of 85° to 95°, so that the effect of good suppression of the propagation attenuation was obtained. By respectively setting the lower and upper limits of the cut angle to 88° and 92°, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.004 or less, which is more desirable.
[0124] Next, LN X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating was assumed as the piezoelectric substrate, and similarly the influence of the propagation attenuation by the cut angle of the quartz substrate was investigated according to theoretical analysis. The results were shown in
[0125] The propagation attenuation represented 0.002 dB/λ as the minimum value in an angle of 90°, i.e., X-cut, regardless of the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate. Even when the cut angle was changed from 90°, the amount of the propagation attenuation was 0.02 or less within a range of 85° to 95°, so that the effect of good suppression of the propagation attenuation was obtained. By respectively setting the lower and upper limits of the cut angle to 88° and 92°, the amount of the propagation attenuation can be set to 0.003 or less, which is more desirable.
[0126] Next, in the present Invention Example, the influence of the propagation attenuation on the propagation direction of quartz was investigated.
[0127] LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating and LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating were assumed as the piezoelectric substrate, and the propagation direction of the quartz was changed to obtain the amount of the propagation attenuation according to theoretical analysis.
[0128] The analysis results when the piezoelectric substrate of LT X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating was used were shown in
[0129] The amount of the propagation attenuation represents the minimum value when the propagation direction of the quartz is set to a 32° Y direction.
[0130] With respect to the propagation direction in the quartz substrate, the amount of the propagation attenuation becomes large on both sides with 32° of the propagation direction as the boundary at which the angle of the propagation direction changes. The attenuation can be said to be smaller than that of simplex X31Y-LT at the angle value or less or a range of a small difference between the angles. From this viewpoint, the propagation direction is desirably within a range of 15° to 50°. It is more desirable that the lower and upper limits of the angle are respectively set to 27° and 37°, and the amount of the attenuation becomes less than or equal to that of the simplex X31Y-LT.
[0131] Next, the analysis results when the piezoelectric substrate of LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating was assumed were shown in
[0132] The amount of the propagation attenuation represents the minimum value when the propagation direction of the quartz is set to a 35° Y direction.
[0133] With respect to the propagation direction in the quartz substrate, the amount of the propagation attenuation becomes large on both sides of a range of about 0° and 65° at which the angle changes with 35° as the boundary. The amount of the propagation attenuation is smaller than that of simplex X36Y-LN regardless of the angle of the propagation direction, but by setting the propagation direction to a range of 15° to 50°, the amount of the attenuation is largely reduced. Furthermore, it is more desirable that the lower and upper limits of the angle are respectively set to 30° and 40°.
[0134] Next, with respect to Invention Example, LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating and LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating were assumed as the piezoelectric substrate, and TCF was obtained by normalizing the thickness h of the piezoelectric substrate by the wavelength λ of the surface acoustic wave according to theoretical analysis. A quartz substrate X-cut at 35° and Y-propagating was used.
[0135] When LT which was X-cut at 31° and Y-propagating was assumed, the relationship between the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate and TCF was shown in
[0136] The present Invention Example has TCF of about −15 ppm/° C. in Metallized, and represents a value equivalent to that of the X-cut 31° Y-LT/AT45° X-quartz substrate of the related technique.
[0137] When LN which was X-cut at 36° and Y-propagating was assumed, the relationship between the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate and TCF was shown in
[0138] The present Invention Example has TCF of about −60 to −70 ppm/° C. in Metallized, and represents a value equivalent to that of the X-cut 36°-LN/AT cut 45° X-quartz substrate of the related technique.
[0139] Next, the resonance characteristics of the LSAW of an IDT type resonator (λ=8.0 μm, intersection width W=25λ) formed on an LT/quartz bonding structure were analyzed by using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Quartz substrates which were AT-cut at 45° and X-propagating and X-cut at 32° and Y-propagating were assumed, and a piezoelectric substrate having a changed thickness was assumed.
[0140] Femtet (manufactured by Murata Software Co., Ltd.) was used as analysis software. As an analysis model, the plate thickness of the supporting substrate was set to 10λ, and a periodic boundary condition (infinite periodic structure) was assumed on both sides of the IDT for one cycle, and a completely matched layer was assumed on the bottom face.
[0141] The analysis example of the LSAW of the X-cut 31° Y-LT/AT 45° X-quartz substrate or X-cut 32° Y-quartz substrate structure is shown. An LT plate thickness is 0.15λ, and an electrode Al film thickness is 0.09λ.
[0142] The analysis results are shown in
[0143] A power flow angle is shown in
[0144] The propagation angle in which the difference between Free and Metallized becomes the largest is shown to be 32° in the X-cut 31° Y-LT/X32° Y-quartz substrate, and 35° in the X-cut 36° Y-LN/X35° X-quartz substrate, coincide with the propagation angle which can reduce the propagation attenuation of the present invention, and have good resonance characteristics.
[0145] The analysis (infinite periodic structure) of admittance characteristics by FEM is shown below. [0146] X-cut 31° Y-LT simplex [0147] fractional bandwidth (%): 2.1, [0148] admittance ratio (dB): 23.6, [0149] resonance Q: 43.1, [0150] antiresonance Q: 302.8. [0151] X-cut 31° Y-LT/AT 45X-Q (h/λ=0.1) [0152] fractional bandwidth (%): 0.10, [0153] admittance ratio (dB): 66.1, [0154] resonance Q: 1057, [0155] antiresonance Q: 535.8 [0156] X-cut 31° Y-LT/X32Y-Q (h/λ=0.07) [0157] fractional bandwidth (%): 0.07, [0158] admittance ratio (dB): 117, [0159] resonance Q: 53439, [0160] antiresonance Q: 4818
[0161] As described above, in the present invention, an X-cut structure quartz substrate was confirmed to be more superior as a supporting substrate to an AT-cut structure quartz substrate conventionally considered to be superior as a supporting substrate.
[0162] As above, the present invention has been described based on the aforementioned embodiment and Example. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of the aforementioned description, but proper modifications of the aforementioned embodiment and Example can occur without departing from the scope of the present invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0163] The present invention can be utilized for a SAW resonator, a SAW filter, a highly-functional piezoelectric sensor, and a SAW device and the like.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0164] 1: surface acoustic wave element [0165] 1A: surface acoustic wave element [0166] 2: quartz substrate [0167] 3: piezoelectric substrate [0168] 4: bonding interface [0169] 5: bonded substrate [0170] 6: amorphous layer [0171] 10: interdigital electrode [0172] 20: processing apparatus [0173] 21: vacuum pump [0174] 22: discharge apparatus [0175] 30: surface acoustic wave element device [0176] 31: packaging [0177] 32: lid