Thin film piezoelectric resonator

• US 6,657,363 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Aigner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US09/708,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 310/312, 310/321, 310/324, 310/330
• US Class Current: 310/324
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2003/0428 of an electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/04 for obtaining desired frequency or temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/173 Air-gaps

Abstract

The layer of the cover electrode, or an additional layer on the cover electrode is formed with holes, preferably produced lithographically, or similar structures. The structures have a mean spacing from one another which is smaller than the wavelength for operating the component. The structures are preferably distributed with a uniformity sufficient to effect a uniform change in the mass of the layer per area, thus producing a specific setting of the resonant frequency/ frequencies, and are preferably, on the other hand, distributed so irregularly that diffraction effects are avoided.

Claims

1. A thin film piezoelectric resonator, comprising:

a lower electrode layer and an upper electrode layer;

a piezoelectric layer between said lower electrode layer and said upper electrode layer;

an additional layer disposed on said upper electrode layer, said additional layer being structured with etching structures selected from the group consisting of holes and islands spaced at less than a wavelength of an operating wavelength of the resonator, for setting a prescribed resonant frequency of the piezoelectric resonator.

2. The resonator according to claim 1, wherein said structure is so irregular that diffraction phenomena are avoided.

3. The resonator according to claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of AlN, ZnO, and PZT ceramic.

4. The resonator according to claim 3, which further comprises a carrier film formed of polysilicon formed below said lower electrode layer, said piezoelectric layer, and said upper electrode layer, and wherein a cavity is formed on a side of said carrier film averted from said lower electrode layer.

5. A piezoelectric resonator assembly, comprising a plurality of thin film piezoelectric resonators according to claim 1 formed on a common chip, said resonators being set to at least three different resonant frequencies.