Resonators, resonator arrays, apparatus and methods
View Patent ↗A resonator includes a substantially disk shaped portion having a plurality of axes of symmetry and is configured to resonate in a plurality of resonant modes by symmetrically deforming about the plurality of axes of symmetry.
1. A resonator comprising:
a substantially disk shaped portion having a plurality of axes of symmetry and configured to resonate in a plurality of resonant modes by symmetrically deforming about the plurality of axes of symmetry; and
a plurality of electrodes positioned around a perimeter of the disk shaped portion and configured to receive an alternating current.
2. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of resonant modes has a different orientation.
3. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the disk shaped portion has a volume that is substantially constant during resonance.
4. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the disk shaped portion is configured to resonate at a first frequency and at least one integer multiple of the first frequency.
5. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a support portion configured to support the disk shaped portion.
6. A resonator as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the support portion is connected to the center of the disk shaped portion at the intersection of the plurality of axes of symmetry.
7. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the resonator is a micro-electro-mechanical system.
8. A resonator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the resonator is a nano-electro-mechanical system.
9. A resonator array comprising a plurality of resonators as claimed in claim 1 .
10. A resonator array as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least a subset of neighboring resonators of the plurality of resonators are electrostatically coupled to one another via a plurality of electrodes.
11. A resonator array as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least a subset of neighboring resonators of the plurality of resonators are physically connected to one another via connectors.
12. A method comprising:
providing a resonator array comprising a plurality of resonators as claimed in claim 1 .
13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising providing a plurality of electrodes to electrostatically couple at least a subset of neighboring resonators of the plurality of resonators.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising providing a plurality of connectors to physically connect at least a subset of neighboring resonators of the plurality of resonators.
15. A method comprising:
providing a resonator including a substantially disk shaped portion having a plurality of axes of symmetry;
configuring the disk shaped portion to resonate in a plurality of resonant modes by symmetrically deforming about the plurality of axes of symmetry; and
providing a plurality of electrodes positioned around a perimeter of the disk shaped portion and configured to receive an alternating current.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of resonant modes has a different orientation.
17. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the disk shaped portion has a volume that is substantially constant during resonance.
18. A method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising configuring the disk shaped portion to resonate at a first frequency and at least one integer multiple of the first frequency.
19. A method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising providing a support portion of the resonator configured to support the disk shaped portion.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the support portion is connected to the center of the disk shaped portion at the intersection of the plurality of axes of symmetry.
21. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the resonator is a micro-electro-mechanical system.
22. A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the resonator is a nano-electro-mechanical system.