IP Library Granted Patent US 12,283,941
Granted Patent B2
US 12,283,941 · App. 18/339,939 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Baw resonators with antisymmetric thick electrodes

Inventors: Dae Ho Kim (Cornelius, NC); Mary Winters (Webster, NY); Zhiqiang Bi (Mooresville, NC)
Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
H03H9/132H03H9/02015H03H9/02157H03H9/131H03H9/171H03H9/547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,283,941
App. No.
18/339,939
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A resonator circuit device. This device can include a piezoelectric layer having a front-side electrode and a back-side electrode spatially configured on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer. Each electrode has a connection region and a resonator region. Each electrode also includes a partial mass-loaded structure configured within a vicinity of its connection region. The front-side electrode and the back-side electrode are spatially configured in an anti-symmetrical manner with the resonator regions of both electrodes at least partially overlapping and the first and second connection regions on opposing sides. This configuration provides a symmetric acoustic impedance profile for improved Q factor and can reduce the issues of misalignment or unbalanced boundary conditions associated with conventional single mass-loaded perimeter configurations.

Claims (41)

1. A method of using a resonator circuit device, the method comprising:

in the resonator circuit device comprising a piezoelectric layer;

a front-side electrode overlying the piezoelectric layer, the front-side electrode having a first connection region and a first resonator region, the front-side electrode having a first partial mass-loaded structure configured within a vicinity of the first connection region; and

a back-side electrode underlying the piezoelectric layer, the back-side electrode having a second connection region and a second resonator region, the back-side electrode having a second partial mass-loaded structure configured within a vicinity of the second connection region such that

the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode are spatially configured in an anti-symmetrical manner with the first and second resonator regions at least partially overlapping and the first and second connection regions on opposing sides,

operating the resonator circuit device configured with the anti-symmetrical manner of the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode using a frequency to generate a Q factor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the front-side electrode and back-side electrode include molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), or aluminum-copper (AlCu).

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the first and second partial mass-loaded structures include molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), or aluminum-copper (AlCu).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the front-side and back-side electrodes are spatially configured such that a portion of the first partial mass-loaded structure overlaps a portion of the second resonator region and a portion of the first resonator region overlaps a portion of the second partial mass-loaded structure.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first partial mass-loaded structure is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the front-side electrode on the side of the first connection region, and wherein the second partial mass-loaded structure is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the back-side electrode on the side of the second connection region.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric layer includes materials or alloys having at least one of the following: AlN, AlGaN, GaN, ScAlN, LiNbO 3 , LiTaO 3 , Ba(Sr,Ti)O 3 , and Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 .

7. A method of using a resonator circuit device, the method comprising:

in the resonator circuit device comprising a piezoelectric layer;

a front-side electrode overlying the piezoelectric layer, the front-side electrode having a first connection region and a first resonator region, the front-side electrode having a first thicker portion within a vicinity of the first connection region; and

a back-side electrode underlying the piezoelectric layer, the back-side electrode having a second connection region and a second resonator region, the back-side electrode having a second thicker portion within a vicinity of the second connection region such that the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode are spatially configured in an anti-symmetrical manner with the first and second resonator regions at least partially overlapping and the first and second connection regions on opposing sides,

operating the resonator circuit device configured with the anti-symmetrical manner of the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode using a frequency to generate a Q factor.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the front-side electrode and back-side electrode include molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), or aluminum-copper (AlCu).

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the front-side and back-side electrodes are spatially configured such that a portion of the first thicker portion overlaps a portion of the second resonator region and a portion of the second thicker portion overlaps a portion of the first resonator region.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the first thicker portion is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the front-side electrode on the side of the first connection region, and wherein the second thicker portion is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the back-side electrode on the side of the second connection region.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the piezoelectric layer includes materials or alloys having at least one of the following: AlN, AlGaN, GaN, ScAlN, LiNbO 3 , LiTaO 3 , Ba(Sr,Ti)O 3 , and Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 .

12. A method of using an RF filter circuit device, the method comprising:

in the RF filter circuit device comprising a substrate member having a cavity region;

a piezoelectric layer overlying the substrate member;

a front-side electrode overlying the piezoelectric layer, the front-side electrode having a first connection region and a first resonator region, the front-side electrode having a first partial mass-loaded structure configured within a vicinity of the first connection region;

a back-side electrode underlying the piezoelectric layer within the cavity region, the back-side electrode having a second connection region and a second resonator region, the back-side electrode having a second partial mass-loaded structure configured within a vicinity of the second connection region such that the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode are spatially configured in an anti-symmetrical manner with the first and second resonator regions at least partially overlapping and the first and second connection regions on opposing sides;

a micro-via configured through a portion of the piezoelectric layer, the micro-via being electrically coupled to the back-side electrode at the second connection region;

a first bond pad electrically coupled to the front-side electrode at the first connection region; and

a second bond pad electrically coupled to the back-side electrode through the micro-via,

operating the RF filter circuit device configured with the anti-symmetrical manner of the front-side electrode and the back-side electrode using a frequency to generate a Q factor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the front-side electrode and back-side electrode include molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), or aluminum-copper (AlCu).

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first and second partial mass-loaded structures include molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), or aluminum-copper (AlCu).

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the front-side and back-side electrodes are spatially configured such that a portion of the first partial mass-loaded structure overlaps a portion of the second resonator region and a portion of the second partial mass-loaded structure overlaps a portion of the first resonator region.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first partial mass-loaded structure is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the front-side electrode on the side of the first connection region, and wherein the second partial mass-loaded structure is spatially configured around about half of a perimeter of the back-side electrode on the side of the second connection region.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the piezoelectric layer includes materials or alloys having at least one of the following: AlN, AlGaN, GaN, ScAlN, LiNbO 3 , LiTaO 3 , Ba(Sr,Ti)O 3 , and Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 .

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the micro-via includes gold, aluminum, or copper.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the RF filter circuit device further comprises a cap layer overlying the front-side electrode, the piezoelectric layer, the back-side electrode, and the substrate member; wherein the cap layer includes a transfer substrate, a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, a sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ) substrate, or an interposer substrate.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the cap layer includes:

a first cap via through a portion of the cap layer and electrically coupled to the first bond pad;

a second cap via electrically coupled to the second bond pad;

a first cap bond pad overlying the cap layer and electrically coupled to the first cap via; and

a second cap bond pad overlying the cap layer and electrically coupled to the second cap via.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: AKOUSTIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; AKOUSTIS, INC.; RFM INTEGRATED DEVICE INC.
To: TUNE HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 071577/0095 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: TUNE HOLDINGS CORP.
To: AKOUSTIS TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 071782/0462 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: KIM, DAE HO; WINTERS, MARY; BI, ZHIQIANG
To: AKOUSTIS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064047/0067 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17130915 · Dec 22, 2020
Continuation 16389806 · Apr 19, 2019
Related Publication 20230336151A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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