# US 8,569,934 B2 · Piezo-resistive MEMS resonator

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- Number: US 8,569,934 B2
- Document ID: US8569934B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/977,769
- Filed: 2010-12-23
- Published: 2011-07-28
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-12-23
- Assignees: NXP B.V.
- Applicants: Gerhard Koops; Jozef Thomas Martinus van Beek
- Inventors: Gerhard Koops; Jozef Thomas Martinus van Beek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569934B2

## CPC

- H10N 30/082: by etching, e.g. lithography
- H03H 3/0072: {of microelectro-mechanical resonators or networks (micromembranes or microbeams B81B2203/01; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C)}
- H03H 9/02259: {Driving or detection means}
- Y10S 977/762: Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less
- Y10T 29/42: Piezoelectric device making
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A piezo-resistive MEMS resonator comprising an anchor, a resonator mounted on the anchor, an actuator mounted to apply an electrostatic force on the resonator and a piezo-resistive read-out means comprising a nanowire coupled to the resonator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A piezo-resistive MEMS resonator comprising:
an anchor,
an actuator mounted to apply an electrostatic force
a piezo-resistive read-out means including a nanowire configured and arranged to measure resistance of a current path,
a current source configured and arranged to provide a current to the current path from the nanowire through the anchor, and
a resonator body mounted on the anchor and coupled to the piezo-resistive read-out means, the resonator body being configured and arranged to vibrate in response to the electrostatic force applied by the actuator and effect the current in the nanowire,
wherein the resonator body has an area of at least 100 μm2 and the nanowire has a cross section of at most 5000 nm2.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A resonator as in claim 1, wherein the nanowire includes a structure having a width of less than 100 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A resonator as in claim 1, wherein the nanowire includes a structure having a depth of less than 100 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A resonator as in claim 1, wherein the resonator is fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A resonator as in claim 4, wherein a portion of the nanowire includes an isolated top portion of the silicon layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A resonator as in claim 4, wherein the nanowire includes a bottom portion of the silicon layer with a portion of the silicon layer above removed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A resonator as in claim 6, further comprising an amorphised layer of silicon above the nanowire in the silicon layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A resonator as in claim 4, wherein the nanowire is a crystalline silicon nanowire.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A resonator as in claim 8, wherein the nanowire is suspended above the SOI layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A resonator as in claim 8, wherein the nanowire is separated from the SOI layer by a layer of silicon-germanium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The resonator as in claim 9, wherein the nanowire, SOI layer, and silicon-germanium layer are covered by an oxidation layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A resonator as in claim 1, wherein the nanowire has a cross section of at most 2500 nm2.