Method for adjusting the frequency of a MEMS resonator
First Claim
1. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
- measuring the first resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator;
selecting a first heating current to apply to the first electrical contact, and wherein the first heating current is selected based on the measured first resonant frequency; and
applying the first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes 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.
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Accused Products
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).
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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measuring the first resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator; selecting a first heating current to apply to the first electrical contact, and wherein the first heating current is selected based on the measured first resonant frequency; and applying the first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes 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 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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applying a first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes passing the 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 the beam structure to between approximately 900°
C. and approximately 1200°
C.; andmeasuring the second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. 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 is comprised of 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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applying a first heating current to the frequency adjustment structure wherein applying the first heating current includes passing the first heating current from the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact to resistively heat the frequency adjustment structure, wherein, in response, material 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 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor wherein the beam structure comprises a multiple beam tuning fork structure, wherein each beam in the multiple beam tuning fork structure comprises a first end fixed by the first substrate anchor and a second end fixed by the second substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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selecting a first heating current to apply to the first electrical contact; and applying the first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes 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 (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor wherein the beam structure comprises a multiple beam tuning fork structure, wherein each beam in the multiple beam tuning fork structure comprises a first end fixed by the first substrate anchor and a second end fixed by the second substrate anchor, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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applying a first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes passing the 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; and measuring the second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of adjusting the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor including a first electrical contact, a second substrate anchor including a second electrical contact, and a beam structure fixed at a first end by the first substrate anchor and at a second end by the second substrate anchor, wherein the beam structure is comprised of a polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon material, and wherein the MEMS resonator includes a first resonant frequency, the method comprising:
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applying a first heating current to the MEMS resonator wherein applying the first heating current includes passing the 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 the beam structure to greater than approximately 1200°
C.; andmeasuring the second resonant frequency of the MEMS resonator. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification