# US 4,392,287 A · Quartz resonator processing system

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- Number: US 4,392,287 A
- Document ID: US4392287A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/174,771
- Filed: 1980-08-01
- Granted: 1983-07-12
- Earliest claimed: 1980-08-01
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
- Inventors: Roswell D. M. Peters
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392287A

## CPC

- H03H 3/02: for the manufacture of piezoelectric or electrostrictive resonators or networks (H03H3/08 takes precedence)
- H10N 30/06: Forming electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
- H10N 30/875: {Further connection or lead arrangements, e.g. flexible wiring boards, terminal pins}
- Y10T 29/42: Piezoelectric device making
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Disclosed is a single chamber ultra-high vacuum processing system for the oduction of hermetically sealed quartz resonators wherein electrode metallization and sealing are carried out along with cleaning and bake-out without any air exposure between the processing steps. The system includes a common vacuum chamber in which is located a rotatable wheel-like member which is adapted to move a plurality of individual component sets of a flat pack resonator unit past discretely located processing stations in said chamber whereupon electrode deposition takes place followed by the placement of ceramic covers over a frame containing a resonator element and then to a sealing stage where a pair of hydraulic rams including heating elements effect a metallized bonding of the covers to the frame.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus for processing quartz crystal resonators in a relatively high vacuum environment, comprising:
a unitary processing chamber including means for evacuating said chamber during a multi-step fabrication procedure;
a rotatable resonator component holder, for at least one set of resonator components including a frame containing a resonator element, cover means therefore and a separator element for positioning cover means in spaced-apart relationship adjacent said frame, said holder being located in said chamber and removable therefrom;
means for rotating said holder past a plurality of processing stations;
means located at a first of said plurality of processing stations for applying a metallization pattern defining electrode means on said resonator element;
means located at a second of said plurality of processing stations for positioning said cover means on said frame including an actuator means for moving said cover means past said separator element and into registration with said frame; and
means located at a third of said plurality of processing stations for sealing said cover means on said frame to provide a hermetically sealed unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 and additionally including means at said first processing station for energizing said resonator element during the application of said metallization pattern.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said processing chamber is generally rectangular in cross section and has a removable viewport at one end which permits access to the interior of said chamber for removing and replacing said component holder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein said processing chamber is generally rectangular in shape and has a flared end terminating in and additionally including valve and vacuum pump means coupled to the other end of said chamber for providing said relatively high vacuum environment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said processing chamber includes viewport means located in the vicinity of said first processing station for providing a means of visual alignment of said holder to said means to apply said metallization pattern.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for applying said metallization pattern comprises an evaporation mask means positioned adjacent said holder and metal evaporation source means located in close proximity to said evaporation mask means for applying an electrode means to said resonator element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for sealing said cover means comprises at least one externally driven ram assembly located at said third processing station for sealing said cover means on said frame.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said cover means comprises a pair of cover members and wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of opposing ram assemblies for pressure sealing said cover members on said frame.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus as defined by claim 8 and additionally including heater means on said ram assemblies for applying both heat and pressure to said cover members.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means located at said first, second and third processing stations are located in three separate quadrants or sections of said processing chamber.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said rotatable component holder comprises a generally flat wheel-like member having a plurality of radial slots formed therein, for holding one set of said resonator components each.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus as defined by claim 11 and additionally including electrical means located adjacent each slot for coupling an energization potential to the resonator element in the respective frame located in each said slot.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus as defined by claim 12 and additionally including means located in said first processing station for selectively coupling an externally applied energization potential to said electrical means.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The apparatus as defined by claim 11 and additionally including means secured to the perimeter of said holder for retaining said separator element and said resonator components in said slot.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The apparatus as defined by claim 11 and wherein said positioning means comprises a linear actuator mounted on said processing chamber and including push rod means for, when activated, moving said pair of cover means into registration with said frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus as defined by claim 15 wherein said frame and cover members are generally rectangular in shape thereby providing a flat pack unit type of crystal resonator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said rotatable component holder is generally circular in configuration and additionally includes means for selectively rotating said holder from outside of said processing chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The apparatus as defined by claim 16 wherein said component holder of generally circular configuration includes a plurality of radial slots which are oriented at substantially equal intervals with respect to one another.