Method for adjusting the frequency of a MEMS resonator
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Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. These inventions are directed to a method of fabricating a microelectromechanical resonator having an output frequency that may be adjusted, tuned, set, defined and/or selected whether before and/or after final packaging. In one aspect, the method of the present invention adjusts, tunes, sets, defines and/or selects the frequency of the microelectromechanical resonator by changing and/or removing material from the mechanical structure of the resonator by resistively heating (in a selective or non-selective manner) one or more elements and/or beams of the mechanical structure (for example, the moveable or expandable electrodes and/or frequency adjustment structures).
104 Citations
68 Claims
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1-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A MEMS device comprising:
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a microelectromechanical resonator having a beam structure which includes a resonant frequency;
a frequency adjustment structure, juxtaposed the beam structure, having a plurality of electrical contacts, wherein material of the frequency adjustment structure, in response to being resistively heated by a heating current, evaporates therefrom and deposits on the beam structure to change the resonant frequency of the beam structure. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A MEMS device comprising:
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a microelectromechanical resonator having a beam structure, which includes a resonant frequency, and a fixed electrode;
a frequency adjustment structure, having a plurality of electrical contacts, wherein frequency adjustment structure includes a silicon material, and wherein, in response to being resistively heated by a heating current, a portion of the silicon material evaporates therefrom and deposits on the beam structure to change the resonant frequency of the beam structure. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a beam structure coupled to at least one substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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determining a first heating current to apply to the first electrical contact, wherein the first heating current is determined using the first resonant frequency; and
passing the first heating current from the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact to resistively heat the beam structure, wherein, in response, the material of the beam structure changes to provide a second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed to a substrate via a substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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passing a first heating current from the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact to resistively heat the beam structure, wherein, in response, material of the beam structure evaporates therefrom to provide a second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator, wherein the first heating current resistively heats at least a portion of the beam structure to between approximately 900°
C. and approximately 1200°
C.; and
measuring the second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a beam structure and a frequency adjustment structure, wherein the frequency adjustment structure includes polycrystalline silicon and includes first and second electrical contacts, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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passing a first heating current from the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact to resistively heat the frequency adjustment structure, wherein, in response, polycrystalline silicon of the frequency adjustment structure evaporates therefrom and deposits on the beam structure to provide a second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator; and
measuring the second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification