MEMS resonator and method of controlling the same
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorsKim Phan Le, Peter Gerard Steeneken, Jozef Thomas Martinus Van Beek
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Abstract
A MEMS resonator has a component which provides a capacitance associated with the transduction gap which has a temperature-dependent dielectric characteristic, which varies in the same direction (i.e. the slope has the same sign) as the Young's modulus of the material of the resonator versus temperature. This means that the resonant frequency is less dependent on temperature.
Claims14
A MEMS resonator comprising:
- a resonator body made of a material having a Young's modulus;
- an actuation electrode configured to drive the resonator into a resonant mode, wherein the actuation electrode is separated from the resonator body by a non-conductive gap, such that a gap capacitance is defined between the actuation electrode and the resonator body;
- and
- an actuation terminal to which an actuation electrode signal is applied, wherein a capacitance between the actuation terminal and the resonator body, which includes the gap capacitance, includes a structure having a first dependence of effective dielectric constant with temperature over an operating temperature range of the MEMS resonator which is equal in sign to a dependence of the Young's modulus of the material of the resonator body with temperature over said operating temperature range.
A method of providing temperature compensation for temperature dependency of an output of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a resonator body made of a material having a Young's modulus, and an actuation electrode for driving the MEMS resonator into a resonant mode, wherein the actuation electrode is separated from the resonator body by a non-conductive gap, such that a gap capacitance is defined between the actuation electrode and the resonator body, wherein the method comprises:
- applying an actuation electrode signal to an actuation terminal;
- and
- providing a capacitance between the actuation terminal and the resonator body with a dependence of effective dielectric constant with temperature over an operating temperature range of the MEMS resonator which is equal in sign to the dependence of the Young's modulus of the material of the resonator body with temperature over said operating temperature range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.