Acoustic resonator comprising collar, frame and perimeter distributed bragg reflector

• US 9,246,473 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• 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, Choy, John, Nikkel, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Summons, Barbara
• Application Number:
  US13/955,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 333/187, 333/189
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02118 of lateral leakage between adjacent resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/173 Air-gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/175 Acoustic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/54 comprising resonators of piezoelectric or electrostrictive material H03H9/64 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/585 Stacked Crystal Filters [SCF]
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/587 Air-gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/589 Acoustic mirrors

Abstract

An acoustic resonator includes a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate, a piezoelectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode, a top electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer, and a cavity disposed beneath the bottom electrode. An overlap of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode defines a main membrane region of the acoustic resonator structure. The acoustic resonator further includes an acoustic reflector disposed over the substrate adjacent to the cavity, the acoustic reflector including a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked on a layer of high acoustic impedance material.

Claims

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

a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate;

a piezoelectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer, wherein an overlap of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode defines a main membrane region of the acoustic resonator structure;

a cavity disposed beneath the bottom electrode;

an acoustic reflector disposed over the substrate, and adjacent to the cavity, the acoustic reflector comprising a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked over a layer of high acoustic impedance material, wherein a thickness of the acoustic reflector is substantially the same as a depth of the cavity, or greater than the depth of the cavity; and

a planarization layer disposed over a portion of the acoustic reflector, and adjacent to the bottom electrode.

2. The BAW resonator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic reflector is disposed around a perimeter of the air cavity.

3. The BAW resonator of claim 1, further comprising:

a frame disposed within the main membrane region and having an outer edge substantially aligned with a boundary of the main membrane region.

4. The BAW resonator of claim 3, wherein the frame is disposed at a bottom portion of the top electrode.

5. The BAW resonator of claim 3, wherein the frame is disposed at a bottom portion of the bottom electrode.

6. The BAW resonator of claim 3, wherein the frame is disposed at a top portion of the bottom electrode.

7. The BAW resonator of claim 1, further comprising:

a collar formed separate from the frame, disposed outside the main membrane region, and having an inner edge substantially aligned with the boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region.

8. The BAW resonator of claim 7, wherein the planarization is the first planarization layer, and the BAW resonator further comprises:

a second planarization layer disposed over the piezoelectric layer, and adjacent to the top electrode, wherein the collar is disposed over the second planarization layer and the top electrode.

9. The BAW resonator of claim 7, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric layer.

10. The BAW resonator of claim 7, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the acoustic reflector.

11. The BAW resonator of claim 3, further comprising;

an additional frame disposed within the main membrane region and having an outer edge substantially aligned with the boundary of the main membrane region, wherein the frame is disposed at a bottom portion of the top electrode and the additional frame is disposed at one of a bottom portion or a top portion of the bottom electrode.

12. The BAW resonator of claim 3, wherein the frame comprises a composite frame.

13. The BAW resonator of claim 1, wherein the acoustic reflector comprises a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR).

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

an acoustic reflector disposed over a substrate around a perimeter of a cavity, a thickness of the acoustic reflector being substantially the same as a depth of the cavity;

a bottom electrode disposed over the acoustic reflector and the cavity;

a piezoelectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer, wherein an overlap of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode defines a main membrane region of the acoustic resonator structure;

a frame disposed within the main membrane region and having an outer edge substantially aligned with a boundary of the main membrane region; and

a collar disposed outside the main membrane region and having an inner edge substantially aligned with the boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region.

15. The BAW resonator of claim 14, wherein the acoustic reflector comprises at least one layer of low acoustic impedance material and at least one layer of high acoustic impedance material.

16. The BAW resonator of claim 15, wherein the collar comprises borosilicate glass, carbon-doped silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, lead zirconium titanate, diamond or diamond-like carbon, and

wherein the frame comprises at least one layer of copper, molybdenum, aluminum, tungsten, iridium, borosilicate glass, carbon-doped silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, lead zirconium titanate, diamond or diamond-like carbon.

17. The RAW resonator of claim 16, further comprising a planarization layer disposed over the piezoelectric layer, and adjacent to the top electrode.

18. The RAW resonator of claim 17, wherein the collar is disposed over the planarization layer and the top electrode.

19. The RAW resonator of claim 14, further comprising a planarization layer disposed over the piezoelectric layer, and adjacent to the top electrode.

20. The RAW resonator of claim 19, wherein the collar is disposed over the planarization layer and the top electrode.

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

an acoustic reflector disposed over a substrate around a perimeter of a cavity, the acoustic reflector comprising at least one layer of low acoustic impedance material, a thickness of the acoustic reflector being substantially the same as a depth of the cavity;

a bottom electrode disposed over the acoustic reflector and the cavity;

a piezoelectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer, wherein an overlap of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode defines a main membrane region of the acoustic resonator structure;

a frame disposed within the main membrane region and having, an outer edge substantially aligned with a boundary of the main membrane region; and

a collar disposed outside the main membrane region and having an inner edge substantially aligned with the boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region.

22. The BAW resonator of claim 21, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric layer.

23. The BAW resonator of claim 21, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the acoustic reflector.

24. The BAW resonator of claim 21, wherein the frame comprises a composite frame.

25. The BMW resonator of claim 21, wherein the acoustic reflector comprises a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR).

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

a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate;

a piezoelectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer, wherein an overlap of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the top electrode defines a main membrane region of the acoustic resonator structure;

a cavity disposed beneath the bottom electrode;

an acoustic reflector disposed over the substrate, and adjacent to the cavity, the acoustic reflector comprising a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked over a layer of high acoustic impedance material;

a frame disposed within the main membrane region and having an outer edge substantially aligned with a boundary of the main membrane region;

a collar, separate from the frame, disposed outside the main membrane region, and having an inner edge substantially aligned with the boundary of the main membrane region, or overlapping the main membrane region; and

a planarization layer disposed over a portion of the acoustic reflector, and adjacent to the bottom electrode.

27. The RAW resonator of claim 26, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric layer.

28. The BAW resonator of claim 26, wherein the collar is disposed between the bottom electrode and the acoustic reflector.

29. The RAW resonator of claim 26, wherein the frame comprises a composite frame.

30. The RAW resonator of claim 26, wherein the acoustic reflector comprises a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR).

31. The RAW resonator of claim 26, wherein the planarization layer is a first planarization layer, and the RAW resonator comprises a second planarization layer disposed over the piezoelectric layer, and adjacent to the top electrode, wherein the collar is disposed over the planarization layer and the top electrode.