A resonator and/or M EMS device is provided with a flexible suspension mount to reduce mechanical stress and/or interference arising from other electrical components. In one illustrative embodiment, the flexible suspension mount can be configured as one or more metallic springs that provide for electrical connection as well as for specific spring and dampening coefficients. In another illustrative material, techniques can be use which change spring and/or dampening coefficients at a particular point in the manufacturing/assembly/distribution process, optionally before device characterization and/or programming.
B81B 7/02 - Microstructural systems containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS)
B81C 1/00 - Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate
A semiconductor device (100, 200) includes a first silicon layer (111) disposed between second and third silicon layers and separated therefrom by respective first and second oxide layers. A cavity (102) within the first silicon layer is bounded by interior surfaces of the second and third silicon layers, and a passageway (101) extends through the second silicon layer to enable material removal from within the semiconductor device to form the cavity. A metal feature (105) is disposed within the passageway to hermetically seal the cavity.
G01L 1/14 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
G01L 1/20 - Measuring force or stress, in general by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
G01L 5/16 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring several components of force
In a MEMS device having a substrate and a moveable micromachined member, a mechanical structure secures the moveable micromachined member to the substrate, thermally isolates the moveable micromachined member from the substrate and provides a conduction path to enable heating of the moveable micromachined member to a temperature of at least 300 degrees Celsius.
Embodiments of a microelectromechanical oscillator are described Embodiments include a timing signal generating system (1500) an a method, the system including a microelectromechanical resonator (1508), and a microelectromechanical resonator drive controller (1501) coupled to the microelectromechanical resonator (1508) to receive an output signal of the microelectromechanical resonator (1508) The microelectromechanical resonator drive controller (1501) comprises circuitry to process the received output signal and to generate an intermittent drive signal applied to the microelectromechanical resonator (1508), wherein the microelectromechanical resonator (1508) is not driven when the intermittent signal is not applied.
H03B 5/30 - Generation of oscillations using amplifier with regenerative feedback from output to input with frequency-determining element being electromechanical resonator
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to a temperature measurement system comprising (1) a first microelectromechanical resonator to generate a first output signal having a frequency that varies with operating temperature, wherein the first microelectromechanical resonator includes a frequency function of temperature; (2) a second microelectromechanical resonator to generate a second output signal having a frequency that varies with operating temperature, wherein the second microelectromechanical resonator includes a frequency function of temperature; and (3) frequency division circuitry, coupled to the first and second microelectromechanical resonators, to determine data which is representative of the operating temperature of the first and/or second microelectromechanical resonator using (i) data which is representative of the frequency of the first output signal and (ii) data which is representative of the frequency of the second output signal. The frequency division circuitry may include circuitry to divide the frequency of the first output signal by the frequency of the second output signal (whether in digital or analog domain).
H03B 5/30 - Generation of oscillations using amplifier with regenerative feedback from output to input with frequency-determining element being electromechanical resonator
A stacked die package for an electromechanical resonator system includes a chip that contains an electromechanical resonator bonded onto the control chip for the electromechanical resonator by a thermally and/or electrically conductive epoxy. In various embodiments, the electromechanical resonator can be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator or a nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) resonator. Packaging configurations that may include the chip that contains the electromechanical resonator and the control chip include chip-on-lead (COL), chip-on-paddle (COP), and chip-on-tape (COT) packages. The stacked die package provides small package footprint and/or low package thickness, as well as low thermal resistance and a robust conductive path between the chip that contains the electromechanical resonator and the control chip.
Embodiments of an oscillator circuit are described. Embodiments described herein include an oscillator circuit suitable for a resonator with relatively high motional impedance, thus requiring relatively high amplification and having relatively high sensitivity to noise. However, the embodiments described are not intended to be limited to use with any particular type of resonator. In one embodiment, alternating current (AC) coupling, or capacitive coupling, is used in part to decouple the bias voltage placed on the resonator from the operating point of the amplifier, allowing one voltage to be high relative to the other. In an embodiment, some legs, or all legs of the circuit that includes drive circuitry and a resonator include differential signaling.
H03K 3/38 - Generators characterised by the type of circuit or by the means used for producing pulses by the use, as active elements, of superconductive devices
9.
OSCILLATOR SYSTEM HAVING A PLURALITY OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL RESONATORS AND METHOD OF DESIGNING CONTROLLING OR OPERATING SAME
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to oscillator systems which employ a plurality of microelectromechanical resonating structures, and methods to control and/or operate same. The oscillator systems are configured to provide and/or generate one or more output signals having a predetermined frequency over temperature, for example, (.1) an output signal having a substantially stable frequency over a given/predetermined range of operating temperatures, (2) an output signal having a frequency that is dependent on the operating temperature from which the operating temperature may be determined (for example, an estimated operating temperature based on a empirical data and/or a mathematical relationship), and/or (3) an output signal that is relatively stable over a range of temperatures (for example, a predetermined operating temperature range) and is 'shaped' to have a desired turn-over frequency.
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to devices, systems and/or methods of encapsulating and fabricating electromechanical structures or elements, for example, accelerometer, • gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator. The fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems of the present invention, and the systems manufactured thereby, employ wafer bonding encapsulation techniques.
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