Anchor/support design for MEMS resonators
AssigneeRF Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorSeungbae Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) resonator designs having support structures that minimize or substantially reduce anchor losses, thereby improving a quality factor (Q) of the MEMS resonators, are provided. In general, a MEMS resonator includes a resonator body connected to anchors via support structures. The anchors are connected to or are part of a substrate on which the MEMS resonator is formed. The support structures operate to support the resonator body in free space to enable vibration. The support structures are designed to minimize or substantially reduce energy loss through the anchors into the substrate.
Claims29
A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) resonator comprising:
- a first anchor coupled to a substrate on which the MEMS resonator is formed, the first anchor having a first anchor point and a second anchor point;
- a resonator body;
- a first mechanically symmetric support structure including:
- a first beam having a first end and a second end;
- a second beam having a first end and a second end, and wherein the second beam is substantially parallel to the first beam;
- a first connecting beam extending between the first end of the first beam and the first end of the second beam;
- a second connecting beam extending between the second end of the first beam and the second end of the second beam;
- a first anchor beam extending between the first connecting beam and the first anchor point;
- and
- a second anchor beam extending between the second connecting beam and the second anchor point;
- and
- a first coupling beam extending between the first mechanically symmetric support structure and the resonator body.
A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) resonator comprising:
- an anchor coupled to a substrate on which the MEMS resonator is formed;
- a resonator body;
- and
- a mechanically symmetric support structure acting to support the resonator body and comprising a first node coupled to the resonator body and at least one second node coupled to the anchor;
- and
- wherein the mechanically symmetric support structure is configured to, when the resonator body is vibrating, provide multimode symmetric vibration.
A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) resonator comprising:
- an anchor coupled to a substrate on which the MEMS resonator is formed;
- a resonator body;
- and
- a support structure acting to support the resonator body and comprising a first node coupled to the resonator body and at least one second node coupled to the anchor, wherein a ratio (ks/kr) of a spring stiffness (ks) of the support structure to a spring stiffness (kr) of the resonator body is less than approximately 1/10.
A MEMS resonator comprising:
- a resonator body;
- a first anchor coupled to a substrate, the first anchor having a first anchor point and a second anchor point;
- a second anchor coupled to the substrate, the second anchor having a first anchor point and a second anchor point;
- a first mechanically symmetric support for symmetrically coupling the resonator body to the first anchor, the first mechanically symmetric support symmetrically coupled to the first anchor at the first anchor point and the second anchor point of the first anchor;
- and
- a second mechanically symmetric support for symmetrically coupling the resonator body to the second anchor, the second mechanically symmetric support symmetrically coupled to the second anchor at the first anchor point and the second anchor point of the second anchor;
- wherein:
- the first mechanically symmetric support is configured to vibrate in a substantially multimode symmetric mode;
- and
- the second mechanically symmetric support is configured to vibrate in a substantially multimode symmetric mode.
A MEMS resonator comprising:
- a resonator body;
- a first anchor;
- a first mechanically symmetric support structure including a first member having an internal edge that defines a symmetrical aperture;
- wherein the first mechanically symmetric support structure is symmetrically coupled to the first anchor at a first anchor point and a second anchor point;
- wherein the resonator body is coupled to the first member;
- and
- wherein the first anchor point, and the second anchor point are nodal points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.