Method and System for Forming Resonators Over CMOS

• US 20100148880A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: McDonald, William C., Gupta, Arun K., Barron, Lance W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/116.FE
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02322 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0073 Integration with other electronic structures
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2426 in combination with other electronic elements

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor substrate includes complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry disposed outwardly from the semiconductor substrate. An electrode is disposed outwardly from the CMOS circuitry. The electrode is electrically coupled to the CMOS circuitry. A resonator is disposed outwardly from the electrode. The resonator is operable to oscillate at a resonance frequency in response to an electrostatic field propagated, at least in part, by the electrode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor substrate comprising:

complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry disposed outwardly from the semiconductor substrate;

an electrode disposed outwardly from the CMOS circuitry and electrically coupled to the CMOS circuitry; and

a resonator disposed outwardly from the electrode, the resonator operable to oscillate at a resonance frequency in response to an electrostatic field propagated, at least in part, by the electrode.

2. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein at least respective portions of the CMOS circuitry, the electrode, and the resonator are each disposed, with respect to each other, along an axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

3. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein the electrode and the resonator are separated by a dielectric gap less than 100 nanometers in length.

4. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein the resonator is further operable to oscillate along an axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

5. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein the resonator is further operable to oscillate along an axis substantially parallel to the substrate.

6. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein the electrode forms a portion of the CMOS circuitry.

7. The semiconductor substrate of claim 1, wherein the resonator is formed from at least one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

aluminum;

oxygen; and

titanium.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate comprising complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry; and

a plurality of resonators, each resonator overlaying, and spaced apart from, a respective portion of the CMOS circuitry, and each resonator having a corresponding resonance frequency.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the corresponding resonance frequency of a first resonator of the plurality of resonators is different than the corresponding resonance frequency of a second resonator of the plurality of resonators.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of resonators comprise at least 10 resonators.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of resonators comprise at least 50 resonators.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of resonators comprise at least 1,000 resonators.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of resonators comprise at least 100,000 resonators.

14. A method comprising:

forming complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry outwardly from a substrate, the CMOS circuitry capable of providing an electric signal that contributes to at least a portion of an electrostatic field;

forming a sacrificial layer outwardly from the CMOS circuitry;

forming a resonator outwardly from the sacrificial layer; and

removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer disposed inwardly from the resonator such that the resonator is operable to oscillate at a resonance frequency in response, at least in part, to the electrostatic field.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming an electrode layer between the CMOS circuitry and the sacrificial layer, at least a portion of the electrode layer operable to propagate the electrostatic field.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least a portion of the sacrificial layer disposed inwardly from the resonator is removed such that the resonator is operable to oscillate along an axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least a portion of the sacrificial layer disposed inwardly from the resonator is removed such that the resonator is operable to oscillate along an axis substantially parallel to the substrate.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least respective portions of the CMOS circuitry, the sacrificial layer, and the resonator are each formed outwardly from the substrate along an axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of:

photoresist;

oxide; and

silicon.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the resonator is formed from at least one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

aluminum;

oxygen; and

titanium.