Micromechanical resonating devices and related methods

• US 8,638,179 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sand 9, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaidarzhy, Alexei, Mohanty, Pritiraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/330,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 331/154, 331/156, 331/116.M, 331/177.R, 333/186, 333/197, 333/200, 310/311, 310/15, 310/25, 310/36, 310/309
• US Class Current: 331/154
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0271 Resonators; ultrasonic resonators
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0086 Electrical characteristics, e.g. reducing driving voltage, improving resistance to peak voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02354 applied along the periphery, e.g. at nodal points of the ring
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02464 Pull-in
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02496 Horizontal, i.e. parallel to the substrate plane
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02259 Driving or detection means
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02275 Comb electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02338 Suspension means
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02417 involving adjustment of the transducing gap
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2405 of microelectro-mechanical resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2431 Ring resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2463 Clamped-clamped beam resonators

Abstract

Micromechanical resonating devices, as well as related methods, are described herein. The resonating devices can include a micromechanical resonating structure, an actuation structure that actuates the resonating structure, and a detection structure that detects motion of the resonating structure. A bias structure separated from the mechanical resonating structure is provided to tune a resonance frequency of the mechanical resonating structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a suspended mechanical resonating structure; and

a bias structure disposed proximate a first side of the suspended mechanical resonating structure and separated from the suspended mechanical resonating structure by a first gap,

wherein the bias structure is configured to tune a resonance frequency of the suspended mechanical resonating structure by applying a bias to the suspended mechanical resonating structure,

wherein the bias structure comprises a comb structure, and

wherein the comb structure comprises a first, movable portion and a second, stationary portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bias structure is a first bias structure, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second bias structure disposed proximate a second side of the suspended mechanical resonating structure and separated from the suspended mechanical resonating structure by a second gap, wherein the first and second bias structures are configured in combination to tune the resonance frequency of the suspended mechanical resonating structure.