Resonator and methods of making resonators

• US 8,158,448 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ge, Howard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Quach, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US12/430,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100270632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 438 50- 52, 438/719, 438/770, 438/773, 257/417, 257/E29.324, 257/E21.214
• US Class Current: 438/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5684 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2009/02496 Horizontal, i.e. parallel to the substrate plane
• 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 9/2431 Ring resonators

Abstract

A resonator and method of making a resonator are provided. A particular method includes etching a silicon substrate to form a resonator structure. The resonator structure includes at least one resonator beam. The method also includes converting at least a portion of the at least one resonator beam to dry oxide.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

etching a silicon substrate to form a resonator structure, wherein the resonator structure includes at least one resonator beam;

at least partially converting the at least one resonator beam to dry oxide; and

etching through at least a portion of a mounting substrate coupled to the silicon substrate to provide electrical connections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the at least one resonator beam to dry oxide comprises performing a dry oxidization process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the at least one resonator beam to dry oxide comprises:

performing a wet oxidization process; and

annealing the resonator structure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the silicon substrate to the mounting substrate before etching the silicon substrate to form the resonator structure.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising etching the mounting substrate to form a resonator base to support the resonator structure before coupling the silicon substrate to the mounting substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting substrate comprises a first silicon layer, an oxide layer and a second silicon layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one resonator beam includes an inner conductive core.

8. A method comprising:

coupling a silicon substrate to a mounting substrate;

etching the silicon substrate to form a resonator structure, wherein the resonator structure includes at least one resonator beam;

at least partially converting the at least one resonator beam to dry oxide; and

etching a via through the mounting substrate to provide an electrical connection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising etching the via through the mounting substrate from a side opposite the silicon substrate after coupling the silicon substrate to the mounting substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising electrically coupling at least one electrical connection of the resonator structure to a control circuit using the via.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the silicon substrate to the mounting substrate includes fusing a silicon layer of the mounting substrate to the silicon substrate.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one resonator beam includes an inner conductive core.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising using endpoint detection to determine when the at least one resonator beam is substantially converted to an oxide.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one electrode is formed in the silicon substrate concurrently with etching the silicon substrate to form the resonator structure.

15. A method comprising:

etching a silicon substrate to form a resonator structure, wherein the resonator structure includes circumferential segments; and

increasing a quality factor of the resonator structure by oxidizing the resonator structure until the circumferential segments are substantially oxidized;

wherein the circumferential segments are supported by a plurality of radial segments.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the oxidizing is performed according to an endpoint detection to determine when the circumferential segments have been substantially oxidized.

17. A method comprising:

etching a silicon substrate to form a resonator structure, wherein the resonator structure includes circumferential segments; and

increasing a quality factor of the resonator structure by oxidizing the resonator structure until the circumferential segments are substantially oxidized;

wherein the circumferential segments are concentric, and wherein the resonator structure includes a disc that includes a plurality of slots formed from the circumferential segments.

18. A method comprising:

etching a silicon substrate to faun a resonator structure, wherein the resonator structure includes circumferential segments;

increasing a quality factor of the resonator structure by oxidizing the resonator structure until the circumferential segments are substantially oxidized; and

etching through at least a portion of a mounting substrate coupled to the silicon substrate.