Bulk acoustic resonator comprising piezoelectric layer and inverse piezoelectric layer

• US 8,796,904 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burak, Dariusz, Grannen, Kevin J., Larson, John D. III, Shirakawa, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, J. San
• Application Number:
  US13/286,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 310/320, 310/321, 310/324, 310/358
• US Class Current: 310/320
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02015 Characteristics of piezoelectric layers, e.g. cutting angles
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/132 characterized by a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/173 Air-gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/584 Coupled Resonator Filters [CFR]
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/587 Air-gaps

Abstract

In a representative embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator, comprises: a first electrode disposed over a substrate; a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction; a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer; and a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction.

Claims

1. A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator structure, comprising:

a first electrode disposed over a substrate;

a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction;

a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction; and

a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer and over the second piezoelectric layer, the second electrode being in direct contact with the first piezoelectric and in direct contact with the second piezoelectric layer.

2. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33ip) that is substantially equal in magnitude but opposite in sign of a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer.

3. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer each comprise the same piezoelectric material having substantially identical elastic properties.

4. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises one of aluminum nitride (AlN) and zinc oxide (ZnO).

5. A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator structure, comprising:

a first electrode disposed over a substrate;

a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction;

a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer;

a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, the second piezoelectric layer having a second c-axis oriented along a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction;

a third piezoelectric layer disposed over the second electrode, the third piezoelectric layer having a third c-axis oriented parallel to the first direction;

a third electrode disposed over the third piezoelectric layer;

a fourth piezoelectric layer disposed over the second electrode and adjacent to the third piezoelectric layer, the second piezoelectric layer having a fourth c-axis oriented parallel to the second direction.

6. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33ip) in a range between approximately −

0.1 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer and approximately −

2 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer.

7. A BAW resonator as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33ip) in a range between approximately −

0.1 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer and approximately −

2 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer, and the fourth piezoelectric layer has a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33ip) in a range between approximately −

0.1 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the third piezoelectric layer and approximately −

2 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the third piezoelectric layer.

8. A RAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer each comprise the same piezoelectric material having substantially identical elastic properties.

9. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises one of aluminum nitride (AIN) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO).

10. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an acoustic reflector disposed beneath the first electrode.

11. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the acoustic reflector comprises a cavity.

12. A BAW resonator as claimed in claim 11, wherein an active region of the BAW resonator comprises an overlap of the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode with the cavity.

13. A BAW resonator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second electrode overlaps the second and the fourth piezoelectric layer, and the third electrode overlaps the second and the fourth piezoelectric layer.

14. A BAW resonator as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

an acoustic coupling layer disposed between the second electrode and the second piezoelectric layer; and

a fourth electrode disposed above the acoustic coupling layer and beneath the second piezoelectric layer.

17. A BAW resonator structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second electrode does not overlap an edge of the cavity.

15. A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator structure, comprising:

a first electrode disposed over a substrate;

a cavity beneath the first electrode;

a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction;

a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer, wherein an active region of the BAW resonator structure comprises an overlap of the first electrode and the second electrode with the cavity; and

a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, the second piezoelectric layer having a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction, wherein the second electrode overlaps the second piezoelectric layer.

16. A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator structure, comprising:

a first electrode disposed over a substrate;

a first piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer having a first c-axis oriented along a first direction;

a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer; and

a second piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode and adjacent to the first piezoelectric layer, the second piezoelectric layer having a second c-axis oriented in a second direction that is substantially antiparallel to the first direction, wherein the second piezoelectric layer has a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33ip) in a range between approximately −

0.1 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer and approximately −

2 times a piezoelectric coupling coefficient (e_33p) of the first piezoelectric layer.