IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,218,647
Granted Patent B2
US 12,218,647 · App. 18/412,732 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Microelectromechanical resonator

Inventors: Joseph C. Doll (Mountain View, CA); Nicholas Miller (Sunnyvale, CA); Charles I. Grosjean (Los Gatos, CA); Paul M. Hagelin (Saratoga, CA); Ginel C. Hill (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: SiTime Corporation
H03H9/125H03H3/0077H03H9/02259H03H9/02401H03H9/02448H03H9/1057H03H9/17H03H9/2463H03H2003/027H03H2009/02181H03H2009/02307H03H2009/155
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,218,647
App. No.
18/412,732
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A moveable micromachined member of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrically conductive layers. First and second mechanical structures secure the moveable micromachined member to a substrate of the MEMS device and include respective first and second electrical interconnect layers coupled in series, with the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member and each other, between first and second electrical terminals to enable conduction of a first joule-heating current from the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal through the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member.

Claims (32)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure, a storage device, a heating element and circuitry, the MEMS structure characterized by a temperature-dependent behavior, the circuitry being adapted to generate an electronic signal dependent on movement or deflection of the MEMS structure during run-time of the integrated circuit device;

as part of a calibration operation for the integrated circuit device, causing the heating element to heat the structure to a plurality of different temperatures and, for each of the different temperatures in the plurality, identifying deviation of a property conveyed the electronic signal from a desired value;

calculating a correction polynomial dependent on the identified deviations; and

programming into the storage device parameters which define the correction polynomial, such that the integrated circuit device thereby stores the correction polynomial, for application during run-time of the integrated circuit device, to electronically correct the electronic signal, within an operating temperature range of the integrated circuit device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit device comprises a temperature sensor, wherein the different temperatures in the plurality are each predetermined, and wherein the method further comprises, during the calibration operation, causing the heating element, in dependence on feedback from the temperature sensor, to iteratively generate each of the different predetermined temperatures.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the MEMS structure is part of a first MEMS resonator, wherein the temperature-dependent behavior is a first temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the temperature sensor comprises the first MEMS resonator and a second MEMS resonator, the second MEMS resonator having a second temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the circuitry is operable to generate a temperature signal dependent as a function of divergence in the second temperature-dependent behavior from the first temperature dependent behavior, and wherein the feedback is dependent on the temperature signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the MEMS structure is a resonating structure and comprises at least a layer of crystal silicon, a conductive layer, and a piezoelectric layer, and wherein the method further comprises causing application of a drive signal to the conductive layer during the calibration operation, to cause the MEMS structure to vibrate.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the layer of crystal silicon comprises at least one layer of degenerately-doped crystal silicon.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit device is encapsulated, and wherein the causing and the programming are each performed on a post-encapsulation basis.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the integrated circuit device further comprises an exterior electrical contact which is operatively coupled with the heating element, and wherein the causing comprises applying an external stimulus to the external electrical contact, so as to cause the heating element to heat the MEMS structure as a function of the external stimulus.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the integrated circuit device further comprises an exterior electrical contact which is operatively coupled with the storage device, and wherein the programming of the storage device comprises applying an external stimulus to the external electrical contact, so as to perform the programming of the storage device as a function of the external stimulus on a post-encapsulation basis.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the correction polynomial is a second or greater order polynomial, wherein the circuitry comprises a locked-loop circuit, and wherein the programming is performed in a manner such that the phase-locked loop, during run-time of the integrated circuit device, performs second or greater order correction of the electronic signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the circuitry comprises correction circuitry, to correct the electronic signal prior to output from the integrated circuit device, and wherein parameters are such that the circuitry is operable to reduce temperature-dependent variation in the electronic signal, relative to the temperature-dependent behavior of the MEMS structure, during the run-time of the integrated circuit device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit device is encapsulated, wherein the integrated circuit device further comprises the temperature sensor and an exterior electrical contact, and wherein the method further comprises, during the calibration operation, receiving an indication of sensed temperature of the MEMS structure via the exterior electrical contact.

12. A method comprising:

receiving an integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator, the MEMS resonator having a structure adapted to deflect or move during run-time of the integrated circuit device, the structure having at least three layers including at least one conductive layer, a piezoelectric layer and a layer of crystalline silicon, the integrated circuit device further having a storage device, a heating element and circuitry, the deflection or movement of the structure characterized by a temperature-dependent behavior, the circuitry being adapted to generate an electronic signal dependent on movement or deflection of the structure during run-time of the integrated circuit device;

as part of a calibration operation for the integrated circuit device, causing the heating element to heat the structure to a plurality of different temperatures and, for each of the different temperatures in the plurality, identifying deviation of a property conveyed the electronic signal from a desired value;

calculating a correction polynomial dependent on the identified deviations; and

programming into the storage device parameters which define the correction polynomial, such that the integrated circuit device is thereby adapted to store the correction polynomial and to apply the correction polynomial, during run-time of the integrated circuit device, to electronically correct the electronic signal, within an operating temperature range of the integrated circuit device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the integrated circuit device comprises a temperature sensor, wherein the different temperatures in the plurality are each predetermined, and wherein the method further comprises, during the calibration operation, causing the heating element, in dependence on feedback from the temperature sensor, to iteratively generate each of the different predetermined temperatures.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the MEMS resonator is a first MEMS resonator, wherein the temperature-dependent behavior is a first temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the temperature sensor comprises the first MEMS resonator and a second MEMS resonator, the second MEMS resonator having a second temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the circuitry is operable to generate a temperature signal dependent as a function of divergence in the second temperature-dependent behavior from the first temperature dependent behavior, and wherein the feedback is dependent on the temperature signal.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the integrated circuit device is encapsulated, and wherein the causing and the programming are each performed on a post-encapsulation basis.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the integrated circuit device further comprises an exterior electrical contact which is operatively coupled with the heating element, and wherein the causing comprises applying an external stimulus to the external electrical contact, so as to cause the heating element to heat the structure as a function of the external stimulus.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the integrated circuit device further comprises an exterior electrical contact which is operatively coupled with the storage device, and wherein the programming of the storage device comprises applying an external stimulus to the external electrical contact, so as to perform the programming of the storage device as a function of the external stimulus on a post-encapsulation basis.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the correction polynomial is a second or greater order polynomial, wherein the circuitry comprises a locked-loop circuit, and wherein the programming is performed in a manner such that the phase-locked loop, during run-time of the integrated circuit device, performs second or greater order correction of the electronic signal.

19. A method comprising:

receiving an encapsulated integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator, a temperature sensor, a storage device, a heating element and circuitry, the MEMS resonator having a piezoelectric structure which is adapted to move or deflect during run-time of the MEMS resonator, the movement or deflection being characterized by a temperature-dependent behavior, the circuitry being adapted to generate an electronic signal for output, during run-time of the encapsulated integrated circuit device, and via an exterior electrical contact of the encapsulated integrated circuit device, of a timing signal which is dependent on the movement or deflection of the piezoelectric structure;

as part of a calibration operation for the encapsulated integrated circuit device, causing the heating element to heat the piezoelectric structure to a plurality of different temperatures and, for each of the different temperatures in the plurality, identifying deviation of a property conveyed the electronic signal from a desired value;

calculating a second or greater order correction polynomial dependent on the identified deviations; and

programming parameters, via an exterior electrical contact of the encapsulated integrated circuit device, into the storage device, the parameters defining the second or greater order correction polynomial, such that the encapsulated integrated circuit device is thereby adapted to store the second or greater order correction polynomial, and to apply the second or greater order correction polynomial, during run-time of the integrated circuit device, in dependence on temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, to electronically correct the electronic signal, within an operating temperature range of the integrated circuit device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the MEMS resonator is a first MEMS resonator, wherein the temperature-dependent behavior is a first temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the temperature sensor comprises the first MEMS resonator and a second MEMS resonator, the second MEMS resonator having a second temperature-dependent behavior, wherein the circuitry is operable to generate a temperature signal dependent as a function of divergence in the second temperature-dependent behavior from the first temperature dependent behavior.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2024
From: GROSJEAN, CHARLES I.; MILLER, NICHOLAS; HAGELIN, PAUL M.; HILL, GINEL C.; DOLL, JOSEPH C.; CHOKSHI, TRUSHAL; PARTRIDGE, AARON; LUTZ, MARKUS; ZHANG, YI
To: SITIME CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066120/0123 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 17847438 · Jun 23, 2022
Division 17544120 · Dec 7, 2021
Division 16245184 · Jan 10, 2019
Division 15497146 · Apr 25, 2017
Division 15186510 · Jun 19, 2016
Continuation In Part 14617753 · Feb 9, 2015
Provisional Application 62183689 · Jun 23, 2015
Provisional Application 62181767 · Jun 19, 2015
Provisional Application 61937601 · Feb 9, 2014
Related Publication 20250007492A1 · Jan 2, 2025
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