Electric machine signal selecting element

• US 7,551,044 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Naito, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don P
• Application Number:
  US10/598,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 333186-192, 333/197
• US Class Current: 333/188
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02496 Horizontal, i.e. parallel to the substrate plane
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02511 Vertical, i.e. perpendicular to the substrate plane
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02527 Combined
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0072 of microelectro-mechanical resonators or networks micromembranes or microbeams B81B2203/01; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02259 Driving or detection means
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/2463 Clamped-clamped beam resonators

Abstract

To provide an electromechanical signal selection device which can be miniaturized and highly integrated and which can selectively output only a signal of a predetermined frequency without providing any sensitive vibration sensing mechanism, and electric equipment using the electromechanical signal selection device.

A micro-vibrator serving as a resonator is provided. The micro-vibrator can be excited by an external force to excite vibration of the micro-vibrator. A material whose physical property is changed in accordance with a structural change is used as the micro-vibrator. Thus, a sensitive electromechanical signal selection device is obtained.

Claims

1. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the micro-vibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes in accordance with a crystal structural change of the micro-vibrator when excited so as to select a signal.

2. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the physical property is an electric conduction characteristic.

3. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the post comprises a structure having lower rigidity than that of the micro-vibrator.

4. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the micro-vibrator comprises a multilayer structure of at least two layers including a material layer generating the change in physical property and a conductor layer.

5. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 4, wherein the material layer generating the change in physical property is formed on the side where an electric field of a signal is concentrated.

6. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the micro-vibrator comprises perovskite type transition metal oxide.

7. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 6, wherein the perovskite type transition metal oxide is PrNiO₃ showing metal-insulator transition.

8. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the microvibrator comprises a piezoresistive effect material.

9. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 8, wherein the microvibrator comprises at least one of Si, La_1-xSr_xMnO₃ and BaTiO₃.

10. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the microvibrator comprises a superconductor.

11. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 10, wherein the superconductor is one of Air Pb, La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ and (BEDTTTF)₂I₃.

12. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the microvibrator comprises a carbon-based material.

13. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the input signal is supplied through an electrode provided in the micro-vibrator.

14. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the change in physical property is caused by piezoelectric effect.

15. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 14, wherein the microvibrator is designed to generate a signal by virtue of the piezoelectric effect when the microvibrator is excited to produce a structural change.

16. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 1, wherein the microvibrator comprises ceramics.

17. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 16, wherein the microvibrator comprises PZT.

18. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the microvibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal, and

wherein the microvibrator is retained by an electrode placed on the post.

19. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 18, wherein a bonded surface between the electrode and the microvibrator is located at a distance from the post.

20. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the microvibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal,

wherein the microvibrator comprises a multilayer structure of at least two layers including a material layer generating the change in physical property and a conductor layer,

wherein the conductor is formed to be linear, and wherein the material layer generating the change in physical property is formed around the linear conductor layer.

21. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a microvibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the micro-vibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal,

wherein the microvibrator comprises a multilayer structure of at least two layers including a material layer generating the change in physical property and a conductor layer,

wherein the material layer generating the change in physical property is formed on the side where an electric field of a signal is concentrated, and

wherein the material layer generating the change in physical property is formed under the substrate side of the conductor layer.

22. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the micro-vibrator,

wherein the physical property of the microvibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal,

wherein the microvibrator comprises a multilayer structure of at least two layers including a material layer generating the change in physical property and a conductor layer, and

wherein half the radius of the conductor is not larger than skin depth of a high frequency signal.

23. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the micro-vibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal, and

wherein the input signal is supplied through a driving electrode disposed adjacently to the microvibrator.

24. The electromechanical signal selection device according to claim 23, wherein an external force to be applied to the driving electrode is an electrostatic force.

25. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the microvibrator,

wherein the physical property of the microvibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal, and

wherein a mechanism for applying an external magnetic field to the microvibrator is provided to excite the microvibrator due to a Lorentz force.

26. An electromechanical signal selection device comprising:

a micro-vibrator which can be excited by an input signal; and

a post for retaining the microvibrator,

wherein the physical property of the micro-vibrator changes when excited so as to select a signal, and

wherein a mechanism for applying an external, magnetic field is provided in a driving electrode or a signal input electrode disposed adjacently to the micro-vibrator so as to excite vibration of the microvibrator in a desired direction.