Methods for producing piezoelectric bulk and crystalline seed layers of different C-axis orientation distributions

1. A method for fabricating at least one resonator structure, the method comprising:

moving at least one wafer structure supported by a substrate table to a first station containing a first linear sputtering apparatus that comprises a first target surface configured to eject metal atoms;

generating a first subatmospheric pressure condition at the first station;

performing a first growth step including ejection of metal atoms from the first target surface to (i) transit through a first deposition aperture, and (ii) react with a gas species and be received by the at least one wafer structure, to deposit a crystalline seed layer over the at least one wafer structure;

moving the at least one wafer structure supported by the substrate table to a second station containing a second linear sputtering apparatus that comprises a second target surface configured to eject metal atoms;

generating a second subatmospheric pressure condition at the second station; and

performing a second growth step including ejection of metal atoms from the second target surface to (i) transit through a collimator comprising multiple collimator apertures, and through a second deposition aperture, and (ii) react with a gas species and be received by the at least one wafer structure, to deposit a hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer over the crystalline seed layer that is arranged over the at least one wafer structure;

wherein the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer comprises a c-axis orientation distribution that differs from a c-axis orientation distribution of the crystalline seed layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second growth step is configured to yield at least 50% of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer comprising a c-axis having an orientation distribution predominantly in a range of from 25 degrees to 50 degrees relative to normal of a face of the at least one wafer structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first growth step is configured to yield at least 50% of the crystalline seed layer having an orientation distribution predominantly in a range of from 0 degrees to 35 degrees relative to normal of a face of the at least one wafer structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising loading the substrate table supporting the at least one wafer structure into an load lock chamber, and generating an initial subatmospheric condition in the load lock chamber, prior to the moving of the at least one wafer structure supported by the substrate table to the first station.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first station and the second station are arranged within a single enclosure in which the first subatmospheric pressure condition and the second subatmospheric pressure condition are generated.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first station is arranged within a first chamber and the second station is arranged within a second chamber.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the first subatmospheric pressure condition is greater than a pressure of the second subatmospheric pressure condition.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first growth step is performed at a deposition pressure in a range of from about 5 mT to about 50 mT.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second target surface is oriented 15 to 55 degrees apart from a face of the at least one wafer structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each wafer structure of the at least one wafer structure comprises a substrate and at least one first electrode structure arranged over at least a portion of the substrate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein each wafer structure of the at least one wafer structure comprises a diameter of at least about 50 mm, and the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer covers at least about 50% of a face of the at least one wafer structure.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wafer structure comprises a plurality of wafer structures.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second growth step comprises translating the collimator during deposition of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer over the crystalline seed layer.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first growth step comprises translating the substrate table supporting the at least one wafer structure during deposition of the crystalline seed layer over the at least one wafer structure, and the second growth step comprises translating the substrate table supporting the at least one wafer structure during deposition of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer over the crystalline seed layer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline seed layer is compositionally matched to the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electrically biasing to a potential other than ground at least one of the substrate table or the collimator.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming at least one second electrode structure over at least one portion of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising roughening a backside of the substrate after said forming of the at least one second electrode structure.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dicing the at least one wafer structure, over which the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer and the crystalline seed layer are deposited, into a plurality of chips.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each chip of the plurality of chips comprises a bulk acoustic wave resonator chip or a film bulk acoustic wave resonator chip.