IP Library Granted Patent US 12,596,102
Granted Patent B2
US 12,596,102 · App. 17/787,198 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Resonator structure for mass sensing

Inventor: James Webster (Minnetonka, MN)
Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
G01N29/036B06B1/0681G01N29/022G01N29/2437B06B1/0261G01N2291/02466G01N2291/0256G01N2291/02809G01N2291/0426
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,596,102
App. No.
17/787,198
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid mount resonator sensor has a substrate. An anti-reflector stack is disposed proximate the substrate. The anti-reflector stack includes one or more acoustic interference layers. A first electrode is disposed proximate the anti-reflector stack. A second electrode having a first surface facing towards the first electrode and an opposing second surface facing away from the first electrode. A substantially quarter-wave piezoelectric material layer is disposed between the first and second electrodes.

Claims (51)

1 . A solid mount resonator sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

an anti-reflector stack disposed proximate the substrate, the anti-reflector stack comprising one or more acoustic interference layers;

an active region, comprising;

a first electrode disposed proximate and incorporated into the anti-reflector stack;

a second electrode having a first surface facing towards the first electrode and an opposing second surface facing away from the first electrode;

a quarter-wave piezoelectric material layer disposed between the first and second electrodes; and

a functionalization material arranged over the active region;

wherein the anti-reflector stack causes substantially no dampening at a fundamental resonance frequency and causes little or no acoustic energy to be delivered to a non-sensing side of the solid mount resonator sensor.

2 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , wherein the quarter wave piezoelectric material layer has a thickness that represents a quarter-period of an acoustic wave at a fundamental resonance frequency.

3 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , further comprising actuation circuitry configured to drive the solid mount resonator sensor into an oscillating motion.

4 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 3 , wherein the actuation circuitry is configured to drive the solid mount resonator sensor into one or more of a longitudinal mode and a shear mode.

5 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , wherein an acoustic reflectivity of the anti-reflector stack is zero.

6 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , wherein a mass sensitivity of the solid mount resonator sensor is twice a mass sensitivity of a half-wave resonator sensor when operating at the same frequency.

7 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , wherein a design frequency of operation is in a range of 2 GHz to 10 GHz.

8 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 1 , wherein the functionalization material comprises a specific or a non-specific binding material.

9 . A resonator sensor system comprising:

a solid mount resonator comprising:

a substrate;

an anti-reflector stack disposed proximate the substrate, the anti-reflector stack comprising one or more acoustic interference layers;

an active region, comprising;

a first electrode disposed proximate and incorporated into the anti-reflector stack;

a second electrode having a first surface facing towards the first electrode and an opposing second surface facing away from the first electrode; and

a quarter-wave piezoelectric material layer disposed between the first and second electrodes; and

a functionalization material arranged over the active region;

actuation circuitry configured to drive the solid mount resonator into an oscillating motion;

measurement circuitry configured to measure one or more resonator output signals representing a resonance characteristic of the oscillating motion of the solid mount resonator; and

a controller operatively coupled to the actuation circuitry and the measurement circuitry;

wherein the anti-reflector stack causes substantially no dampening at a fundamental resonance frequency and causes little or no acoustic energy to be delivered to a non-sensing side of the solid mount resonator.

10 . The resonator sensor system of claim 9 , wherein the quarter wave piezoelectric material layer has a thickness that represents a quarter-period of an acoustic wave at a fundamental resonance frequency.

11 . The resonator sensor system of claim 9 , wherein an acoustic reflectivity of the anti-reflector stack is zero.

12 . The resonator sensor system of claim 9 , wherein a mass sensitivity of the solid mount resonator sensor is twice a mass sensitivity of a half-wave resonator sensor when operating at the same frequency.

13 . The resonator sensor system of claim 9 , wherein a design frequency of operation is in a range of 2 GHz to 10 GHz.

14 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 9 , wherein the functionalization material comprises a specific or a non-specific binding material.

15 . A solid mount resonator sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

an anti-reflector stack disposed proximate the substrate, the anti-reflector stack comprising:

one or more acoustic interference layers;

an active region, comprising;

a first electrode incorporated into the anti-reflector stack;

a second electrode having a first surface facing towards the first electrode and an opposing second surface facing away from the first electrode; and

a quarter-wave piezoelectric material layer disposed between the first and second electrodes; and

a functionalization material arranged over the active region;

wherein the anti-reflector stack causes substantially no dampening at a fundamental resonance frequency and causes little or no acoustic energy to be delivered to a non-sensing side of the solid mount resonator sensor.

16 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , wherein the quarter wave piezoelectric material layer has a thickness that represents a quarter-period of an acoustic wave at a fundamental resonance frequency.

17 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , further comprising actuation circuitry configured to drive the solid mount resonator sensor into an oscillating motion.

18 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 17 , wherein the actuation circuitry is configured to drive the solid mount resonator sensor into one or more of a longitudinal mode and a shear mode.

19 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , wherein an acoustic reflectivity of the anti-reflector stack is zero.

20 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , wherein a mass sensitivity of the solid mount resonator sensor is twice a mass sensitivity of a half-wave resonator sensor when operating at the same frequency.

21 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , wherein a design frequency of operation is in a range of 2 GHz to 10 GHz.

22 . The solid mount resonator sensor of claim 15 , wherein the functionalization material comprises a specific or a non-specific binding material.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: WEBSTER, JAMES
To: QORVO US, INC.
Reel/Frame 061138/0578 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62950445 · Dec 19, 2019
Related Publication 20230023769A1 · Jan 26, 2023
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