Mechanical resonator with a spring-mass system comprising a phase-change material
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJohan B. C. Engelen, Mark A. Lantz, Wabe W. Koelmans
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Abstract
A mechanical resonator includes a spring-mass system, wherein the spring-mass system comprises a phase-change material. The mechanical resonator typically comprises an electrical circuit portion, coupled to the phase-change material to alter a phase configuration within the phase-change material. Methods of operation are also disclosed.
Claims10
A method for tuning a resonance frequency of a spring-mass system of a mechanical resonator comprising a spring-mass system, wherein the spring-mass system comprises a phase-change material, the method comprising:
- altering, by a first mechanism, a reversibly transformable crystalline/amorphous phase configuration of the phase-change material to tune the resonance frequency;
- and
- altering, by the first mechanism, the reversibly transformable phase configuration of the phase-change material to at least partially reverse a prior alteration of the reversibly transformable phase configuration of the phase-change material to further tune the resonance frequency.
A method for tuning a resonance frequency of a spring-mass system of a mechanical resonator comprising a spring-mass system, wherein the spring-mass system comprises a phase-change material, the method comprising:
- altering, by a first mechanism, a reversibly transformable phase configuration of the phase-change material to tune the resonance frequency;
- and
- fine-tuning, by a second mechanism distinct from the first mechanism and not affecting the phase configuration, the resonance frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.