Decoupled stacked bulk acoustic resonator band-pass filter with controllable pass bandwidth

• US 20050093654A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larson, John D. III, Ellis, Stephen L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/187
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02102 of temperature influence cutting angles H03H9/02015
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/132 characterized by a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/175 Acoustic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/584 Coupled Resonator Filters [CFR]
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/587 Air-gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/589 Acoustic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/605 consisting of a ladder configuration

Abstract

The band-pass filter has an upper film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, and, between the FBARs, an acoustic decoupler comprising a layer of acoustic decoupling material. Each of the FBARs has opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. The acoustic decoupler controls the coupling of acoustic energy between the FBARs. Specifically, the acoustic decoupler couples less acoustic energy between the FBARs than would be coupled by direct contact between the FBARs. The reduced acoustic coupling gives the band-pass filter desirable in-band and out-of-band properties.

Claims

1. A band-pass filter, comprising:

a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, each FBAR comprising opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes; and

between the FBARs, an acoustic decoupler comprising a layer of acoustic decoupling material.

2. The band-pass filter of claim 1, in which the acoustic decoupler is structured to provide substantially critical coupling of acoustic energy between the FBARs.

3. The band-pass filter of claim 1, in which the acoustic decoupling material is lower in acoustic impedance than the piezoelectric element.

4. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which:

the piezoelectric element has an acoustic impedance; and

the acoustic decoupling material has an acoustic impedance intermediate between the acoustic impedance of the piezoelectric element and the acoustic impedance of air.

5. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which the acoustic decoupling material has an acoustic impedance in the range from about 2 Mrayl to about 8 Mrayl.

6. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises plastic.

7. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises polyimide.

8. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises poly(para-xylylene).

9. The band-pass filter of claim 3, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises a crosslinked polyphenylene polymer.

10. The band-pass filter of claim 9, in which the crosslinked polyphenylene polymer is formed from a precursor solution sold by The Dow Chemical Company under the trademark SiLK.

11. The band-pass filter of claim 1, in which:

the band-pass filter is characterized by a center frequency; and

the layer of acoustic decoupling material has a nominal thickness equal to an odd integral multiple of one quarter of the wavelength in the acoustic decoupling material of an acoustic signal equal in frequency to the center frequency.

12. The band-pass filter of claim 11, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises plastic.

13. The band-pass filter of claim 11, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises polyimide.

14. The band-pass filter of claim 11, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises poly(para-xylylene).

15. The band-pass filter of claim 11, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises a crosslinked polyphenylene polymer.

16. The band-pass filter of claim 15, in which the crosslinked polyphenylene polymer is formed from a precursor solution sold by The Dow Chemical Company under the trademark SiLK.

17. The band-pass filter of claim 1, in which:

the band-pass filter is characterized by a center frequency; and

the layer of acoustic decoupling material has a nominal thickness equal to one quarter of the wavelength in the acoustic decoupling material of an acoustic signal equal in frequency to the center frequency.

18. The band-pass filter of claim 17, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises plastic.

19. The band-pass filter of claim 17, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises polyimide.

20. The band-pass filter of claim 17, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises poly(para-xylylene).

21. The band-pass filter of claim 17, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises a crosslinked polyphenylene polymer.

22. The band-pass filter of claim 22, in which the crosslinked polyphenylene polymer is formed from a precursor solution sold by The Dow Chemical Company under the trademark SiLK.

23. A band-pass filter characterized by a center frequency, the band-pass filter comprising:

a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, each FBAR comprising opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric 5 element between the electrodes; and

between the FBARs, a layer of acoustic decoupling material having a nominal thickness equal to one quarter of the wavelength in the acoustic decoupling material of an acoustic signal equal in frequency to the center frequency, the acoustic decoupling material lower in acoustic impedance than piezoelectric element.

24. The band-pass filter of claim 23, in which the acoustic decoupling material comprises one of polyimide, poly(para-xylylene) and crosslinked polyphenylene polymer.

25. A band-pass filter, comprising:

a lower film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), an upper FBAR stacked on the lower FBAR, each FBAR comprising opposed planar electrodes and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes; and

between the FBARs, an acoustic decoupler comprising an acoustic decoupling layer of an acoustic decoupling material having an acoustic impedance of about 2 Mrayl.