Surface acoustic wave device and method that prevents restoration of a pyroelectric effect

• US 7,425,881 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Shibata, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Summons; Barbara
• Application Number:
  US10/548,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 333/193
• US Class Current: 333/193
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02921 Measures for preventing electric discharge due to pyroelectricity
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02984 Protection measures against damaging
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/1071 the enclosure being defined by a frame built on a substrate and a cap, the frame having no mechanical contact with the SAW device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate that does not restore the pyroelectric effect, and a method for manufacturing the same. A surface acoustic wave element housed in a package includes a piezoelectric substrate having a specific resistance in the range of about 1.0×10⁷ Ω·cm to about 1.0×10¹³ Ω·cm. Pads are electrically connected to an external electrode with a solder. The space between the package and a cap of the package is sealed with a sealing material. At least one of the solder and the sealing material has a melting point of about 300° C. or less.

Claims

1. A surface acoustic wave device comprising:

a surface acoustic wave element arranged on a piezoelectric substrate, the surface acoustic wave element including at least an excitation electrode and a pad connected to the excitation electrode;

a package including an external electrode exposed to the outside of the package, the package housing the surface acoustic wave element with the external electrode electrically connected to the pad; and

a cap covering the surface acoustic wave element and a sealing material sealing the space between the package and the cap;

wherein

the piezoelectric substrate has a specific resistance in the range of about 1.0×

10⁷ Ω

·

cm to about 1.0×

10¹³ Ω

·

cm, and the sealing material has a melting point of about 300°

C. or less to prevent a pyroelectric effect of the piezoelectric substrate from being restored.

2. The surface acoustic wave device according to claim 1, wherein a region where the external electrode is electrically connected to the pad includes a solder having a melting point of about 300°

C. or less.

3. The surface acoustic wave device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the sealing material and the solder comprises AgSn or an AuSn alloy.

4. The surface acoustic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric substrate comprises LiTaO₃ or LiNbO₃.

5. A surface acoustic wave device comprising:

a surface acoustic wave element arranged on a piezoelectric substrate, the surface acoustic wave element including at least an excitation electrode and a pad connected to the excitation electrode;

a package including an external electrode exposed to the outside of the package, the package housing the surface acoustic wave element with the external electrode electrically connected to the pad;

a cap covering the surface acoustic wave element and a sealing material sealing the space between the package and the cap; and

an inert gas sealed within an area between the cap and the package by the sealing material to define an inert gas atmosphere within said area between the cap and the package;

wherein

the piezoelectric substrate has a specific resistance in the range of about 1.0×

10⁷ Ω

·

cm to about 1.0×

10¹³ Ω

·

cm, and the surface acoustic wave element housed in the surface acoustic wave device is housed within the inert gas atmosphere; and

the sealing material has a melting point of about 300°

C. or less to prevent a pyroelectric effect of the piezoelectric substrate from being restored.

6. The surface acoustic wave device according to claim 5, wherein the sealing material comprises AgSn or an AuSn alloy.

7. The surface acoustic wave device according to claim 5, wherein the piezoelectric substrate comprises LiTaO₃ or LiNbO₃.

8. A method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device comprising the steps of:

providing a surface acoustic wave element having on a piezoelectric substrate at least an excitation electrode and a pad connected to the excitation electrode, a package housing the surface acoustic wave element and having an external electrode exposed to the outside of the package;

electrically connecting the external electrode to the pad; and

sealing the package with a cap;

wherein

the piezoelectric substrate has a specific resistance in the range of about 1.0×

10⁷ Ω

·

cm to about 1.0×

10¹³ Ω

·

cm, and the step of electrically connecting the external electrode to the pad or the step of sealing the package with the cap is performed in an atmosphere of an inert gas and includes heating at a temperature of about 300°

C. or less to prevent a pyroelectric effect of the piezoelectric substrate from being restored.

9. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 8, wherein the inert gas comprises N₂.

10. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 8, wherein the pad and the external electrode are connected to each other by ultrasonic vibration and Au bump bonding with heating at a temperature of about 300°

C. or less.

11. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 8, wherein the pad and the external electrode are connected to each other by a bonding wire.

12. A method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device comprising the steps of:

providing a surface acoustic wave element having on a piezoelectric substrate at least an excitation electrode and a pad connected to the excitation electrode, a package housing the surface acoustic wave element and having an external electrode exposed to the outside of the package;

electrically connecting the external electrode to the pad; and

sealing the package with a cap;

wherein

the piezoelectric substrate has a specific resistance in the range of about 1.0×

10⁷ Ω

·

cm to about 1.0×

10¹³ Ω

·

cm, and the step of sealing the package includes heating at a temperature of about 300°

C. or less to prevent a pyroelectric effect of the piezoelectric substrate from being restored.

13. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 12, wherein the step of electrically connecting the external electrode to the pad includes soldering at a temperature of about 300°

C. or less.

14. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 13, wherein the sealing step includes using a sealing material, and wherein at least one of the sealing material and the solder comprises AgSn or an AuSn alloy.

15. The method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device according to claim 12, wherein the piezoelectric substrate comprises LiTaO₃ or LiNbO₃.