Thickness shear mode resonator sensors and methods of forming a plurality of resonator sensors

• US 9,038,263 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChampionX LLC (ChampionX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Puccio, Derek Wayne, EerNisse, Errol P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US13/350,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20120181900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 29/253.5, 295/94, 295/95, 296/091, 310/319, 310/338, 310/370, 331/158, 331/176
• US Class Current: 29/594
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/162 using piezoelectric resonators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0016 of a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0022 of a piezoelectric element
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/85 Piezoelectric or electrostrictive active materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

Arrays of resonator sensors include an active wafer array comprising a plurality of active wafers, a first end cap array coupled to a first side of the active wafer array, and a second end cap array coupled to a second side of the active wafer array. Thickness shear mode resonator sensors may include an active wafer coupled to a first end cap and a second end cap. Methods of forming a plurality of resonator sensors include forming a plurality of active wafer locations and separating the active wafer locations to form a plurality of discrete resonator sensors. Thickness shear mode resonator sensors may be produced by such methods.

Claims

1. A plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors produced by a process, comprising:

forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material comprising;

locating a central portion of each active wafer of the plurality of active wafer locations; and

bounding the plurality of active wafer locations about the central portions thereof to form a first cavity on a first side of each central portion and a second cavity on a second side of each central portion to form an array of resonator sensors; and

separating the array of resonator sensors.

2. The plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors of claim 1, wherein forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material further comprises forming the central portion in each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations to have a thickness less than a thickness of an outer portion of the active wafer location.

3. The plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors of claim 1, wherein bounding the plurality of active wafer locations about the central portions thereof and over the first and second cavities on the first side and on the second side comprises:

coupling a first side of the first sheet of material to a second sheet of material comprising a plurality of first end caps to cover the first side of the plurality of active wafer locations; and

coupling a second side of the first sheet of material to a third sheet of material comprising a plurality of second end caps to cover the second side of the plurality of active wafer locations.

4. The plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors of claim 3, wherein coupling a first side of the first sheet of material to a second sheet of material and coupling a second side of the first sheet of material to a third sheet of material comprises coupling with a fused glass frit.

5. The plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors of claim 1, further comprising forming the plurality of resonator sensors to each exhibit a substantially quadrilateral cross section.

6. The plurality of thickness shear mode resonator sensors of claim 1, further comprising forming the plurality of resonator sensors to each exhibit a substantially cylindrical cross section.

7. A method of forming a plurality of resonator sensors, comprising:

forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a unitary structure;

coupling a plurality of first end cap structures to a first side of the unitary structure;

coupling a plurality of second end cap structures to a second, opposing side of the unitary structure; and

separating the plurality of active wafer locations laterally between the end cap structures to form a plurality of discrete resonator sensors.

8. A method of forming a plurality of resonator sensors, comprising:

forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material comprising;

locating a central portion of each active wafer of the plurality of active wafer locations;

bounding the plurality of active wafer locations about the central portions thereof to form a first cavity on a first side of each central portion and a second cavity on a second side of each central portion to form an array of resonator sensors; and

separating the array of resonator sensors to form a plurality of discrete resonator sensors.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material further comprises forming the central portion in each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations to have a thickness less than a thickness of an outer portion of the active wafer location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein bounding the plurality of active wafer locations about the central portions thereof and over the first and second cavities on the first side and on the second side comprises:

coupling a first side of the first sheet of material to a second sheet of material comprising a plurality of first end caps to cover the first side of the plurality of active wafer locations; and

coupling a second side of the first sheet of material to a third sheet of material comprising a plurality of second end caps to cover the second side of the plurality of active wafer locations and to form an array of resonator sensors.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein separating the array of resonator sensors comprises separating the array of resonator sensors along a plane transverse to an interface between the first sheet of material and at least one of the second sheet of material and the third sheet material.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material further comprises:

forming a first electrode on the central portion of each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations on the first side of the first sheet of material;

extending the first electrode to a conductive tab formed on an outer portion of each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations on the first side of the first sheet of material;

forming a second electrode on the central portion of each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations on the second side of the first sheet of material; and

extending the second electrode to a conductive tab formed on an outer portion of each active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations on the second side of the first sheet of material.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing at least one recess in an interface between the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material to expose a conductive tab formed on at least one active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations; and

providing at least one recess in an interface between the first sheet of material and the third sheet of material to expose another conductive tab formed on at least one active wafer location of the plurality of active wafer locations.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a plurality of active wafer locations in a first sheet of material further comprises forming the plurality of active wafer locations in a quartz plate.