Qorvo Us, Inc.

Qorvo Biotechnologies, LLC

John Belsick

Derya Deniz

Matthew Wasilik

Robert Kraft

Kevin McCarron

Buu Quoc Diep

Rick Morton

Rio Rivas

Matthew Ryder

Bang Nguyen

A method for manufacturing an acoustic device includes providing a substrate, providing a bottom electrode over the substrate, providing a sacrificial layer on the bottom electrode, patterning the bottom electrode and the sacrificial layer, polishing the sacrificial layer such that a portion of the sacrificial layer remains on the bottom electrode, and removing the remaining portion of the sacrificial layer via a cleaning process such that a surface roughness of the bottom electrode is maintained. By performing the polishing such that a portion of the sacrificial layer remains on the bottom electrode and subsequently removing that portion of the sacrificial layer via a cleaning process that maintains the surface roughness of the bottom electrode, the subsequent growth of a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode can be substantially improved.

Method for manufacturing acoustic devices with improved performance

A structure includes a substrate including a wafer or a portion thereof; and a piezoelectric bulk material layer comprising a first portion deposited onto the substrate and a second portion deposited onto the first portion, the second portion comprising an outer surface having a surface roughness (Ra) of 4.5 nm or less. Methods for depositing a piezoelectric bulk material layer include depositing a first portion of bulk layer material at a first incidence angle to achieve a predetermined c-axis tilt, and depositing a second portion of the bulk material layer onto the first portion at a second incidence angle that is smaller than the first incidence angle. The second portion has a second c-axis tilt that substantially aligns with the first c-axis tilt.

Piezoelectric bulk layers with tilted c-axis orientation and methods for making the same

A fluidic device and a method of preventing isolation material from bleed-out therein is described herein. The fluidic device includes a bulk acoustic wave resonator structure defining at least one surface area region on which a functionalization material is disposed and the resonator structure includes a repelling area. The fluidic device also includes isolation material disposed on the resonator structure and away from the at least one surface area region. The repelling area is configured to prevent the isolation material from extending into the at least one surface area region. Further, an electronic board may be operably attached to the resonator structure and the isolation material may be disposed in a gap therebetween to electrically isolate electrical contacts and form a fluidic channel.

Preventing epoxy bleed-out for biosensor devices

Methods for depositing bulk layer crystalline material having a predetermined c-axis tilt on a substrate include a first step of depositing a first portion of bulk layer material at a first incidence angle to achieve a predetermined c-axis tilt, and a second step of depositing a second portion of the bulk material layer onto the first portion at a second incidence angle that is smaller than the first incidence angle. The second portion has a second c-axis tilt that substantially aligns with the first c-axis tilt.

Method for manufacturing piezoelectric bulk layers with tilted c-axis orientation

Bulk acoustic wave resonator structures include a bulk layer with inclined c-axis hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material supported by a substrate. The bulk layer may be prepared without first depositing a seed layer on the substrate. The bulk material layer has a c-axis tilt of about 32 degrees or greater. The bulk material layer may exhibit a ratio of shear coupling to longitudinal coupling of 1.25 or greater during excitation. A method for preparing a crystalline bulk layer having a c-axis tilt includes depositing a bulk material layer directly onto a substrate at an off-normal incidence. The deposition conditions may include a pressure of less than 5 mTorr and a deposition angle of about 35 degrees to about 85 degrees.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

Acoustic resonator structure with inclined C-axis piezoelectric bulk and crystalline seed layers

Methods for fabricating acoustic structure with inclined c-axis piezoelectric bulk and crystalline seed layers

Multi-stage deposition system for growth of inclined c-axis piezoelectric material structures

A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) resonator device includes a top side electrode overlaid with an interface layer including a material having a surface (e.g., gold or other noble metal, or a hydroxylated oxide) that may be functionalized with a functionalization (e.g., specific binding or non-specific binding) material. The interface layer and/or an overlying blocking material layer are precisely patterned to control locations of the interface layer available to receive a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), thereby addressing issues of misalignment and oversizing of a functionalization zone that would arise by relying solely on microarray spotting. Atomic layer deposition may be used for deposition of the interface layer and/or an optional hermeticity layer. Sensors and microfluidic devices incorporating MEMS resonator devices are also provided.

Acoustic resonator devices and methods providing patterned functionalization areas

The present disclosure provides an acoustic resonator with reduced mechanical clamping of an active region for enhanced shear mode response. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a solidly mounted BAW resonator device with an active region of piezoelectric material laterally surrounded by an inactive region with a reduced thickness of piezoelectric material such that at least an upper portion of the inactive region along a boundary of the active region is devoid of piezoelectric material. The resonator device provides a discontinuity along opposing lateral edges of the piezoelectric material of the active region to reduce mechanical clamping of the active region in a direction of maximum lateral displacement in shear mode operation. Increasing the mechanical isolation of the active region of piezoelectric material decreases mechanical damping of lateral vibrations of the active region which enhances the shear mode response for quasi-shear mode sensing.

Acoustic resonator with reduced mechanical clamping of an active region for enhanced shear mode response

A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) resonator device includes a top side electrode overlaid with a low water permeability hermeticity layer and an interface layer including a material (e.g., gold or a hydroxylated oxide surface) suitable for receiving a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) that may be functionalized with a functionalization (e.g., specific binding) material, with the foregoing layers being designed to have insubstantial impact on sensor performance. Atomic layer deposition may be used for deposition of the hermeticity and/or interface layers. The hermeticity layer protects the electrode material from attack in corrosive liquid environments, and the interface layer facilitates proper chemical binding of the SAM. Sensors and microfluidic devices incorporating MEMS resonator devices are also provided.

Acoustic resonator devices and fabrication methods providing hermeticity and surface functionalization

A solidly mounted resonator structure includes an multi-layer acoustic reflector structure and a piezoelectric material layer arranged between the first and second electrode structures to form an active region, with the acoustic reflector structure providing enhanced reflection of shear and longitudinal modes of acoustic vibrations. The solidly mounted resonator structure is configured for transduction of an acoustic wave including a longitudinal component and a shear component. The acoustic reflector structure includes multiple sequentially arranged differential acoustic impedance layer units each including a low acoustic impedance material layer in contact with a high acoustic impedance material layer. A frequency corresponding to a minimum transmissivity of a second harmonic resonance of a longitudinal response is substantially matched to a frequency corresponding to a minimum transmissivity of a third harmonic resonance of a shear response.

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Bend, OR, United States of America

John Belsick