Temperature controlled MEMS resonator and method for controlling resonator frequency
First Claim
1. A MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, comprising:
- a first substrate anchor;
a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor;
a first heating element which is thermally coupled to the first substrate anchor;
an electrical source, electrically coupled to the first heating element, to provide an electrical current to the first heating element; and
wherein, in response to the electrical current, the first heating element conductively transfers heat to the first substrate anchor to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation.
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Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a temperature compensated microelectromechanical resonator as well as fabricating, manufacturing, providing and/or controlling microelectromechanical resonators having mechanical structures that include integrated heating and/or temperature sensing elements. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to fabricate, manufacture, provide and/or control microelectromechanical resonators having mechanical structures that are encapsulated using thin film or wafer level encapsulation techniques in a chamber, and including heating and/or temperature sensing elements disposed in the chamber, on the chamber and/or integrated within the mechanical structures. Other aspects of the inventions will be apparent from the detailed description and claims herein.
288 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, comprising:
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a first substrate anchor; a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor; a first heating element which is thermally coupled to the first substrate anchor; an electrical source, electrically coupled to the first heating element, to provide an electrical current to the first heating element; and wherein, in response to the electrical current, the first heating element conductively transfers heat to the first substrate anchor to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, comprising:
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a first substrate anchor; a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor; a first heating element which is disposed in the beam structure and thermally coupled thereto; an electrical source, electrically coupled to the first heating element, to provide an electrical current to the first heating element; and wherein in response to the electrical current, the first heating element transfers heat to the beam structure to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of controlling the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor, a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor, a first heating element which is thermally coupled to the first substrate anchor, and an electrical source which is electrically coupled to the first heating element, the method comprising:
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passing a heating current through the heating element to conductively heat the first substrate anchor; and adjusting the heating current in relation to an actual operating temperature for the beam structure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of controlling the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency which is defined in relation to an operating temperature, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises a first substrate anchor, a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor, a first heating element which is disposed in the beam structure and thermally coupled thereto, and an electrical source, which is electrically coupled to the first heating element, the method comprising:
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passing a heating current through the first heating element to heat the beam structure; and adjusting the heating current to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, comprising:
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a first substrate anchor; a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor; thin film encapsulation structure disposed over the beam structure to enclose the beam structure; a first heating element which is disposed proximate the beam structure and thermally coupled thereto; an electrical source, electrically coupled to the first heating element, to provide an electrical current to the first heating element; and wherein, in response to the electrical current, the first heating element transfers heat to the beam structure to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency defined in relation to an operating temperature, comprising:
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a first electrical contact; a second electrical contact; a beam structure electrically coupled to the first and second electrical contacts; a temperature sensor, placed in proximity to the beam structure, to measure temperature; an electrical source, coupled to the first and second electrical contacts, to provide an electrical current to the beam structure to heat the beam structure to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at an operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation; and control circuitry, coupled to the temperature sensor, to generate control information and provide the control information to the electrical source to maintain the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation, and wherein the control circuitry, in response to temperature data measured by the temperature sensor, generates the control information using a mathematical relationship or data contained in a look-up table. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of controlling the resonant frequency of a MEMS resonator having a resonant frequency which is defined in relation to an operating temperature, wherein the MEMS resonator comprises (i) a first substrate anchor, (ii) a beam structure mechanically coupled to the first substrate anchor, (iii) a heating element, which is coupled to the first substrate anchor, and (iv) an electrical source, which is electrically coupled to the beam structure and the heating element, the method comprising:
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passing a first heating current through the heating element to heat the first substrate anchor, passing a second heating current through the beam structure to heat the beam structure; and adjusting the first heating current and/or the second heating current to maintain the temperature of the beam structure at the operating temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures while the MEMS resonator is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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Specification