This paper reports post-CMOS compatible aluminum nitride dual mode resonator filters that realize 4th order band-pass filters in a single resonator device. Dual mode filters at 106 MHz operating in their fundamental mode are reported with insertion losses as low as 5.5 dB when terminated with 150 Ω. A notching technique is demonstrated for varying the 3 dB bandwidth of these filters from 0.15 to 0.7%, overcoming a significant limitation of previous work. Dual mode filters operating at their 5th and 10th overtones are reported scaling the operating frequencies of this class of device to 0.55 and 1.1 GHz.
This work presents a new type of MEMS resonator based on launching an acoustic wave around a ring. Its maximum frequency is set by electrode spacing and can therefore provide a means for developing resonators with center frequencies in the GHz. In addition since the center frequency is dependent on the average radius it is not subject to lithographic process variations in ring width. We have demonstrated several Ring Waveguide (RWG) Resonators with center frequencies at 484 MHz and 1 GHz. In addition we have demonstrated a 4th order filter based on a RWG design.
This work utilized advanced engineering in several fields to find solutions to the challenges presented by the integration of MEMS/NEMS with optoelectronics to realize a compact sensor system, comprised of a microfabricated sensor, VCSEL, and photodiode. By utilizing microfabrication techniques in the realization of the MEMS/NEMS component, the VCSEL and the photodiode, the system would be small in size and require less power than a macro-sized component. The work focused on two technologies, accelerometers and microphones, leveraged from other LDRD programs. The first technology was the nano-g accelerometer using a nanophotonic motion detection system (67023). This accelerometer had measured sensitivity of approximately 10 nano-g. The Integrated NEMS and optoelectronics LDRD supported the nano-g accelerometer LDRD by providing advanced designs for the accelerometers, packaging, and a detection scheme to encapsulate the accelerometer, furthering the testing capabilities beyond bench-top tests. A fully packaged and tested die was never realized, but significant packaging issues were addressed and many resolved. The second technology supported by this work was the ultrasensitive directional microphone arrays for military operations in urban terrain and future combat systems (93518). This application utilized a diffraction-based sensing technique with different optical component placement and a different detection scheme from the nano-g accelerometer. The Integrated NEMS LDRD supported the microphone array LDRD by providing custom designs, VCSELs, and measurement techniques to accelerometers that were fabricated from the same operational principles as the microphones, but contain proof masses for acceleration transduction. These devices were packaged at the end of the work.
The goal of this LDRD project was to evaluate the possibilities of utilizing Stochastic resonance in micromechanical sensor systems as a means for increasing signal to noise for physical sensors. A careful study of this field reveals that in the case of a single sensing element, stochastic resonance offers no real advantage. We have, however, identified a system that can utilize very similar concepts to stochastic resonance in order to achieve an arrayed sensor system that could be superior to existing technologies in the field of inertial sensors, and could offer a very low power technique for achieving navigation grade inertial measurement units.
