Akoustis, Inc.

Shawn R Gibb

Jeffrey Blanton Shealy

Ramakrishna Vetury

Mark D Boomgarden

Michael D Hodge

Michael P Lewis

Alexander Y Feldman

Rohan W Houlden

David M Aichele

Pinal Patel

Art Geiss

Mary Winters

Steven P DenBaars

Craig Moe

Jeff Leathersich

Joel M Morgan

A method of manufacture for an acoustic resonator or filter device. In an example, the present method can include forming metal electrodes with different geometric areas and profile shapes coupled to a piezoelectric layer overlying a substrate. These metal electrodes can also be formed within cavities of the piezoelectric layer or the substrate with varying geometric areas. Combined with specific dimensional ratios and ion implantations, such techniques can increase device performance metrics. In an example, the present method can include forming various types of perimeter structures surrounding the metal electrodes, which can be on top or bottom of the piezoelectric layer. These perimeter structures can use various combinations of modifications to shape, material, and continuity. These perimeter structures can also be combined with sandbar structures, piezoelectric layer cavities, the geometric variations previously discussed to improve device performance metrics.

Method for fabricating an acoustic resonator device with perimeter structures

A method of manufacture for an acoustic resonator device. The method includes forming a nucleation layer characterized by nucleation growth parameters overlying a substrate and forming a strained piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer. The strained piezoelectric layer is characterized by a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters. The process of forming the strained piezoelectric layer can include an epitaxial growth process configured by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to modulate the strain condition in the strained piezoelectric layer. By modulating the strain condition, the piezoelectric properties of the resulting piezoelectric layer can be adjusted and improved for specific applications.

Method of manufacture for single crystal acoustic resonator devices using micro-vias

An acoustic resonator device and method thereof. The device includes a substrate member having an air cavity region. A piezoelectric layer is coupled to and configured overlying the substrate member and the air cavity region. The piezoelectric layer is configured to be characterized by an x-ray rocking curve Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) ranging from 0 degrees to 2 degrees. A top electrode is coupled to and configured overlying the piezoelectric layer, while a bottom electrode coupled to and configured underlying the piezoelectric layer within the air cavity region. The configuration of the materials of the piezoelectric layer and the substrate member to achieve the specific FWHM range improves a power handling capability characteristic and a power durability characteristic.

High power bulk acoustic wave resonator filter devices

An RF filter system including a plurality of BAW resonators arranged in a circuit, the circuit including a serial configuration of resonators and a parallel shunt configuration of resonators, the circuit having a circuit response corresponding to the serial configuration and the parallel configuration of the plurality of bulk acoustic wave resonators including a transmission loss from a pass band having a bandwidth from 5.170 GHz to 5.835 GHz. Resonators include a support member with a multilayer reflector structure; a first electrode including tungsten; a piezoelectric film including aluminum scandium nitride; a second electrode including tungsten; and a passivation layer including silicon nitride. At least one resonator includes at least a portion of the first electrode located within a cavity region defined by a surface of the support member.

Acoustic wave resonator RF filter circuit and system

An RF filter system including a plurality of BAW resonators arranged in a circuit, the circuit including a serial configuration of resonators and a parallel shunt configuration of resonators, the circuit having a circuit response corresponding to the serial configuration and the parallel configuration of the plurality of bulk acoustic wave resonators including a transmission loss from a pass band having a bandwidth from 5.855 GHz to 5.925 GHz. Resonators include a support member with a multilayer reflector structure; a first electrode including tungsten; a piezoelectric film including aluminum scandium nitride; a second electrode including tungsten; and a passivation layer including silicon nitride. At least one resonator includes at least a portion of the first electrode located within a cavity region defined by a surface of the support member.

Acoustic wave resonator, RF filter circuit device and system

An RF filter system including a plurality of BAW resonators arranged in a circuit, the circuit including a serial configuration of resonators and a parallel shunt configuration of resonators, the circuit having a circuit response corresponding to the serial configuration and the parallel configuration of the plurality of bulk acoustic wave resonators including a transmission loss from a pass band having a bandwidth from 5.170 GHz to 5.330 GHz. Resonators include a support member with a multilayer reflector structure; a first electrode including tungsten; a piezoelectric film including aluminum scandium nitride; a second electrode including tungsten; and a passivation layer including silicon nitride. At least one resonator includes at least a portion of the first electrode located within a cavity region defined by a surface of the support member.

An RF filter system including a plurality of BAW resonators arranged in a circuit, the circuit including a serial configuration of resonators and a parallel shunt configuration of resonators, the circuit having a circuit response corresponding to the serial configuration and the parallel configuration of the plurality of bulk acoustic wave resonators including a transmission loss from a pass band having a bandwidth from 5.490 GHz to 5.835 GHz. Resonators include a support member with a multilayer reflector structure; a first electrode including tungsten; a piezoelectric film including aluminum scandium nitride; a second electrode including tungsten; and a passivation layer including silicon nitride. At least one resonator includes at least a portion of the first electrode located within a cavity region defined by a surface of the support member.

A method of manufacture and structure for a monolithic single chip single crystal device. The method can include forming a first single crystal epitaxial layer overlying the substrate and forming one or more second single crystal epitaxial layers overlying the first single crystal epitaxial layer. The first single crystal epitaxial layer and the one or more second single crystal epitaxial layers can be processed to form one or more active or passive device components. Through this process, the resulting device includes a monolithic epitaxial stack integrating multiple circuit functions.

Monolithic single chip integrated radio frequency front end module configured with single crystal acoustic filter devices

Structure and method of manufacture for acoustic resonator or filter devices using improved fabrication conditions and perimeter structure modifications

A method of manufacture and resulting structure for a single crystal electronic device with an enhanced strain interface region. The method of manufacture can include forming a nucleation layer overlying a substrate and forming a first and second single crystal layer overlying the nucleation layer. This first and second layers can be doped by introducing one or more impurity species to form a strained single crystal layers. The first and second strained layers can be aligned along the same crystallographic direction to form a strained single crystal bi-layer having an enhanced strain interface region. Using this enhanced single crystal bi-layer to form active or passive devices results in improved physical characteristics, such as enhanced photon velocity or improved density charges.

Method and structure of single crystal electronic devices with enhanced strain interface regions by impurity introduction

A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.

Method and structure for single crystal acoustic resonator devices using thermal recrystallization

A front end module (FEM) for a 5.6 GHz Wi-Fi acoustic wave resonator RF filter circuit. The device can include a power amplifier (PA), a 5.6 GHz resonator, and a diversity switch. The device can further include a low noise amplifier (LNA). The PA is electrically coupled to an input node and can be configured to a DC power detector or an RF power detector. The resonator can be configured between the PA and the diversity switch, or between the diversity switch and an antenna. The LNA may be configured to the diversity switch or be electrically isolated from the switch. Another 5.6 GHZ resonator may be configured between the diversity switch and the LNA. In a specific example, this device integrates a 5.6 GHz PA, a 5.6 GHZ bulk acoustic wave (BAW) RF filter, a single pole two throw (SP2T) switch, and a bypassable LNA into a single device.

Front end module for 5.6 GHz Wi-Fi acoustic wave resonator RF filter circuit

A front end module (FEM) for a 5.2 GHz Wi-Fi acoustic wave resonator RF filter circuit. The device can include a power amplifier (PA), a 5.2 GHz resonator, and a diversity switch. The device can further include a low noise amplifier (LNA). The PA is electrically coupled to an input node and can be configured to a DC power detector or an RF power detector. The resonator can be configured between the PA and the diversity switch, or between the diversity switch and an antenna. The LNA may be configured to the diversity switch or be electrically isolated from the switch. Another 5.2 GHZ resonator may be configured between the diversity switch and the LNA. In a specific example, this device integrates a 5.2 GHz PA, a 5.2 GHZ bulk acoustic wave (BAW) RF filter, a single pole two throw (SP2T) switch, and a bypassable LNA into a single device.

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Huntersville, NC, United States of America

Shawn R Gibb