A piezoelectric resonator of the present invention is structured such that on a substrate 5 having a cavity 4 formed therein, a lower electrode 3, a piezoelectric body 1, a spurious component control layer 16, and an upper electrode 2 are formed in this order from bottom up. The spurious component control layer 16 is a layer for controlling a spurious frequency, and composed of, for example, a metallic material, a dielectric material, or a piezo electric material. By additionally providing the spurious component control layer 16, it is made possible to cause variation of the spurious frequency due to unwanted variation to become greater than variation in resonance frequency of the main resonance of the piezoelectric resonator. Thus, it is possible to realize a piezoelectric resonator having an admittance frequency response where no spurious component occurs between resonance frequency fr and antiresonance frequency fa.
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13. A piezoelectric resonator vibrating at a predetermined frequency, the resonator comprising:
a substrate having a cavity formed therein; and
a vibration portion formed in a position such that the vibration portion covers the cavity formed in the substrate,
wherein the vibration portion includes:
a piezoelectric body;
an upper electrode formed in a direction of a top surface of the piezoelectric body;
a lower electrode formed in a direction of a bottom surface of the piezoelectric body; and
a spurious component control layer,
wherein the spurious component control layer is formed in a position in a vicinity of a maximum vibration point in a portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported, and formed in a position in a vicinity of a maximum vibration point in a portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is not supported, in order to shift a frequency at which a spurious component occurs so as to prevent the spurious component from occurring between a resonance frequency and an antiresonance frequency,
wherein the maximum vibration point in the portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported is a node in a vibration displacement distribution, and
wherein the maximum vibration point in the portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is not supported is an antinode in the vibration displacement distribution.
1. A piezoelectric resonator vibrating at a predetermined frequency, the resonator comprising:
a substrate having a cavity formed therein; and
a vibration portion formed in a position such that the vibration portion covers the cavity formed in the substrate,
wherein the vibration portion includes:
a piezoelectric body;
an upper electrode formed in a direction of a top surface of the piezoelectric body;
a lower electrode formed in a direction of a bottom surface of the piezoelectric body; and
a spurious component control layer,
wherein the spurious component control layer is formed in a position in a vicinity of a maximum distortion point in a portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported, and formed in a position in a vicinity of a maximum vibration point in a portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is not supported, in order to shift a frequency at which a spurious component occurs so as to prevent the spurious component from occurring between a resonance frequency and an antiresonance frequency,
wherein the maximum distortion point in the portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported is a node in a vibration displacement distribution, and
wherein the maximum vibration point in the portion in which the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is not supported is an antinode in the vibration displacement distribution.
2. The piezoelectric resonator according to
a second piezoelectric body formed on a top surface of the upper electrode; and
a second upper electrode formed on a top surface of the second piezoelectric body.
4. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
7. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
8. The piezoelectric resonator according to
10. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
12. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
14. The piezoelectric resonator according to
a second piezoelectric body formed on a top surface of the upper electrode; and
a second upper electrode formed on a top surface of the second piezoelectric body.
16. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
19. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
20. The piezoelectric resonator according to
22. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
24. A duplexer comprising:
a transmission filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a reception filter having two or more piezoelectric resonators of
a phase-shift circuit for connecting the transmission filter and the reception filter.
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fa=fr√(1+C1/C0)
It is known that in the case of applying the piezoelectric resonator 500 as described above to a filter, it is necessary to increase the size of an electrode as much as possible from the viewpoint of impedance match (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-142607).
However, if the electrode size is increased, a contact area between the electrode and the substrate is inevitably increased in order to ensure strength, so that spurious components are readily excited. In actuality, a vibration portion formed of
(B) If the spurious component control layer is formed in the vicinity of a maximum vibration point (an antinode in the vibration displacement distribution), an increase of the potential energy is ignorable, and the kinetic energy is increased, thereby reducing the resonance frequency.
Δf/fr1≈−ΔK/2K (3)
Because of effects as described above, if the spurious component control layer is formed in a position in the vicinity of the maximum distortion point in the portion A and the maximum vibration point in the portion B, the resonance frequency is increased in the portion A which is a source of generating spurious components, while being decreased in the portion B which is a source of generating main resonance. Thus, it is possible to set the frequency of the spurious components so as to be distanced from the resonance frequency of the main resonance. Also, even if the spurious component control layer is formed in a position in the vicinity of the maximum vibration points both in the portion A and the portion B, there is a difference in variation of resonance frequencies due to a difference between distribution displacement distributions in the portions. Thus, it is possible to control a frequency at which the spurious components occur, depending on the position of the spurious component control layer included in the piezoelectric resonator. Accordingly, if the spurious component control layer is formed in an appropriate position, it is possible to realize a piezoelectric resonator having an admittance frequency response in which the spurious components do not occur between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa.
Described next is how the above-described effects are specifically achieved by the piezoelectric resonator according to the first embodiment.
Referring to
As described above, spurious components are generated because the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported by the substrate 5. The spurious vibration is generated due to vibration of a supporting portion (for example, a fixed end 5a) while a portion with two free ends above the cavity 4 is longitudinally vibrating in the thickness direction at the resonance frequency f1. As shown in
The piezoelectric resonator according to the first embodiment is structured such that the spurious component control layer 16 is formed between the upper and lower electrodes 2 and 3 (specifically, between the upper electrode 2 and the piezoelectric body 1), and therefore greatly influences excitation of vibration. Now, consider an exemplary case where the thickness of the portion B corresponds to a ½ wavelength of vibration at the resonance frequency f1 and the thickness of the portion A corresponds to a ¾ wavelength of vibration at the resonance frequency f2. Comparing the resonance frequency f1 of the portion B and the resonance frequency f2 of the portion A, it is found that the resonance frequency f2 of the portion A is higher than the resonance frequency f1 of the portion B because the portion A has the fixed end 5a at an interface between the lower electrode 3 and the substrate 5 (FIG. 2A). Further, in comparison with the resonance frequency f1 of the portion B, the resonance frequency f2 of the portion A is more susceptible to influences of an elastic constant, a dielectric constant, and the presence or absence of a piezoelectric effect of the additionally provided spurious component control layer, because the portion A and the portion B differ from each other in the position of a vibration node. As a result, the vibration displacement distribution at the resonance frequency f2 varies greater than the vibration displacement distribution at the resonance frequency f1. Accordingly, in the case where the spurious component control layer 16 is additionally provided, the influence caused to the vibration of the portion B by a supporting portion (for example, the fixed end 5a) considerably varies as compared to a case where no spurious component control layer 16 is additionally provided. Because of the above-described effects, a variation of the spurious frequency due to addition of the spurious component control layer 16 is greater than a variation of the resonance frequency of a main resonance due to addition of the spurious component control layer 16.
In particular, the present invention achieves the above-described effects by additionally providing the spurious component control layer 16 with consideration of the vibration displacement distribution, such that spurious components, which are generated because the lower electrode 3 is supported by the substrate 5 in the portion A, occur at a frequency other than the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. In the above example, although the resonance frequency f2 of the portion A corresponds to ¾ wavelength vibration, a resonance for achieving the effects of the present invention is not limited to ¾ wavelength resonance (f2) as described above. A piezoelectric resonator having an admittance response, in which no spurious component occurs between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa, can be realized by additionally providing the spurious component control layer 16 with consideration of the difference in displacement distribution between the portion B, in which the lower electrode 3 is out of contact with the substrate 5, and the portion A, in which the lower electrode 3 (at the bottom) is in contact with the substrate 5.
As such, in the first embodiment, it is possible to realize a piezoelectric resonator having an admittance frequency response (FIG. 2B), in which the spurious component 13 due to unwanted vibration does not occur between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa, by suitably selecting thicknesses of the piezoelectric body 1 and the spurious component control layer 16. Also, by using such a piezoelectric resonator, it is possible to realize a filter having a smooth pass characteristics curve (FIG. 2C). Also, as described in the first embodiment, if the spurious component control layer 16 is formed between the piezoelectric body 1 and the upper electrode 2, it is possible to solve a conventional problem where adhesive strength between the piezoelectric body 1 and the upper electrode 2 is insufficient and unreliable. Thus, it is possible to increase the reliability of the piezoelectric resonator.
Note that the spurious component control layer to be additionally provided to the piezoelectric resonator is not limited to the first embodiment in terms of the number, position, type, thickness, etc., which can be freely set depending on desired purposes and effects (as will be described in the second embodiment) Although the first embodiment has been described with respect to a case where the spurious component control layer is formed such that the spurious frequency is equal to or more than the antiresonance frequency fa, the spurious component control layer may be formed such that the spurious frequency is less than the resonance frequency fr.
A temperature coefficient of the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric body 1 is generally considerable. Accordingly, if the spurious component control layer 16 is composed of, for example, SiO2, it is possible to compensate for a temperature characteristic of the elastic constant of the piezoelectric body 1, thereby reducing a variation of the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric resonator with respect to temperature. As a result, it is possible to improve the temperature characteristic of the resonance frequency, thereby efficiently carrying out the temperature compensation.
Assuming that the thickness of the spurious component control layer 16 is t1 and the thickness of the piezoelectric body 1 is t2, it is preferred that the ratio t1/t2 between the thicknesses is less than or equal to ⅕. If the thickness of the spurious component control layer 16 is selected in this manner, it is possible to achieve an effect of controlling the spurious frequency without reducing the admittance frequency response.
Basically, it is preferred that the spurious component control layer 16 is composed of a dielectric material having a mechanical quality factor higher than a mechanical quality factor of the material of the piezoelectric body 1. In such a case, if the piezoelectric resonator is used in a filter, the Q-value of the resonator is increased, making it possible to obtain steeper skirt characteristics. However, the Q-value of the spurious component 13 to be generated can be high depending on properties of the spurious component control layer (FIG. 3A), even if the spurious components are shifted out of the range between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. In such a case, even if the filter is configured using a piezoelectric resonator having a high Q-value, a portion 14 where the pass characteristics are deteriorated might occur outside the passband, making it difficult to ensure a desired amount of attenuation (FIG. 3B). In such a case, by selecting a material of the spurious component control layer so as to have a mechanical quality factor lower than that of the material of the piezoelectric body 1, it is made possible to suppressing vibration of the spurious component 13 itself (see FIG. 2C).
A second embodiment is described with respect to another structure pattern of the piezoelectric resonator described in the first embodiment. Note that the structure pattern described in the second embodiment is merely an example, and various other structure patterns are conceivable.
(1) In one exemplary structure, a spurious component control layer 6 is provided between the lower electrode 3 and the substrate 5, and the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the upper electrode 2 and the piezoelectric body 1 (FIG. 4A). With this structure, it is possible to increase adhesive strength between the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion and the substrate 5, while maintaining an effect of preventing any spurious component from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa, whereby it is possible to increase the reliability of the piezoelectric resonator. Note that the spurious component control layer 6 and the spurious component control layer 16 may or may not be composed of the same material.
(2) In one exemplary structure, the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the piezoelectric body 1 and the lower electrode 3 (FIG. 4B). With this structure, it is possible to make a distance between node Sn2 and the spurious component control layer 16 (
(3) In one exemplary structure, the spurious component control layer 6 is provided between the lower electrode 3 and the substrate 5, and the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the piezoelectric body 1 and the lower electrode 3 (FIG. 4C). With this structure, it is possible to increase adhesive strength between the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion and the substrate 5, while maintaining an effect of preventing any spurious component from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa, whereby it is possible to increase the reliability of the piezoelectric resonator. Note that the spurious component control layer 6 and the spurious component control layer 16 may or may not be composed of the same material.
(4) In one exemplary structure, the spurious component control layer 6 is provided between the lower electrode 3 and the substrate 5, and the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the upper electrode 2 and the piezoelectric body 1 and between the piezoelectric body 1 and the lower electrode 3 (FIG. 4D). In this structure, two spurious component control layers 16 provided above and below the piezoelectric body 1 considerably influences excitation of spurious components, thereby readily achieving an effect of preventing any spurious component from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. Note that the spurious component control layers 6 and the spurious component control layer 16 may or may not be composed of the same material. Particularly, in the case where the spurious component control layer 16 are composed of a piezoelectric material, only piezoelectric bodies are present between the upper electrode 2 and the lower electrode 3. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve an effect of controlling spurious frequencies without reducing the admittance frequency response. The spurious component control layers are composed of a metallic material having a high mechanical quality factor, and therefore it is possible to obtain a piezoelectric resonator having a high Q-value.
(5) In one exemplary structure, the spurious component control layer 6 is provided on top of the upper electrode 2, and the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the piezoelectric body 1 and the lower electrode 3 (FIG. 4E). This structure is advantageous in that the top surface of the upper electrode 2 is protected by the spurious component control layer 6. Note that the spurious component control layer 6 and the spurious component control layer 16 may or may not be composed of the same material.
(6) In one exemplary structure, the upper electrode 2 and an upper spurious component control layer 16 are different in base area from the piezoelectric body 1, the lower electrode 3, the spurious component control layer 6, and a lower spurious component control layer 16 (FIG. 4F). In this structure, the piezoelectric body 1 is formed so as to extend outward beyond edges of the upper electrode 2 in a horizontal direction. Portions of the piezoelectric body 1, which lie beyond the edges in the horizontal direction, do not vibrate, and therefore the edges of the upper electrode 2 are restrained from freely vibrating, resulting in a further reduction of spurious components due to longitudinal vibration of portions of the substrate 5 where the piezoelectric resonator vibration portion is supported. Also, the portions of the piezoelectric body 1, which lie beyond the edges in the horizontal direction, impedes reflection of vibration propagating in the horizontal direction, resulting in a reduction of spurious components due to the vibration propagating in the horizontal direction. Note that a spurious frequency control effect achieved by the piezoelectric resonator shown in
(7) In one exemplary structure, the cavity 4 is provided in a form other than a truncated pyramid (FIGS. 4G and 4H). In this structure, the cavity 4 may be provided in the substrate 5 so as to have a rectangular cross section (FIG. 4G). Although the foregoing has described that the cavity 4 vertically penetrates through the substrate 5, the cavity 4 may be formed in the top surface of the substrate 5 so as not to penetrate through the substrate 5 (FIG. 4H). Even the thus-formed cavity ensures free vibration of the piezoelectric resonator.
(8) In one exemplary structure, the piezoelectric body 1, the upper electrode 2, the lower electrode 3, and the spurious component control layers 6 and 16 are equal in base area to the substrate 5 (FIGS. 4I-4K). In
Note that in the piezoelectric resonator having a structure in which the spurious component control layer 16 is provided between the piezoelectric body 1 and the lower electrode 3, it is possible to control not only spurious components caused due to longitudinal vibration but also spurious components caused due to lateral vibration.
In the piezoelectric resonator according to the third embodiment, the additional electrode 52, the additional piezoelectric body 51, and the upper electrode 2 form a first vibration portion 101. Also, the upper electrode 2, the piezoelectric body 1, the spurious component control layer 16, and the lower electrode 3 form a second vibration portion 102. In this structure, electrical energy applied between the additional electrode 52 and the upper electrode 2 is converted into mechanical energy by the first vibration portion 101, and then transmitted to the second vibration portion 102. In the second vibration portion 102, the transmitted mechanical energy is converted back into electrical energy, and released from the upper electrode 2 and the lower electrode 3. Also, in this structure, by providing the spurious component control layer 16 as in the first embodiment, it is made possible to cause variation of the spurious frequency to become greater than variation in resonance frequency of the main resonance of the piezoelectric resonator.
Thus, it is possible to prevent any spurious component due to influences by a fixed portion from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an admittance curve where no spurious component is present between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. By using a filter with such a piezoelectric resonator, it is possible to obtain a smooth pass characteristics curve. Note that
The acoustic mirror 60 plays a role similar to that of the cavity 4, and is operable to trap resonant vibration of a vibration portion 10 with in the vibration portion 10. The acoustic mirror 60 is structured by laminating at least two types of layers each having an acoustic impedance different from that of the other layer. In this example, a low acoustic impedance layer 61 and a high acoustic impedance layer 62 alternate with each other. Each of the low acoustic impedance layer 61 and the high acoustic impedance layer 62 has a thickness equal to ¼ of a corresponding wavelength. The low acoustic impedance layer 61 is situated below the lower electrode 3. In this structure, it is possible to allow the piezoelectric resonator to resonate in a λ/2 mode. Also, in this structure, by providing the spurious component control layer 16 as in the first embodiment, it is made possible to cause variation of the spurious frequency to become greater than variation in resonance frequency of the main resonance of the piezoelectric resonator.
Thus, it is possible to prevent any spurious component due to influences by a fixed portion from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an admittance curve where no spurious component is present between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa. By using a filter with such a piezoelectric resonator, it is possible to obtain a smooth pass characteristics curve. Note that
Note that it is preferred that the spurious component control layer used in the fourth embodiment is composed of a material having a low acoustic impedance in directions other than the thickness direction as compared to acoustic impedances of the piezoelectric body 1, the upper electrode 2, and the lower electrode 3. A difference in acoustic impedance between the thickness direction and another direction (e.g., a radial direction) is used to prevent any spurious vibration due to a transverse effect from occurring between the resonance frequency and the antiresonance frequency. For other types of vibration, a similar effect can be achieved by using a difference in acoustic impedance. Although the fourth embodiment has been described with respect to an exemplary piezoelectric resonator which resonates in the λ/2 mode, an effect similar to that achieved by such a piezoelectric resonator can be achieved by a piezoelectric resonator which resonates in a λ/4 mode.
Described in a fifth embodiment is an effective structure of the piezoelectric resonator according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4D.
Here, the spurious component control layers 6, 16, and 26 can be composed of a metallic material, a dielectric material, or a piezoelectric material (which is different from the material of the piezoelectric body 1 included in the piezoelectric resonator). In the case where the spurious component control layers 6, 16, and 26 are composed of a material different inelastic constant and density (additionally, dielectric constant and/or piezoelectric effect) from a material of a vibration portion, it is possible to prevent, based on differences in elastic constant and density (additionally, dielectric constant and/or piezoelectric effect) between the materials, any spurious component due to influences by a fixed portion from occurring between the resonance frequency fr and the antiresonance frequency fa.
Note that the spurious component control layers 6, 16, and 26 may be different from each other in terms of material. In such a case, a greater effect can be achieved by selecting thicknesses and materials of the spurious component control layer 6, 16, and 26, such that the position of a vibration node in the portion A and the position of a vibration antinode in the portion B are closer to each other.
(An Exemplary Filter including Piezoelectric Resonators)
Note that although the foregoing has described an exemplary L-shaped ladder filter, an effect similar to that achieved by the L-shaped ladder filter can be achieved by, for example, a T- or π-shaped ladder filter or a lattice-ladder filter. Also, the ladder filter may be a multiple stage filter as shown in
(An Exemplary Duplexer including Piezoelectric Resonators)
While the invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is understood that numerous other modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.
Nakamura, Hiroyuki, Nakatsuka, Hiroshi, Onishi, Keiji, Yamakawa, Takehiko
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