US 5,198,716 A · Micro-machined resonator

Abstract

A micro-machined resonator, typically quartz, with upper and lower micro-machinable support members, or covers, having etched wells which may be lined with conductive electrode material, between the support members is a quartz resonator having an energy trapping quartz mesa capacitively coupled to the electrode through a diaphragm; the quartz resonator is supported by either micro-machined cantilever springs or by thin layers extending over the surfaces of the support. If the diaphragm is rigid, clock applications are available, and if the diaphragm is resilient, then transducer applications can be achieved. Either the thin support layers or the conductive electrode material can be integral with the diaphragm. In any event, the covers are bonded to form a hermetic seal and the interior volume may be filled with a gas or may be evacuated. In addition, one or both of the covers may include oscillator and interface circuitry for the resonator.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A micro-machined resonator, comprising:

(a) an upper micro-machinable support member having an upper well connected to an upper electrode means;
(b) a lower micro-machinable support member having a lower well connected to a lower electrode means, said lower support member opposing said upper support member;
(c) a resonator capacitively coupled to said electrodes, said resonator having a centrally located energy trapping quartz mesa and supported between said upper well of said upper support member and said lower well of said lower support member;
(d) an upper diaphragm interposed between said upper well and said resonator;
(e) a lower diaphragm interposed between said lower well and said resonator;
(f) spacer means for defining a volume between said micro-machinable support members and said resonator;
and
(g) support means for supporting said resonator in said volume.

5 more elements

A micro-machined quartz resonator comprising:

(a) an upper micro-machinable support member having an upper coated etched portion and an upper outer portion circumscribing said upper coated etched portion;
(b) a lower micro-machinable support member having a lower coated etched portion and a lower outer portion circumscribing said lower coated etched portion;
(c) a quartz resonator having a centrally located energy trapping quartz mesa, said resonator being located between said upper and lower micro-machinable support members in a volume defined by said upper and lower etched portions;
(d) cantilever spring means for supporting said resonator in said volume between said micro-machinable support members for supporting said quartz resonator wherein said cantilever spring means are located on said outer portions of said upper and lower micro-machinable support members and extending over said etched portions of said upper and lower micro-machinable support members, said cantilever springs means are fabricated from one of the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and single crystal silicon;
and
(e) spacer means, located adjacent to said quartz resonator and between said upper and lower micro-machinable support members and having a coating for forming a hermetic seal between said upper micro-machinable support and said lower micro-machinable support member.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Micro-machined resonator

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Micro-machined resonator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26