IP Library Granted Patent US 7,988,351
Granted Patent B2
US 7,988,351 · App. 12/066,084 · Granted Aug 2, 2011

Device comprising a piezoelectric resonator element, method for producing the same and method for outputting a signal depending on a resonant frequency

Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,988,351
App. No.
12/066,084
Granted
Aug 2, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a device ( 31 ) which comprises at least one piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) having a piezoelectric layer ( 32 ) and two electrodes that are electrically contacted to the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ). The piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) is configured in such a manner that, when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ), a thickness oscillation of the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ) is excited via the electrodes with a resonant frequency. The inventive device is characterized by comprising, integrated into the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ), a temperature measurement device ( 3 ) having a measuring element ( 37 ) that is configured as a thin layer.

Claims (30)

1. A device comprising:

at least one piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) having a piezoelectric layer ( 32 ); and

two electrodes that are contacted electrically with the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ),

wherein the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) is configured in such a manner that, upon voltage being applied to the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ), a bulk acoustic wave of the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ) is induced with a resonant frequency by way of the electrodes,

further comprising a temperature measuring device ( 3 ) implemented to be integrated with the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) being present, which includes a measuring element implemented using thin film technology,

the temperature measuring device ( 3 ) and the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) being embodied using thin film technology (Fn) on a common carrier substrate ( 35 ) and an electrode of the resonator element ( 2 ) and the temperature measuring device ( 3 ) being arranged as layers on the carrier substrate ( 35 ), with

a layer thickness of the temperature measuring device amounting <25 μm and the device being configured as a sensor element for detecting a substance with a piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ), whereby the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) has a surface section for sorption of the substance and the output signal from the resonator element ( 2 ) is dependent on the sorption of the substance, with an acoustic mirror ( 36 ) being arranged between the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 31 ) and the carrier substrate ( 35 ), in order to amplify the acoustic signal,

the temperature measuring device ( 3 ) being positioned at such a position of the sensor element that the temperature measuring device ( 3 ) is in contact with a measuring medium during the measuring process of the sensor element, in which the substance to be detected is located, and that the measuring element, the temperature measuring device ( 3 ) and also a heating element of the heating facility can be operated, with an external evaluation device ( 4 ) or evaluation device implemented to be integrated in the device being provided to determine the temperature from the change in resistance of the measuring element as a function of the temperature, by means of which the balance conditions of the sorption of the substance to be detected on the surface section of the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) are targetedly controlled by controlling the temperature.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier substrate ( 35 ) consists of a semiconductor material.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring element is implemented as a metallic conductor.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring element essentially consists of platinum.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an acoustic mirror ( 36 ) comprising a plurality of layers is arranged between the carrier substrate ( 35 ) and the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: a the heating element and the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ) are separated by less than 100 μm.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) is implemented as an array, comprising a plurality of piezoelectric layers ( 32 ) with corresponding electrodes and at least one temperature measuring device ( 3 ).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a heating facility implemented so as to be integrated with the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ).

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a correction facility ( 8 ) for correcting the resonant frequency of the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) on the basis of the value detected by the temperature measuring device ( 3 ).

10. The method for outputting a signal which depends on a resonant frequency, comprising:

detecting the operating temperature of a piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) of the device as claimed in claim 1 , by a temperature measuring device ( 3 ),

exciting a volume oscillation of the piezoelectric layer ( 32 ) of the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ) with resonance frequency,

outputting an output signal as a function of the measured operating temperature.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

outputting an output value as a function of the measured resonant frequency.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , the method further comprising:

detecting a substance comprising the steps of:

bringing together a surface section of the piezoacoustic resonator ( 31 ) set up for the sorption of the substance with a fluid which contains the substance to be detected, and

measuring the resonant frequency as a function of the quantity of the accumulated substance.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

controlling the operating temperature of the piezoacoustic resonator element ( 2 ).

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2021
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: BIOMENSIO LTD
Reel/Frame 056964/0825 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2008
From: GABL, REINHARD; SCHREITER, MATTHIAS
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 020613/0814 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2005 043 037 · Sep 9, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080298427A1 · Dec 4, 2008