JP5432582B2 - Crystal oscillator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a crystal resonator element used in electronic equipment.

  Conventionally, a crystal resonator or a crystal oscillator is mounted as an electronic component in an electronic device such as a computer, a mobile phone, or a small information device. This crystal resonator or crystal oscillator is used as a reference signal source or a clock signal source. In addition, crystal resonators and crystal oscillators have a crystal resonator element mounted therein.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional crystal resonator element. 6 is a perspective view showing a crystal piece constituting the crystal resonator element shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the crystal resonator element 400 includes a crystal piece 410 (see FIG. 6), excitation electrodes 421a, 421b, 422a and 422b provided on the surface of the crystal piece 410, connection electrodes 423a and 423b, frequency adjustment metal films 424a and 424b, and conductive wiring patterns 425, 426, and 427.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the crystal piece 410 includes a base portion 411 that is a substantially rectangular flat plate in plan view, and a first vibrating arm portion 412 and a second vibrating arm that extend from one side of the base portion 411 in the same direction. A portion 413, a first support arm portion 414, and a second support arm portion 415 are configured.

  The first support arm portion 414 includes a first extending portion 414a and a second extending portion 414b. The first extending portion 414a extends from the side portion of the base portion 411 on the first vibrating arm portion 412 side in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first vibrating arm portion 412 in a predetermined length. It is installed. The second extending portion 414b is predetermined in the same direction as the extending direction of the first vibrating arm portion 412 from the extending distal end portion of the first extending portion 414a to the outside of the first vibrating arm portion 412. It is extended by the length of.

  The second support arm portion 415 includes a first extending portion 415a and a second extending portion 415b. The second extending portion 415a extends from the side portion of the base portion 411 on the second vibrating arm portion 413 side in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the second vibrating arm portion 413 in a predetermined length. It is installed. The second extending portion 415b is predetermined in the same direction as the extending direction of the second vibrating arm portion 413 from the extending distal end portion of the first extending portion 415a to the outside of the second vibrating arm portion 413. It is extended by the length of. In the crystal piece 410, the base portion 411, the first vibrating arm portion 412, the second vibrating arm portion 413, the first supporting arm portion 414, and the second supporting arm portion 415 are integrally formed (for example, Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the excitation electrode 421 a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412 that constitute the crystal piece 410. The excitation electrode 421 b is provided on both opposite side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412. The excitation electrode 422a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm 413 facing each other. The excitation electrode 422b is provided on both opposing side surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 413.

  The connection electrode 423 a is provided on the entire front and back main surfaces of the first support arm 414. The connection electrode 423a provided on one main surface of the first support arm portion 414 is an electrode extending from the end portion on the base 411 side of the excitation electrode 421d to the side surface of the first support arm portion 414. (Not shown) is electrically connected to the connection electrode 423a provided on the other main surface of the first support arm 414. The connection electrode 423 b is provided on the entire front and back main surfaces of the second support arm 415. The connection electrode 423b provided on one main surface of the second support arm portion 415 extends from the side end portion of the base portion 411 of the excitation electrode 422b to the side surface of the second support arm portion 415. (Not shown), and electrically connected to the connection electrode 423b provided on the other main surface of the second support arm 415.

  The frequency adjusting metal film 424 a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412 and is electrically connected to the excitation electrodes 421 b provided on both side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412. doing. The frequency adjusting metal film 424b is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 613, and is electrically connected to the excitation electrodes 422b provided on both side surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 413. Connected to. The crystal resonator element 400 adjusts the vibration frequency value to a desired value by increasing or decreasing the amount of metal constituting the frequency adjusting metal films 424a and 424b.

  The connection electrode 423a is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 422a by a conductive wiring pattern 427 provided on the main surface of the base 411. The connection electrode 423a is also electrically connected to the excitation electrode 421b and the frequency adjustment metal film 424a provided on both side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412. Furthermore, the excitation electrodes 422 a provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 413 are electrically connected by a conductive wiring pattern 426.

The connection electrode 423b is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 421a by a conductive wiring pattern (not shown) provided on the main surface of the base 411. The connection electrode 423b is also electrically connected to the excitation electrode 422b and the frequency adjusting metal film 424b provided on both side surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 413. Furthermore, the excitation electrodes 421 a provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 412 are electrically connected by a conductive wiring pattern 425. Thus, the crystal resonator element 400 is configured (see, for example, Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3).
Further, such a crystal resonator element 400 is mounted, for example, on an element connection electrode pad formed on the bottom surface of the concave portion of a container body provided with a concave portion having an opening portion on one main surface. The part is hermetically sealed by a lid to form a crystal resonator.

JP-A-2005-94724 JP 2004-357178 A JP 2004-297198 A

  As the quartz crystal resonator becomes smaller and thinner, the quartz resonator element 400 mounted therein needs to be smaller and thinner. In particular, when the width dimension of the crystal resonator element 400 which has been reduced in thickness is reduced for the purpose of miniaturization, the length dimension and the width dimension of the vibrating arm portion are defined by a desired frequency value. The width dimension of the part 414 and the second support arm part 415 needs to be reduced. However, the mechanical strength of the first support arm portion 414, the second support arm portion 415, and the base portion 411 to which these support arm portions are connected when the width dimension is reduced decreases.

For example, the quartz crystal vibration element 400 is subjected to ultrasonic cleaning for removing foreign substances adhering to the surface in the manufacturing process. When ultrasonic cleaning is performed with such a conventional structure, the quartz vibration element 400 is loaded mainly with the first support arm portion 414 and the second support arm 414 by the impact caused by the collapse of bubbles generated by ultrasonic vibration. The support arm portion 415 is added from the main surface direction. The load may cause cracks in the first support arm 414 and the second support arm 415. Further, in the quartz resonator element 400, the first support arm 414 and the second support arm 415 may break due to this crack. In addition, the crack generated in the first support arm 414 and the second support arm 415 reaches the base 411, and the base 411 may be broken. Further, after being configured as a crystal resonator, when an impact is applied from the outside due to dropping or the like, the base 411, the first support arm 414, and the second support of the crystal resonator element 400 mounted inside the crystal resonator are provided. There is a risk that the arm portion 415 may be broken due to insufficient mechanical strength.
An object of the present invention is to provide a small and thin crystal resonator element that is less likely to be broken or broken due to a load on a base portion and a support arm portion.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and includes a base, a plurality of vibrating arm portions extending in the same direction from the base portion, and a plurality of support arm portions extending from the base portion. A quartz resonator element in which at least an excitation electrode, a connection electrode, and a conductive wiring pattern are provided on a surface of the piece and the crystal piece, and a groove portion is provided on at least one main surface of the base and the support arm portion. It is characterized by being.

Further, the present invention, the support arm portion is, before Symbol a first extending portion of which extends from the base portion in a direction perpendicular the vibrating arms in plan view, extending設先end of the first extending portion of And a second extending portion extending in the same direction as the vibrating arm portion, and the groove portion communicates from the base portion through the first extending portion to the second extending portion. May be provided. In the present invention, a part of the conductive wiring pattern may be provided on the inner surface of the groove.

  According to the crystal resonator element according to the present invention, the groove portion is provided on at least one main surface of the base portion and the support arm portion constituting the crystal piece, so that the mechanical strength against the load from the main surface direction of the base portion and the support arm portion is increased. Can be improved.

  Further, according to the crystal resonator element according to the present invention, since the groove portion is provided so as to communicate from the base portion to the second extension portion through the first extension portion, the main surface direction of the base portion and the support arm portion is provided. The mechanical strength with respect to the load from the can be improved.

Further, by providing a part of the conductive wiring pattern on the inner surface of the groove part, the mechanical strength against the load from the main surface direction of the base part and the supporting arm part can be further improved.
From the above, the present invention has an effect that it is possible to provide a small and thin crystal resonator element that is less likely to be broken or broken in the base portion or the support arm portion due to a load.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows one form of the crystal oscillation element which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the crystal piece which comprises the crystal vibration element of FIG. 1, (a) is a top view, (b) is sectional drawing of AA of (a) description. It is sectional drawing which shows the 1st modification of the crystal piece which comprises the crystal vibration element which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd modification of the crystal oscillation element which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional quartz resonator element. It is a perspective view which shows the crystal piece which comprises the crystal oscillation element of FIG.

Hereinafter, a crystal resonator element according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In each of the drawings, a part of the structure is not shown, and some dimensions are exaggerated for the sake of clarity. In particular, the thickness of the crystal piece is exaggerated.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a crystal resonator element according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a crystal piece constituting the crystal resonator element illustrated in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the crystal piece constituting the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the crystal resonator element 100 includes a crystal piece 110 (see FIG. 2), excitation electrodes 121a, 121b, 122a and 122b provided on the surface of the crystal piece 110, connection electrodes 123a and 123b, frequency adjustment metal films 124a and 124b, and conductive wiring patterns 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, and 130.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the crystal piece 110 includes a base 111 that is a flat plate having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and a first vibrating arm 112 and a second vibrating arm 112 that extend from one side of the base 111 in the same direction. The vibrating arm portion 113, the first supporting arm portion 114, and the second supporting arm portion 115 are configured. On the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112 and the second vibrating arm portion 113, a first groove portion having a predetermined length from the boundary portion with the base portion 111 toward the tip of each vibrating arm portion. Two 116 are provided in parallel for each vibrating arm.

  The 1st support arm part 114 is comprised from the 1st extension part 114a and the 2nd extension part 114b. The first extending portion 114a extends from the side portion of the base portion 111 on the first vibrating arm portion 112 side in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first vibrating arm portion 112 in a predetermined length. It is installed. The second extending portion 114b extends from the terminal end of the extending portion of the first extending portion 114a with a predetermined length in the same direction as the extending direction of the first vibrating arm portion 112. The first vibrating arm portion 114 as a whole has a substantially L shape in plan view.

  The second support arm portion 115 includes a first extending portion 115a and a second extending portion 115b. The first extending portion 115a extends from a side portion of the base portion 111 on the second vibrating arm portion 113 side in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the second vibrating arm portion 113 in a predetermined length. It is installed. The second extending portion 115b extends from the terminal end of the extending portion of the first extending portion 115a with a predetermined length in the same direction as the extending direction of the second vibrating arm portion 113. The second vibrating arm portion 115 as a whole has a substantially L shape in plan view. In the first extending portions 114a and 115a, the length of the element in the extending direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 2A) is the length, and the direction orthogonal to the extending direction (FIG. 2A). In this case, the width of an element in the horizontal direction of the drawing is used.

  On the front and back main surfaces of the first support arm portion 114 and the front and back main surfaces of the base portion 111, a second groove portion 117 communicating from the base portion 111 to the second extending portion 114b is provided. The second groove portion 117 provided in the second extending portion 114b portion has a central axis (not shown) of the width of the second groove portion 117 on the central axis CL1 of the width of the second extending portion 114b. It is provided together. In addition, the second groove portion 117 provided in the first extending portion 114a and the base portion 111 is shifted from the central axis CL2 of the width of the first extending portion 114a toward the first vibrating arm portion 112 side. The central axis of the width of the second groove 117 is provided at the position. The second groove 117 is provided at a position where the front and back main surfaces of the first support arm 114 and the bottom of the second groove 117 provided on the front and back main surfaces of the base 111 are opposed to each other. Yes.

  A bottomed second groove 117 that communicates from the base 111 to the second extending portion 115 b is also provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second support arm 115 and the front and back main surfaces of the base 111. The second groove portion 117 provided in the second extension portion 115b is aligned with the center axis (not shown) of the width of the second groove portion 117 on the center axis CL3 of the width of the second extension portion 115b. Is provided. Further, the second groove 117 provided in the first extending portion 115a and the base 111 portion is shifted from the center axis CL2 of the width of the first extending portion 115a toward the second vibrating arm 113 side. The central axis of the width of the second groove 117 is provided at the position. The second groove 117 is provided at a position where the bottoms of the second grooves 117 provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second support arm 115 and the front and back main surfaces of the base 111 face each other. . The external shape of the crystal piece 110 including the first groove portion 116 and the second groove portion 117 is formed using a known photolithography technique and etching technique.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the excitation electrode 121 a is formed on the inner surface of the first groove portion 116 provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112 and the main surface around the opening portion of the first groove portion 116. Is provided. The excitation electrodes 121b are provided on opposite side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112. The excitation electrode 122 a is provided on the inner surface of the first groove 116 provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm 113 and on the main surface around the opening of the first groove 116. The excitation electrodes 122b are provided on opposite side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112.

  The connection electrode 123a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the distal end portion of the second extending portion 114b constituting the first support arm portion 114. The connection electrode 123b is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the distal end portion of the second extending portion 115b constituting the second support arm portion 115.

  The frequency adjusting metal film 124 a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112 and is electrically connected to the excitation electrodes 421 b provided on both side surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112. doing. Further, the frequency adjusting metal film 124 b is provided at the front end portion of the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 113, and is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 122 b provided on both side surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 113. Connected to. The crystal resonator element 100 adjusts the vibration frequency value to a desired value by increasing or decreasing the amount of metal constituting the frequency adjusting metal films 124a and 124b.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the excitation electrodes 121a and 122b, the frequency adjusting metal film 124b, and the connection electrode 123b are electrically provided by, for example, conductive wiring patterns 125, 126, and 127 provided on the surface of the crystal piece 110. Connected to. The connection electrode 123b is electrically connected to the conductive wiring pattern 127. The conductive wiring pattern 127 is provided on both the front and back main surfaces of the base portion 111 and the second support arm portion 115, and a part thereof is also provided on the inner surface of the second groove portion 117. The conductive wiring pattern 127 is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 122b and the frequency adjusting metal film 124b by the conductive wiring pattern 126 (not shown). In addition, the base 111 side end of the conductive wiring pattern 127 provided on the back main surface extends the base 111 main surface and is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 121a (not shown). The excitation electrodes 121 a provided on the front and back main surfaces of the first vibrating arm portion 112 are electrically connected by a conductive wiring pattern 125 provided on the side surface of the first vibrating arm portion 112.

  The excitation electrodes 121b and 122a, the frequency adjusting metal film 124a, and the connection electrode 123a are electrically connected to each other by, for example, conductive wiring patterns 128, 129, and 130 provided on the surface of the crystal piece 110. . The connection electrode 123 a is electrically connected to the conductive wiring pattern 130. The conductive wiring pattern 130 is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the base portion 111 and the first support arm portion 114, and a part thereof is also provided on the inner surface of the second groove portion 117. The conductive wiring pattern 130 is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 121b and the frequency adjusting metal film 124a by the conductive wiring pattern 129 (not shown). Further, the end of the conductive wiring pattern 130 provided on the front main surface on the base 111 side extends from the main surface of the base 111 and is electrically connected to the excitation electrode 122a. The excitation electrodes 122 a provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second vibrating arm portion 113 are electrically connected by a conductive wiring pattern 128 provided on the side surface of the second vibrating arm portion 113. Each excitation electrode, connection electrode, frequency adjusting metal film, and conductive wiring pattern are composed of a Cr layer as a base metal and an Au layer provided on the base metal.

  When this crystal resonator element 100 is vibrated, an alternating voltage is applied to the connection electrodes 123a and 123b. When an electrical state after application is instantaneously captured, the excitation electrode 121b of the first vibrating arm portion 112 has a + (plus) potential, the excitation electrode 121a has a-(minus) potential, and changes from + to-. An electric field is generated. On the other hand, the excitation electrode of the second vibrating arm portion 113 at this time has a polarity opposite to the polarity generated in the exciting electrode of the first vibrating arm portion 112. These applied electric fields cause an expansion / contraction phenomenon in the first vibrating arm portion 112 and the second vibrating arm portion 113, and a bending vibration having a resonance frequency set in each vibrating arm portion is obtained.

  In the crystal resonator element 100, the excitation electrode, the connection electrode, the conductive wiring pattern, and the frequency adjusting metal film can be formed on the surface of the crystal piece 110 by a photolithography technique and a vapor deposition technique. The crystal resonator element 100 is mounted on, for example, an element connection electrode pad formed on the bottom surface of the recess of a container body provided with a recess having an opening on one main surface. Is hermetically sealed by the lid to form a crystal resonator.

According to the crystal resonator element 100 described above, the first support arm portion 114 and the second support arm portion 115 constituting the crystal piece 110 are provided with the second groove portions 117 on the front and back main surfaces, thereby providing the first support. The mechanical strength with respect to the load from the main surface direction of the arm part 114 and the 2nd support arm part 115 can be improved. Further, by providing a part of the conductive wiring patterns 127 and 130 on the inner surface of the second groove portion 117, the mechanical strength against the load from the main surface direction of the first support arm portion 114 and the second support arm portion 115. Can be further improved.
Therefore, for example, the occurrence of cracks in the first support arm portion 114 and the second support arm portion 115 due to the load from the main surface direction, which has occurred when the crystal resonator element 100 is subjected to ultrasonic cleaning, is prevented. It is also possible to prevent the support arm from being broken by this load. Even if an external impact is applied to the crystal unit due to dropping or the like, the base 111, the first support arm unit 114, and the second support arm unit 115 of the crystal resonator element 100 mounted inside the crystal unit are applied. The occurrence of breakage such as breakage can be reduced.

(First modification)
FIG. 3 shows a first modification of the crystal piece constituting the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the invention. The first modification of the crystal piece constituting the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the present invention is that in the crystal piece 110a, the first groove portion 116 and the second groove portion 117 are formed only on one main surface of the crystal piece 110a. Is provided.
Therefore, even when the first modification of the crystal piece is configured as described above, the same effects as those of the embodiment of the present invention are obtained.

(Second modification)
FIG. 4 shows a second modification of the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the invention.
In the modification of the crystal piece used in the crystal resonator element according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first extending portion 114 a constituting the support arm portion 114 and the second groove portion 117 b are provided on the front and back main surfaces of the base portion 111. And a second groove 117a is further provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second extension 114b constituting the support arm 114, and the first extension 115a and the base constituting the support arm 115 The second groove portion 117 is provided on the front and back main surfaces of 111, and the second groove portion 117a is provided on the front and back main surfaces of the second extending portion 115b constituting the support arm portion 115. .
That is, the second groove portions 117a and 117b are in an independent state.

In the crystal resonator element 100 a, a part of the conductive wiring pattern 130 is provided on the inner surfaces of the grooves 117 a and 117 b provided in the base 111 and the support arm 114. A part of the conductive wiring pattern 127 is provided on the inner surfaces of the grooves 117 a and 117 b provided in the base 111 and the support arm 115.
Therefore, even if the second modification of the crystal piece is configured in this way, the same effect as that of the embodiment of the present invention is obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,100a ... Quartz vibration element 110,110a ... Crystal piece 111 ... Base part 112 ... First vibration arm part 113 ... Second vibration arm part 114 ... First support Arm part 115 ... second support arm part 114a, 115a ... first extension part 114b, 115b ... second extension part 116 ... first groove part 117, 117a, 117b .. Second groove portion 121a, 121b, 122a, 122b ... excitation electrode 123a, 123b ... connection electrode 124a, 124b ... frequency adjusting metal film 126,127,128,129,130・ Conducting wiring pattern

Claims (3)

A crystal piece comprising a base, a plurality of vibrating arm portions extending in the same direction from the base portion, and a plurality of support arm portions extending from the base portion;
A quartz resonator element in which at least an excitation electrode, a connection electrode, and a conductive wiring pattern are provided on the surface of the quartz piece,
A crystal resonator element, wherein a groove is provided on at least one main surface of the base and the support arm. The support arm portion is
A first extending portion extending from the base portion in a direction orthogonal to the vibrating arm portion in plan view;
A second extending portion that extends from the extending tip of the first extending portion in the same direction as the vibrating arm portion;
The groove is
2. The crystal resonator element according to claim 1, wherein the quartz resonator element is provided so as to communicate from the base portion to the second extending portion through the first extending portion.   3. The crystal resonator element according to claim 1, wherein a part of the conductive wiring pattern is provided on the inner surface of the groove.

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