Patent · US Expired

Monolithic circuit with integrated bulk structure resonator

US5260596A · kind A · utility

93Cited by
9References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 8, 1991
Grant dateNov 9, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 8, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03H9/2457
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A structure is provided to integrate bulk structure resonators into a monolithic integrated circuit chip. The chip also contains the remaining circuit components (17, 21, 24) required for the desired system function. Micromachining techniques are used to fabricate both support and a cavity (11, 27, 28) which allows mechanical vibration without interference. Alternative embodiments incorporate the use of non-piezoelectric mechanical resonators (14), quartz crystal resonators (18) and thin film piezoelectric resonators (22). Each type of resonator is used for the range of frequencies to which it is suited, providing a family of monolithic resonators capable of being used with integrated circuits having operating frequencies from a few hundred hertz to over 500 Mhz.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.