CN218633885U

CN218633885U - MEMS resonator array structure

Info

Publication number: CN218633885U
Application number: CN202223088345.6U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 雷永庆; 吴振云; 李明
Original assignee: Mestar Microelectronics Shenzhen Co ltd
Current assignee: Mestar Microelectronics Shenzhen Co ltd
Priority date: 2022-11-17
Filing date: 2022-11-17
Publication date: 2023-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2032-11-17

Abstract

The utility model relates to a micro-electro-mechanical system field discloses a MEMS syntonizer array structure, and it includes a plurality of oscillators and at least one central anchor assembly, and a plurality of oscillators connect into annular structure by the coupling roof beam, links to each other through at least one coupling roof beam between the adjacent oscillator, and at least one central anchor assembly is located a plurality of oscillators and encloses the central point department of putting of the annular structure who closes, and every oscillator is connected through an at least elastic component with central anchor assembly. The utility model provides a MEMS syntonizer array structure, coupling roof beam and a plurality of oscillator constitute array resonance structure jointly, and the coupling roof beam just has the same modal structure with oscillator work under the same vibration mode, can reduce mechanical coupling's energy loss in the array, realizes high Q value, extensive array, reduces dynamic resistance by a wide margin, promotes MEMS oscillator's practicality.

Description

MEMS resonator array structure

Technical Field

The utility model belongs to the technical field of the micro-electro-mechanical system technique and specifically relates to a MEMS syntonizer array structure.

Background

Micro-electro-mechanical Systems (abbreviated as MEMS) is an industrial technology that combines Micro-electronics with mechanical engineering, and its operating range is in the micrometer scale. Microelectromechanical systems are composed of components having dimensions of 1 to 100 micrometers (0.001 to 0.1 millimeters), with typical microelectromechanical devices having dimensions of between 20 micrometers and one millimeter.

The existing electrostatic MEMS resonator has the characteristic of high Q value, the frequency is usually improved by reducing the size in an equal proportion or extracting a high-order vibration mode in the prior art, however, the reduction of the size means the improvement of the process difficulty and the reduction of the yield, and the resonator has large rigidity in the high-order mode, the signal extraction is difficult, and the Q value is obviously attenuated.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

An object of the utility model is to provide a MEMS syntonizer array structure aims at solving above-mentioned technical problem, realizes high frequency and low dynamic resistance.

The utility model discloses a realize like this, a MEMS syntonizer array structure, including a plurality of oscillators and at least one central anchor assembly, a plurality of oscillators connect into annular structure by coupling beam, link to each other through at least one coupling beam between the adjacent oscillator, and at least one central anchor assembly is located a plurality of oscillators and encloses the central point department of putting of the annular structure who closes, and every oscillator is connected through an at least elastic component with central anchor assembly.

Preferably, at least one peripheral anchoring member is arranged at the periphery of a ring structure enclosed by the plurality of vibrators, and each vibrator is connected with the peripheral anchoring member through at least one elastic member.

Preferably, the oscillator is of a solid structure or a ring structure, and the coupling beam is connected with the surface or the outer surface of the oscillator.

Preferably, the coupling beam has a geometric shape of any one of a square, a rectangle, and a square ring.

Preferably, the coupling beam is smaller than the vibrator in the width and length directions.

Preferably, the geometric shape of the elastic member is any one of a hollowed-out rectangle, a hollowed-out circle, a hollowed-out T-shape and a hollowed-out I-shape.

Preferably, the sensor further comprises a driving electrode and a sensing electrode, wherein the at least one driving electrode and the at least one sensing electrode are configured around the vibrator, the driving electrode is used for driving the vibrator, and the sensing electrode is used for sensing the capacitance change of the vibrator.

Preferably, the drive electrodes and the sense electrodes are configured in a single-ended signal and \ or differential signal mode.

Preferably, the gap between the driving electrode and the vibrator is 3um, and the gap between the sensing electrode and the vibrator is 0.5um.

Preferably, part of the driving electrodes are driving electrodes D +, part of the sensing electrodes are sensing electrodes S +, and the driving electrodes D + are opposite to the sensing electrodes S +; part of the drive electrodes are drive electrodes D-, part of the sense electrodes are sense electrodes S-, and the drive electrodes D-are opposite to the sense electrodes S-.

Compared with the prior art, the coupling beam and the plurality of vibrators jointly form an array type resonance structure, the coupling beam and the vibrators work under the same vibration mode and have the same mode structure, the energy loss of mechanical coupling in the array can be reduced, a high-Q-value large-scale array is realized, the dynamic resistance is greatly reduced, and the practicability of the MEMS oscillator is promoted.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a MEMS resonator array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a MEMS resonator array structure provided in another embodiment based on FIG. 1;

fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a MEMS resonator array provided by another embodiment on the basis of fig. 2.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

The same or similar reference numerals in the drawings of the present embodiment correspond to the same or similar components; in the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if there are the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, it is only for convenience of description and simplification of the description, but it is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed in a specific orientation, and be operated, and therefore the terms describing the positional relationship in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limitations of the present patent, and those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the terms according to specific situations.

The following describes the implementation of the present invention in detail with reference to specific embodiments.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, an MEMS resonator array structure includes a vibrator 1, a coupling beam 2, a central anchor 3, and an elastic member 5. The vibrators 1 are arranged in a plurality of numbers, the vibrators 1 are connected into a ring structure through coupling beams 2, and the adjacent vibrators 1 are connected through at least one coupling beam 2.

Further, at least one central anchor member 3 is located at the central position of the ring-shaped structure enclosed by the plurality of vibrators 1. Each vibrator 1 is connected with the central anchoring member 3 through at least one elastic member 5.

In one embodiment, there is one central anchor 3, and each vibrator 1 is connected to the central anchor 3 through at least one elastic member 5.

In another embodiment, the number of the central anchoring parts 3 is multiple, part of the vibrators 1 are intensively connected with one central anchoring part through at least one elastic part 5, or each vibrator 1 corresponds to each central anchoring part 3 one by one, and the vibrators 1 are connected with the corresponding central anchoring parts 3 through at least one elastic part 5.

Further, the MEMS resonator array structure further includes a peripheral anchor 4, wherein the peripheral anchor 4 is disposed on the periphery of the ring structure enclosed by the plurality of vibrators 1, and each vibrator 1 is connected to the peripheral anchor 4 through at least one elastic member 5.

In one embodiment, there is one peripheral anchor 4, and each vibrator 1 is connected to the peripheral anchor 4 through at least one elastic member 5.

In another embodiment, the number of the peripheral anchoring parts 4 is multiple, part of the vibrators 1 are intensively connected with one peripheral anchoring part 4 through at least one elastic part 5, or each vibrator 1 corresponds to each peripheral anchoring part 4 one by one, and the vibrators 1 are connected with the corresponding peripheral anchoring parts 4 through at least one elastic part 5.

The MEMS resonator array structure is fixed to an underlying substrate (not shown) by a central anchor 3 and a peripheral anchor 4.

The vibrator 1 is a core vibration unit of the MEMS resonator array structure, and determines the vibration frequency of the resonator. The vibrator 1 can work in a plane shear mode or a Lame mode. The coupling beam 2 for connecting the vibrators 1 is a mechanical connecting component between different vibrators 1. The coupling beam 2 and the vibrator 1 jointly form an array type resonance structure. The coupling beam 2 and the vibrator 1 work under the same vibration mode and have the same mode structure.

The MEMS resonator array structure can reduce energy loss of mechanical coupling in the array, realize high-Q-value and large-scale array, greatly reduce dynamic resistance and promote practicability of the MEMS oscillator.

In some embodiments, the vibrator 1 has a solid circular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, or a rounded rectangular shape. The coupling beam 2 is connected to a surface of the vibrator 1, and preferably, the vibrator 1 and the coupling beam 2 are configured as an integral structure.

In some embodiments, the vibrator 1 has a ring shape, such as a circular ring, an elliptical ring, a rectangular ring, a rounded rectangular ring, and the like. The coupling beam 2 is connected to an outer surface of the vibrator 1, and preferably, the vibrator 1 and the coupling beam 2 are configured as an integrated structure.

In some embodiments, the geometry of the coupling beam 2 is any one of square, rectangular, and square-ring. The size of the coupling beam 2 should be much smaller than that of the vibrator 1, and especially the width of the coupling beam 2 should be as small as possible while ensuring that the vibrator 1 is stably supported, so as to reduce the support loss.

In some embodiments, the elastic member 5 is any one of a hollowed-out rectangle, a hollowed-out circle, a hollowed-out T-shape, and a hollowed-out I-shape.

On the basis of the structure of the above embodiment, the MEMS resonator array structure further includes a driving electrode 6 and a sensing electrode 7, the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7 are both configured around the vibrator 1, the driving electrode 6 is used for driving the vibrator 1, the sensing electrode 7 is used for sensing capacitance change of the vibrator 1, and the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7 are configured in a single-ended signal and \ or differential signal mode, so as to provide single-way or differential driving and single-way or differential detection for the MEMS resonator array structure.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, the vibrators 1 are configured as four identical rectangular bodies, and the four vibrators 1 are connected into a square ring structure by the coupling beam 2. The adjacent vibrators 1 are connected through a coupling beam 2, the coupling beam 2 is in a long and thin strip shape, and two ends of the coupling beam 2 are respectively connected with the middle position of the surface of each vibrator 1. The width of the end part of the coupling beam 2 connected with the vibrator 1 is larger than the width of the body part between the two end parts of the coupling beam 2, so that the connection strength between the coupling beam 2 and the vibrator 1 is improved. Two opposite coupling beams 2 in the four coupling beams 2 are arranged in parallel, and two adjacent coupling beams 2 are arranged vertically.

Four vibrators 1 are connected into a square ring structure through a coupling beam 2, and a central anchoring piece 3 is arranged at the central position of the square ring structure. Each vibrator 1 is connected with the central anchoring piece 3 through an elastic piece 5. Wherein, the elastic component 5 is a hollow T-shaped structure, the middle position of the transverse edge of the top part in the T-shaped elastic component 5 is fixedly connected with the vibrator 1, and the end part (namely the end part of the vertical edge) far away from the top part in the T-shaped elastic component 5 is fixedly connected with the central anchoring piece 3.

Four peripheral anchors 4 are disposed at four corners of the periphery of the square ring structure formed by connecting the four vibrators 1 by the coupling beams 2. Each peripheral anchoring member 4 is arranged close to one vibrator 1, and the peripheral anchoring members 4 and the adjacent vibrators 1 are arranged through elastic members 5. The peripheral anchoring part 4 is in a solid rectangular shape, and the size of the peripheral anchoring part 4 is smaller than that of the vibrator 1. The elastic piece 5 is in a hollow I shape, the middle position of one transverse edge of the I-shaped elastic piece 5 is fixedly connected with the oscillator 1, and the other transverse edge of the I-shaped elastic piece 5 is fixedly connected with the peripheral anchoring piece 4.

The vibrator 1, the coupling beam 2, the central anchoring piece 3, the peripheral anchoring piece 4 and the elastic piece 5 are integrally formed. The MEMS resonator array structure in this embodiment is connected to the underlying substrate by a central anchor 3 and a peripheral anchor 4.

As shown with reference to fig. 1 to 3, the elastic member 5 can minimize and/or reduce the transfer of stress and/or strain between one or more elements 1 of the array and the substrate.

The elastic member 5 is configured in an i-shape that acts as a stress/strain relief mechanism to manage, control, reduce, relieve and/or minimize any stress or strain at the central anchor 3 and the peripheral anchors 4.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, a driving electrode 6 and a sensing electrode 7 are arranged around each vibrator 1, and the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7 are configured in a single-ended signal and \ or differential signal mode, so as to provide single-way or differential driving and single-way or differential detection for the MEMS resonator array structure. The gap between the driving electrode 6 and the vibrator 1 is preferably 3um, and the gap between the sensing electrode 7 and the vibrator 1 is preferably 0.5um.

And a device-level self-differential driving/detecting function is adopted, so that the signal-to-noise ratio and the spectrum purity are improved, the complexity of a signal processing circuit is reduced, and the power consumption of a system is reduced.

Referring to fig. 2, a drive electrode 6 and a sense electrode 7 are disposed around a side of each transducer 1 remote from the coupling beam 2. It is understood that, as shown in fig. 3, a driving electrode 6 and a sensing electrode 7 may be disposed on a side of each transducer 1 facing the coupling beam 2; the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7 are arranged to avoid the coupling beam 2, so as to avoid interference when the coupling beam 2 makes telescopic motion along with the vibrator 1. A detection area is formed between the periphery of each vibrator 1 and the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7, and a detection area is not formed between the periphery of the coupling beam 2 and the driving electrode 6 and the sensing electrode 7.

Wherein, part of the driving electrodes 6 are driving electrodes D +, part of the sensing electrodes 7 are sensing electrodes S +, and the driving electrodes D + are opposite to the sensing electrodes S +; part of the drive electrode 6 is a drive electrode D-, part of the sense electrode 7 is a sense electrode S-, and the drive electrode D-is opposite to the sense electrode S-.

The vibrator 1 vibrates in a Lame mode, the driving electrode D + and the sensing electrode S + are paired, when the vibrator 1 contracts, the driving electrode D-and the sensing electrode S-are paired to promote the vibrator 1 to relax, and therefore the electrode combination of the driving electrode D + and the sensing electrode S + and the electrode combination of the driving electrode D-and the sensing electrode S-are configured into differential electrodes, and the vibrator 1 can vibrate in the Lame mode to achieve the differential effect.

The drive electrodes, sense electrodes may be of conventional well-known type, or may be any type and/or shape of electrodes now known or later developed. Further, physical electrode mechanisms may include, for example, capacitance, piezoresistive, piezoelectric, inductive, magnetoresistive, and thermal.

The MEMS resonator array structure described above may be fabricated from known materials using known techniques. For example, it may be made of a well-known semiconductor such as silicon, germanium, silicon germanium, or gallium arsenide. In practice, the MEMS resonator array structure may be composed of materials such as those in column IV of the periodic table, e.g., silicon, germanium, carbon; also combinations of these, such as silicon germanium or silicon carbide; also III-V compounds, such as gallium phosphide, aluminum gallium phosphide or other III-V combinations; combinations of III, IV, V, or VI materials, such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum carbide, aluminum nitride, and/or aluminum oxide; also metal silicides, germanides and carbides, such as nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, tungsten carbide or platinum germanium silicide; also doped variants including phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron or aluminum doped silicon or germanium, carbon or combinations such as silicon germanium; there are also such materials having various crystalline structures, including single crystal, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline or amorphous; but also a combination of crystal structures, such as regions having single crystal and polycrystalline structures (whether doped or undoped).

Further, the MEMS resonator array structure described above may be formed in or on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate using well-known photolithography, etching, deposition and/or doping techniques. For the sake of brevity, such fabrication techniques are not discussed herein. However, all techniques for forming or fabricating the MEMS resonator array structures of the present application, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present application (e.g., well-known formation, lithography, etching and/or deposition techniques and/or bonding techniques using standard or oversized ("thick") wafers (not shown) (i.e., two standard wafers are bonded together, with a lower/bottom wafer including a sacrificial layer (e.g., silicon oxide) disposed thereon, and an upper/top wafer thereafter thinned (down or back ground) and polished to receive mechanical structures therein or thereon).

The above description is only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention, and any modifications, equivalents, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An MEMS resonator array structure is characterized by comprising a plurality of vibrators and at least one center anchoring piece, wherein the vibrators are connected into a ring structure through coupling beams, adjacent vibrators are connected through the coupling beams, the center anchoring piece is located in the center of the ring structure enclosed by the vibrators, and each vibrator is connected with the center anchoring piece through at least one elastic piece.

2. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 1 wherein at least one peripheral anchor is disposed at the periphery of the ring structure enclosed by the plurality of vibrators, each of the vibrators being connected to the peripheral anchor by at least one of the springs.

3. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 1 wherein the vibrator is in a solid or ring structure and the coupling beam is attached to a surface or outer surface of the vibrator.

4. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 1 wherein the coupling beam geometry is any one of square, rectangular, and square ring.

5. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 4 wherein the coupling beam is smaller in width and length than the vibrator.

6. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 1 wherein the spring geometry is any one of a hollowed-out rectangle, a hollowed-out circle, a hollowed-out T-shape, and a hollowed-out i-shape.

7. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 1 further comprising drive electrodes and sense electrodes, at least one of the drive electrodes and at least one of the sense electrodes being disposed around the vibrator, the drive electrodes being for driving the vibrator and the sense electrodes being for sensing a change in capacitance of the vibrator.

8. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 7 wherein the drive electrodes and the sense electrodes are configured in single-ended signal and \ or differential signal mode.

9. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 8 wherein the gap between the drive electrode and the vibrator is 3um and the gap between the sense electrode and the vibrator is 0.5um.

10. The MEMS resonator array structure of claim 8 wherein a portion of the drive electrodes are drive electrodes D +, a portion of the sense electrodes are sense electrodes S +, and the drive electrodes D + are opposite the sense electrodes S +; part of the driving electrodes are driving electrodes D-, part of the sensing electrodes are sensing electrodes S-, and the driving electrodes D-are opposite to the sensing electrodes S-.