IP Library Granted Patent US 9,490,418
Granted Patent B2
US 9,490,418 · App. 14/092,077 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Acoustic resonator comprising collar and acoustic reflector with temperature compensating layer

Inventors: Dariusz Burak (Fort Collins, CO); John Choy (Westminster, CO); Kevin J. Grannen (Thornton, CO); Qiang Zou (Fort Collins, CO)
Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H01L41/053H03H9/02118H03H9/173
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,490,418
App. No.
14/092,077
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An acoustic resonator structure includes an acoustic reflector over a cavity formed in a substrate, the acoustic reflector including a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked on a layer of high acoustic impedance material. The acoustic resonator further includes a bottom electrode on the layer of low acoustic impedance material, a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode, a top electrode on the piezoelectric layer, and a collar formed outside a main membrane region defined by an overlap between the top electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the bottom electrode. The collar has an inner edge substantially aligned with a boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region. The layer of the low acoustic impedance material includes a temperature compensating material having a positive temperature coefficient for offsetting at least a portion of a negative temperature coefficient of the piezoelectric layer, the bottom electrode and the top electrode.

Claims (40)

1. An acoustic resonator, comprising:

an acoustic reflector disposed on a substrate over a cavity formed in the substrate, the acoustic reflector comprising a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked on a layer of high acoustic impedance material;

a bottom electrode disposed on the layer of low acoustic impedance material of the acoustic reflector;

a piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer; and

a collar formed outside a main membrane region defined by an overlap between the top electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the bottom electrode, the collar having an inner edge substantially aligned with a boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region,

wherein the layer of the low acoustic impedance material comprises a temperature compensating material having a positive temperature coefficient for offsetting at least a portion of a negative temperature coefficient of the piezoelectric layer, the bottom electrode and the top electrode.

2. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , wherein the low acoustic impedance material comprises borosilicate glass (BSG) or tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate (TEOS).

3. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , wherein the collar defines a collar region having a cutoff frequency that is substantially the same as a cutoff frequency of the main membrane region.

4. The acoustic resonator of claim 3 , wherein the collar is formed on a top surface of the top electrode and a planarization layer adjacent the top electrode.

5. An acoustic resonator, comprising:

an acoustic reflector disposed over a cavity formed in a substrate, the acoustic reflector comprising a layer of low acoustic impedance material stacked on a layer of high acoustic impedance material;

a bottom electrode disposed on the layer of low acoustic impedance material of the acoustic reflector;

a piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode;

a top electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer; and

a collar formed outside a main membrane region defined by an overlap between the top electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the bottom electrode, the collar having an inner edge substantially aligned with a boundary of or overlapping the main membrane region,

wherein the layer of the low acoustic impedance material comprises a temperature compensating material having a positive temperature coefficient for offsetting at least a portion of a negative temperature coefficient of the piezoelectric layer, the bottom electrode and the top electrode, and

wherein the collar is formed between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric layer.

6. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one frame disposed within the main membrane region and having an outer edge substantially aligned with the boundary of the main membrane region.

7. The acoustic resonator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one frame comprises an add-on frame.

8. The acoustic resonator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one frame comprises a composite frame.

9. The acoustic resonator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one frame comprises a frame disposed at a bottom portion of the top electrode.

10. The acoustic resonator of claim 9 , wherein the at least one frame comprises another frame disposed at one of a top portion or a bottom portion of the bottom electrode.

11. The acoustic resonator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one frame comprises a frame disposed at a bottom portion of the bottom electrode.

12. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , wherein the collar comprises borosilicate glass, carbon-doped silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, lead zirconium titanate, diamond or diamond-like carbon.

13. The acoustic resonator of claim 6 , wherein the frame comprises a layer of copper, molybdenum, aluminum, tungsten, iridium, borosilicate glass, carbon-doped silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, lead zirconium titanate, diamond or diamond-like carbon.

14. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is doped with at least one rare earth element for offsetting at least a portion of degradation of an electromechanical coupling coefficient of the acoustic resonator caused by the temperature compensating material.

15. A thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), comprising:

a substrate defining a cavity;

a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) disposed on a top surface of the substrate over the cavity, the DBR comprising at least one layer of low acoustic impedance material having a positive temperature coefficient;

an acoustic stack arranged on the DBR over the cavity, the acoustic stack comprising a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between bottom and top electrode layers, and having a main membrane region defined by an overlap between the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the top electrode; and

a collar arranged outside the main membrane region, the collar defining a collar region having a cutoff frequency that is substantially the same as a cutoff frequency of the main membrane region,

wherein the positive temperature coefficient of the at least one layer of low acoustic impedance material offsets at least a portion of a negative temperature coefficient of the piezoelectric layer, the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer.

16. The FBAR of claim 15 , further comprising:

a frame formed in or on at least one of the bottom and top electrodes, and disposed within the main membrane region.

17. The FBAR of claim 16 , wherein the collar is formed on a surface of the bottom electrode.

18. The FBAR of claim 16 , wherein the collar is formed on a surface of the top electrode and a planarization layer adjacent to the top electrode.

19. The acoustic resonator of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is doped with at least one rare earth element for offsetting at least a portion of degradation of an electromechanical coupling coefficient of the acoustic resonator caused by the low acoustic impedance material having the positive temperature coefficient.

20. The acoustic resonator of claim 5 , wherein the collar defines a collar region having a cutoff frequency that is substantially the same as a cutoff frequency of the main membrane region.

Assignments (7)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 047422 FRAME: 0464. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Mar 6, 2019
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048883/0702 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 5, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047422/0464 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 3, 2017
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 041710/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037808/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (RELEASES RF 032851-0001) Recorded Feb 2, 2016
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 037689/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 8, 2014
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032851/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2013
From: BURAK, DARIUSZ; CHOY, JOHN; GRANNEN, KEVIN J.; ZOU, QIANG
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 031689/0354 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation In Part 13767754 · Feb 14, 2013
Continuation In Part 13955774 · Jul 31, 2013
Continuation In Part 13781491 · Feb 28, 2013
Continuation In Part 13663449 · Oct 29, 2012
Continuation In Part 13208883 · Aug 12, 2011
Continuation In Part 13074262 · Mar 29, 2011
Related Publication 20140159548A1 · Jun 12, 2014