MEMS-based quartz hybrid filters and a method of making the same

• US 7,994,877 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Kubena, Randall L., Chang, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Summons; Barbara
• Application Number:
  US12/268,309
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 333/167, 333/175, 333/185, 333187-189
• US Class Current: 333/187
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/0542 consisting of a lateral arrangement H03H9/0566 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/542 including passive elements H03H9/545 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

An integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) filter includes an insulating substrate bonded to a base substrate such that at least a portion of the insulating substrate is separated from the base substrate by a gap, the insulating substrate having a first side and a second side, an inductive element having a coil, wherein the coil of the inductive element is on the insulating substrate, and a capacitive element having two conductive plates, wherein one of the two conductive plates is on the insulating substrate.

Claims

1. An integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device comprising:

a first substrate having a first end and a second end, the first end bonded to a base substrate and the second end of first substrate cantilevered over the base substrate and separated from the base substrate by a gap;

an inductive element having a coil, wherein the coil of the inductive element is on the first substrate; and

a capacitive element having two conductive plates, wherein one of the two conductive plates is on the first substrate.

2. The integrated MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is quartz or crystalline quartz.

3. The integrated MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the inductive element includes:

a conductive spiral having a center contact point on the first substrate;

a further contact point exterior to the spiral on the first substrate; and

a conductive bridge connecting the center contact point of the conductive spiral to the further contact point.

4. The integrated MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive element includes:

a first conductive plate on the first substrate;

a dielectric layer on the first conductive plate; and

a second conductive plate on the dielectric layer.

5. The integrated MEMS device of claim 1 further comprising a resonator element on the first substrate.

6. The integrated MEMS device of claim 5 wherein the resonator element comprises a piezoelectric resonator.

13. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 1 wherein the resonator element comprises a piezoelectric resonator.

7. An integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) filter comprising:

an insulating substrate having a first end and a second end, the first end bonded to a base substrate and the second end of the insulating substrate cantilevered over the base substrate and separated from the base substrate by a gap;

a resonator element on the second end of the insulating substrate;

an inductive element having a coil, wherein the coil of the inductive element is on the insulating substrate; and

a capacitive element having two conductive plates, wherein one of the two conductive plates is on the insulating substrate.

8. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 7, wherein the insulating substrate is quartz.

9. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 7, wherein the inductive element includes:

a conductive spiral having a center contact point on the insulating substrate;

a further contact point exterior to the spiral on the insulating substrate; and

a conductive bridge connecting the center contact point of the conductive spiral to the further contact point.

10. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 7, wherein the capacitive element includes:

a first conductive plate on the insulating substrate;

a dielectric layer on the first conductive plate; and

a second conductive plate on the dielectric layer.

11. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 7 wherein the resonator element comprises:

a first electrode plate on a first side of the insulating substrate;

a second electrode plate on a second side of the insulating substrate, positioned opposite to the first electrode plate such that the insulating substrate positioned between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate is able to act as the resonator plate substrate for the resonator element.

12. The integrated MEMS filter of claim 11, wherein the insulating substrate is crystalline quartz.