Tunable resonator with MEMS element

• US 7,339,446 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Shim, Dong S., Ma, Oing, Su, Jun, Rao, Valluri R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Summons; Barbara
• Application Number:
  US11/153,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 333/186, 333/188, 333/174, 333/235, 333/17.1
• US Class Current: 333/174
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/018 Switches not provided for in B81B2201/014 - B81B2201/016
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0271 Resonators; ultrasonic resonators
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/02 containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] B81B7/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/203 Strip line filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/006 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/013 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2210/015 Quality factor or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1758 Series LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1766 Parallel LC in series path H03H7/1783 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1783 Combined LC in series path
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1791 Combined LC in shunt or branch path

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) element tunes a resonator to a frequency.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a resonator to resonate a radio frequency signal;

a microelectromechanical system element to tune the resonator to a frequency, wherein the microelectromechanical system element is provided on a first wafer and the resonator is provided on a second wafer;

a plurality of bonding pads to electrically bond the first and second wafers; and

a plurality of seal rings to bond the plurality of bonding pads.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bonding pads are to route signals between the first and second wafers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second wafers are one or more of a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor wafer, a Gallium Arsenide wafer, or a Silicon Germanium wafer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second wafers are bonded to form a tunable filter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microelectromechanical system element tunes the resonator to the frequency via selection of a capacitance of the microelectromechanical system element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microelectromechanical system element is a microelectromechanical system varactor or a microelectromechanical system switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonator comprises one or more of an inductor or a capacitor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a band-pass filter, a band-stop filter, a low-pass filter, or a high-pass filter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided on an integrated circuit.

10. A method comprising:

resonating a radio frequency signal; and

tuning the resonating of the radio frequency signal with a microelectromechanical system element, wherein;

tuning the resonating of the radio frequency signal is performed by the microelectromechanical system element on a first wafer;

resonating the radio frequency is performed by a resonator on a second wafer electrically coupling the first and second wafers through a plurality of bonding pads; and

bonding the plurality of bonding pads with a plurality of seal rings.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein tuning the resonating of the radio frequency signal is performed continuously.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein first and second wafers are bonded to form a tunable filter.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising routing signals between the first and second wafers through the plurality of bonding pads.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the microelectromechanical system element and the resonator are on an integrated circuit.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein tuning the resonating of the radio frequency signal is performed via selection of a capacitance of the microelectromechanical system element.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein resonating the radio frequency signal is performed by one or more of an inductor or a capacitor.

17. A system comprising:

a baseband processor to process baseband cellular telephone data;

a transceiver to couple to the baseband processor and communicate a radio frequency signal via an antenna, the transceiver comprising;

a resonator to resonate the radio frequency signal; and

a microelectromechanical system element coupled to the resonator to tune the resonator to a frequency,

wherein the microelectromechanical system element is provided on a first wafer and the resonator is provided on a second wafer, wherein a plurality of bonding pads are to electrically bond the first and second wafers, and wherein a plurality of seal rings are to bond the plurality of bonding pads.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system comprises two or more antennas coupled to the transceiver to communicate via a wireless communication link.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is an access point or a mobile unit.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the mobile unit is a mobile personal computer, a cellular phone, or a personal digital assistant.