Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

Fox Enterprises, Inc.

Fox Electronics, Inc.

James Bryan Northcutt

Eugene Stanley Trefethen

Stephen Amar Tibbitts

Bruce Edward Clark

Robert A Gubser

Kenneth Astrof

John William Fallisgaard

Harry LeRoy Sutter

Charles Michael Rice

A family of resonators and other devices which employ virtual electrodes using pixel based projection across a gap onto a material. In many embodiments, the pixel is projected onto a piezoelectric material, such as quartz crystal, by an integrated circuit die placed opposite a face of the crystal. The die projects a single pixel of electromagnetic energy onto the crystal, which vibrates and produces its own electromagnetic energy which is received by the pixel. Pixel projection onto other materials, including non-resonant materials, is also disclosed. The pixel based projected electrodes may be used in combination with, or in lieu of, conventional metal electrodes. The single pixel may be controlled in gain and phase in order to achieve specific desired resonator response characteristics. Many types of devices using pixel based electrode projection are disclosed&#x2014;including resonators having one or more single-pixel virtual electrodes, and other types of devices.

Resonators and devices with a pixel electrode operating across a gap

A family of resonators and other devices which employ virtual electrodes using pixel based projection across a gap onto a material. In many embodiments, the pixels are projected onto a piezoelectric material, such as quartz crystal, by an integrated circuit die placed opposite a face of the crystal. The die projects individual pixels of electromagnetic energy onto the crystal, which vibrates and produces its own electromagnetic energy which is received by the pixels. Pixel projection onto other materials, including non-resonant materials, is also disclosed. The pixel based projected electrodes may be used in combination with, or in lieu of, conventional metal electrodes. Individual pixels may be turned on and off, and gain- and phase-controlled, in order to achieve specific desired resonator response characteristics. Many types of devices using pixel based electrode projection are disclosed&#x2014;including resonators having one or more electrodes, oscillators, filters, delay lines, antennas and others.

Resonators and devices with pixel based electrodes operating across a gap

Packaged integrated circuit devices include an oscillator circuit having a resonator (e.g., quartz crystal, MEMs, etc.) associated therewith, which is configured to generate a periodic reference signal. A built-in self-test (BIST) circuit is provided, which is selectively electrically coupled to first and second terminals of the resonator during an operation by the BIST circuit to test at least one performance characteristic of the resonator, such as at least one failure mode. These test operations may occur during a built-in self-test time interval when the oscillator circuit is at least partially disabled. In this manner, built-in self-test circuitry may be utilized to provide an efficient means of testing a resonating element/structure using circuitry that is integrated within an oscillator chip and within a wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP) containing the resonator.

Packaged oscillators with built-in self-test circuits that support resonator testing with reduced pin count

An integrated circuit device includes a pair of serially-connected crystal resonators arranged as a first crystal resonator, which is configured to preferentially support a fundamental resonance mode in response to an input signal, and a second crystal resonator, which is configured to preferentially support a third or higher overtone resonance mode in response to a signal generated at an output terminal of the first crystal resonator. A negative impedance converter (NIC) is also provided, which has an input terminal electrically connected to an input terminal of the first crystal resonator and an output terminal electrically connected to one of the output terminal of the first crystal resonator and the output terminal of the second crystal resonator. The NIC may be a CMOS-based NIC that is devoid of inductive reactance from a passive inductor.

Monolithic composite resonator devices with reduced sensitivity to acceleration and vibration

An integrated circuit package is disclosed having a semiconductor chip, a device supported by the semiconductor chip, and a molding compound sealing the semiconductor chip and the device together as a composite package. A method of manufacturing the package is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Lehigh Acres, FL, United States of America

James Bryan Northcutt