IP Library Granted Patent US 11,316,496
Granted Patent B2
US 11,316,496 · App. 16/447,789 · Granted Apr 26, 2022

Method and structure for high performance resonance circuit with single crystal piezoelectric capacitor dielectric material

Inventor: Jeffrey B. Shealy (Cornelius, NC)
Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
H03H9/173H03H3/02H03H9/02031H03H9/0514H03H9/0533H03H9/105H03H9/175H03H9/176H03H9/542H03H9/566H03H9/568H03H2003/021H03H2003/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,316,496
App. No.
16/447,789
Granted
Apr 26, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and structure for a single crystal acoustic electronic device. The device includes a substrate having an enhancement layer formed overlying its surface region, a support layer formed overlying the enhancement layer, and an air cavity formed through a portion of the support layer. A single crystal piezoelectric material is formed overlying the air cavity and a portion of the enhancement layer. Also, a first electrode material coupled to the backside surface region of the crystal piezoelectric material and spatially configured within the cavity. A second electrode material is formed overlying the topside of the piezoelectric material, and a dielectric layer formed overlying the second electrode material. Further, one or more shunt layers can be formed around the perimeter of a resonator region of the device to connect the piezoelectric material to the enhancement layer.

Claims (63)

1. A single crystal acoustic electronic device, the device comprising:

a substrate having a surface region;

an enhancement layer formed overlying the surface region;

a support layer formed overlying the enhancement layer, the support layer having an air cavity formed through a portion of the support layer;

a single crystal piezoelectric material formed overlying the air cavity and a portion of the enhancement layer;

a first electrode material coupled to a portion of a backside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material and spatially configured within the air cavity;

a second electrode material formed overlying a topside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material; and

a dielectric layer formed overlying the second electrode material;

wherein the single crystal piezoelectric material includes a resonator region; and

wherein one or more shunt layers are formed around either all or a portion of a perimeter of the resonator region.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), silicon carbide, sapphire, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, aluminum, aluminum nitride, glass, and aluminum oxide, and combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the enhancement layer is selected from silicon, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride and combinations thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the single crystal piezoelectric material is selected from at least one of AlN, AlGaN, InN, BN, AlScN, AlMgHfN, AlMgZrN or other group III nitrides; or is selected from ZnO, MgO, or other single crystal oxide having a high K dielectric.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the first electrode material and the second electrode material is selected from tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, or a refractory metal.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the first electrode material includes a first energy confinement structure; and wherein the second electrode material includes a second energy confinement structure.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is selected from silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a first contact coupled to the first electrode material and a second contact coupled to the second electrode material such that each of the first contact and the second contact are configured in a co-planar arrangement; and

further comprising a via structure formed within a portion of the single crystal piezoelectric material to thereby couple the first contact to the first electrode material.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the first electrode material and the second electrode material are characterized by geometric shapes including a square, an ellipse, a half-ellipse, or a polygon.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more shunt layers are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, diamond, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, and combinations thereof.

11. A single crystal acoustic electronic device, the device comprising:

a substrate having a surface region;

an enhancement layer formed overlying the surface region;

a support layer formed overlying the enhancement layer, the support layer having an air cavity formed through a portion of the support layer;

a single crystal piezoelectric material formed overlying the air cavity and a portion of the enhancement layer;

a first electrode material coupled to a portion of a backside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material and spatially configured within the air cavity;

a second electrode material formed overlying a topside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material; and

a dielectric layer formed overlying the second electrode material;

wherein one or more shunt layers are formed connecting the single crystal piezoelectric material to the enhancement layer.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the one or more shunt layers are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, diamond, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, and combinations thereof.

13. A method of fabricating a single crystal acoustic electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface region;

forming an enhancement layer overlying the surface region;

forming a support layer overlying the enhancement layer, the support layer having an air cavity formed through a portion of the support layer;

forming a single crystal piezoelectric material overlying the air cavity and a portion of the enhancement layer;

forming a first electrode material coupled to a portion of a backside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material and spatially configured within the air cavity;

forming a second electrode material overlying a topside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material; and

forming a dielectric layer overlying the second electrode material;

wherein the single crystal piezoelectric material includes a resonator region; and

forming one or more shunt layers around either all or a portion of a perimeter of the resonator region.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the substrate is selected from silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), silicon carbide, sapphire, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, aluminum, aluminum nitride, glass, and aluminum oxide, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the enhancement layer is selected from silicon, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the single crystal piezoelectric material is selected from at least one of AlN, AlGaN, InN, BN, AlScN, AlMgHfN, AlMgZrN or other group III nitrides; or is selected from ZnO, MgO, or other single crystal oxide having a high K dielectric.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein each of the first electrode material and the second electrode material is selected from tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, or a refractory metal.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the first electrode material includes a first energy confinement structure; and wherein the second electrode material includes a second energy confinement structure.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the dielectric layer is selected from silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a first contact coupled to the first electrode material and forming a second contact coupled to the second electrode material such that each of the first contact and the second contact are configured in a co-planar arrangement; and

further comprising forming a via structure within a portion of the single crystal piezoelectric material to thereby couple the first contact to the first electrode material.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein forming the first electrode material and the second electrode material includes forming electrodes having shapes selected from a square, an ellipse, a half-ellipse, or a polygon.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or more shunt layers are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, diamond, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, and combinations thereof.

23. A method of fabricating a single crystal acoustic electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface region;

forming an enhancement layer overlying the surface region;

forming a support layer overlying the enhancement layer, the support layer having an air cavity formed through a portion of the support layer;

forming a single crystal piezoelectric material overlying the air cavity and a portion of the enhancement layer;

forming a first electrode material coupled to a portion of a backside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material and spatially configured within the air cavity;

forming a second electrode material overlying a topside surface region of the single crystal piezoelectric material;

forming a dielectric layer overlying the second electrode material; and

forming one or more shunt layers to connect the single crystal piezoelectric material to the enhancement layer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more shunt layers are selected from aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, diamond, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, titanium, gold, aluminum tungsten, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising processing the second electrode material and the first electrode material to form a processed second electrode and a processed first electrode, wherein the processed second electrode includes an energy confinement structure, and, wherein the processed first electrode includes an energy confinement structure.

26. The device of claim 23 wherein the forming of the single crystal piezoelectric material includes using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the forming of the single crystal piezoelectric material includes depositing the single crystal piezoelectric material at a temperature ranging from 400 Degrees Celsius to 1300 Degrees Celsius.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: AKOUSTIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; AKOUSTIS, INC.; RFM INTEGRATED DEVICE INC.
To: TUNE HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 071348/0155 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: TUNE HOLDINGS CORP.
To: AKOUSTIS TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 071511/0539 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2019
From: SHEALY, JEFFREY
To: AKOUSTIS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049549/0077 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 16019267 · Jun 26, 2018
Continuation In Part 15784919 · Oct 16, 2017
Continuation In Part 15068510 · Mar 11, 2016
Related Publication 20190305753A1 · Oct 3, 2019
Cited By (1)
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