Micro- (and nano-) mechanical signal processors

With quality factors (Q) often-exceeding 10,000, vibrating micromechanical resonators have emerged as leading candidates for on-chip versions of high-Q resonators used in wireless communications systems. However, as in the case for transistors, extending the frequency of MEMS resonators generally entails scaling of resonator dimensions. Unfortunately, smaller size often coincides with lower-power handling capability and increased motional impedance. In this paper we introduce novel transduction techniques which can improve the motional impedance of MEMS resonators by 1000× over traditional 'air-gap' transduced resonators, present latest results on narrow-bandwidth parametric filters for frequency-agile radio receivers, and discuss performance scaling of NEMS resonators to X-band frequencies.

[1]  D. Weinstein,et al.  Mechanical Coupling of 2D Resonator Arrays for MEMS Filter Applications , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium Joint with the 21st European Frequency and Time Forum.

[2]  H. Chandrahalim,et al.  Aqueous Transduction of Poly-Sige Disk Resonators , 2007, TRANSDUCERS 2007 - 2007 International Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference.

[3]  Lih Feng Cheow,et al.  Channel-Select Micromechanical Filters Using High-K Dielectrically Transduced MEMS Resonators , 2006, 19th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[4]  Sunil A. Bhave,et al.  PIEZORESISTIVE SENSING OF A DIELECTRICALLY ACTUATED SILICON BAR RESONATOR , 2008 .

[5]  Lih Feng Cheow,et al.  Dielectrically Transduced Single-Ended to Differential MEMS Filter , 2006, 2006 IEEE International Solid State Circuits Conference - Digest of Technical Papers.

[6]  Madan Dubey,et al.  Performance comparison of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3-only and Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3-on-silicon resonators , 2008 .

[7]  H. Chandrahalim,et al.  Digitally-tunable mems filter using mechanically-coupled resonator array , 2008, 2008 IEEE 21st International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[8]  R. Kaul,et al.  Monolithically Integrated Piezomems SP2T Switch and Contour-Mode Filters , 2009, 2009 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[9]  Sunil A. Bhave,et al.  The effects of acoustic mismatch on internal dielectrically transduced micromechanical resonators , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium Joint with the 22nd European Frequency and Time forum.

[10]  S. Bhave,et al.  The resonant body transistor. , 2010, Nano letters.

[11]  Sunil A. Bhave,et al.  Frequency scaling and transducer efficiency in internal dielectrically transduced silicon bar resonators , 2009, TRANSDUCERS 2009 - 2009 International Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference.

[12]  R. Howe,et al.  Epitaxial Silicon Microshell Vacuum-Encapsulated CMOS-Compatible 200 MHz Bulk-Mode Resonator , 2009, 2009 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[13]  D. Weinstein,et al.  Internal Dielectric Transduction of a 4.5 GHz Silicon Bar Resonator , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting.