Temperature compensation mechanism for a micromechanical ring resonator

US6894576B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Eta SA Fabriques d'Ebauches · CH

Inventors

• Metin Giousouf · Eßlingen, DE
• Heinz Kück · Stuttgart, DE
• Rainer Platz · Neuchâtel, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 29, 2003
• Grant date: May 17, 2005
• Expiry date: Aug 29, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03B5/30
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A time base including a resonator (4) and an integrated electronic circuit (3) for driving the resonator into oscillation and for producing, in response to the oscillation, a signal having a determined frequency. The resonator is an integrated micromechanical ring resonator supported above a substrate (2) and adapted to oscillate around an axis of rotation (O) substantially perpendicular to the substrate. The ring resonator includes a free-standing oscillating structure having a plurality of thermally compensating members (65) which are adapted to alter a mass moment of inertia of the free-standing oscillating structure as a function of temperature so as to compensate for the effect of temperature on the resonant frequency of the ring resonator.