Resonator frequency correction by modifying support structures

• US 6,650,204 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ma, Qing, Rao, Valluri, Cheng, Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Summons, Barbara
• Application Number:
  US10/307,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 333/186-192, 333/197
• US Class Current: 333/188
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0077 by tuning of resonance frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2463 Clamped-clamped beam resonators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/70 Nanostructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/721 On a silicon substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/733 Nanodiaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/888 Shaping or removal of materials, e.g. etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/889 by laser ablation

Abstract

A method including to a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency in response to a frequency stimulus, modifying the resonating frequency by modifying the at least one support structure. A method including forming a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency; and modifying the resonating frequency of the resonator by modifying the at least one support structure. A method including applying a frequency stimulus to a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate determining a resonating frequency; and modifying the resonating frequency of the resonator by modifying the at least one support structure. An apparatus including a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency tuned by the modification of the at least one support structure to a selected frequency stimulus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

modifying a resonating frequency of a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate by forming a notch in a surface of the at least one support structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a notch comprises forming a notch using a laser etching process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a notch comprises forming a notch in a top surface of the support structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a notch comprises forming a first notch in a first direction and a second notch in a second direction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming a notch comprises forming a notch through less than the entire body of the at least one support structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one support structure comprises a body including a top surface and an anchor portion having a height coupled to the substrate opposite the top surface, and wherein said forming a notch comprises forming a notch through the support structure and through less than the entire anchor portion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming a notch comprises using one of a pattern and etch process and a focused ion beam etching process.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency tuned by the addition of extraneous material to the at least one support structure using a point deposition technique.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said point deposition technique includes one of focused ion beam deposition technique and a laser deposition technique.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said extraneous material comprises a material having a modulus of elasticity greater than or equal to 100 giga-Pascals (gPa).

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said extraneous material comprises one of silicon nitride (SiN) and tungsten (W).

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the resonator is coupled at a first end to a first support structure and at a second end to a second support structure.

13. A method comprising:

modifying a resonating frequency of a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate by adding material to the at least one support structure using a point deposition technique.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said point deposition technique includes one of focused ion beam deposition technique and a laser deposition technique.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said added material comprises a material having a modulus of elasticity greater than or equal to 100 giga-Pascals (gPa).

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said added material comprises one of silicon nitride (SiN) and tungsten (W).

17. A method comprising:

modifying a resonating frequency of a resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate by adding to or removing from an amount of material making up the at least one support structure, wherein the resonator is coupled at a first end to a first support structure and at a second end to a second support structure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

forming the resonator;

applying a frequency stimulus to the resonator;

determining a resonating frequency; and

wherein said modifying a resonating frequency comprises removing a portion of the at least one support structure to modify the resonating frequency of the resonator to a selected frequency stimulus.

19. A radio frequency signal generator comprising:

a radio frequency resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency tuned by forming a notch in a surface of a portion of the at least one support structure to adjust said resonating frequency to provide a signal by oscillating at a selected frequency.

20. A radio frequency bandpass filter comprising:

a radio frequency resonator coupled to at least one support structure on a chip-level substrate, the resonator having a resonating frequency tuned by forming a notch in a surface of a portion of the at least one support structure to adjust said resonating frequency to pass a signal having a selected frequency.