IP Library Granted Patent US 7,427,823
Granted Patent B2
US 7,427,823 · App. 11/344,189 · Granted Sep 23, 2008

Piezoelectric vibration element, piezoelectric vibrator, piezoelectric oscillator, frequency stabilization method, and method of manufacturing the piezoelectric vibrator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,427,823
App. No.
11/344,189
Granted
Sep 23, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A piezoelectric vibration element is provided which includes a piezoelectric substrate formed of a thickness slip based piezoelectric material and a metal layer formed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate. In the piezoelectric vibration element, a surface of the metal layer is covered by a layer formed by chemical absorption with a material having a nonbonding electron pair.

Claims (32)

1. A piezoelectric vibration element, comprising:

a piezoelectric substrate formed of a thickness slip based piezoelectric material; and

a metal layer formed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate,

wherein a surface of the metal layer is covered by a layer formed by chemical absorption with a material having a nonbonding electron pair.

2. A piezoelectric vibration element, comprising:

a piezoelectric substrate; and

a piezoelectric vibration element having a metal layer formed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate,

wherein a surface of the metal layer is covered by a layer formed by chemical absorption with a material having a nonbonding electron pair, and an almost entire surface of the metal layer is covered by the layer so that a reduced amount of a resonant frequency is less than 1 ppm even when a layer is further formed on the surface of the metal layer that is not covered by the layer.

3. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

the piezoelectric vibration element according to claim 1 ; and

a case in which the piezoelectric vibration element is hermetically encapsulated.

4. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

the piezoelectric vibration element according to claim 1 ; and

a case receiving and hermetically encapsulating the piezoelectric vibration element in an inert gas while supporting the piezoelectric vibration element by means of a silicon based conductive adhesive.

5. A piezoelectric oscillator, comprising:

an oscillation circuit component disposed inside or outside the case according to claim 3 .

6. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

a piezoelectric vibration element having a piezoelectric substrate formed of a thickness slip based piezoelectric material and a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate; and

a case in which the piezoelectric vibration element is held by a conductive bonding member,

wherein a surface of the metal layer exposed in an atmosphere is covered by a layer formed by chemical absorption with a material having a nonbonding electron pair.

7. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

a piezoelectric vibration element having a piezoelectric substrate and a metal layer on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate; and

a case in which the piezoelectric vibration element is held by a conductive bonding member,

wherein a surface of the metal layer exposed in an atmosphere is covered by a monomolecular layer formed by chemical absorption with a material having a nonbonding electron pair, and an almost entire surface of the metal layer is covered by the monomolecular layer so that a reduced amount of a resonant frequency is less than 1 ppm even when a monomolecular layer is further formed on the surface of the metal layer that is not covered by the monomolecular layer.

8. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 7 ,

wherein the resonant frequency meets a target frequency in the air when an area of the entire surface of the metal layer occupied by the monomolecular layer corresponds to 100% of the entire surface of the metal layer.

9. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

the piezoelectric vibration element according to claim 1 hermetically encapsulated in a case.

10. A piezoelectric vibrator, comprising:

the piezoelectric vibration element according to claim 1 , the piezoelectric vibration element being held by means of a silicon based conductive adhesive and hermetically encapsulated in an inert gas atmosphere.

11. A piezoelectric oscillator, comprising:

an oscillation circuit component disposed inside or outside the case according to claim 6 .

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2011
From: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026717/0436 →
RECORD TO CORRECT ASSIGNEE ADDRESS ON AN ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON APRIL 7, 2006, REEL 017457 FRAME 0432. Recorded May 18, 2006
From: OHSHIMA, TSUYOSHI; HASEGAWA, SHIN; WATANABE, NORIYUKI
To: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017647/0623 →
CORRECTED COVER SHEET TO CORRECT ASSIGNEE ADDRESS, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 017457/0432 (ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST) Recorded May 18, 2006
From: OHSHIMA, TSUYOSHI; HASEGAWA, SHIN; WATANABE, NORIYUKI
To: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017647/0900 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2006
From: OSHIMA, TSUYOSHI; HASEGAWA, SHIN; WATANABE, NORIYUKI
To: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017457/0432 →