Title :
A Vertically Coupled MEMS Resonator Pair for Oscillator Applications
Author :
Ming-Huang Li ; Chao-Yu Chen ; Wen-Chien Chen ; Sheng-Shian Li
Author_Institution :
Inst. of NanoEngineering & Microsyst., Nat. Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan
Abstract :
This letter presents the design of a micromechanical oscillator based on a vertically coupled (VC) CMOS-microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator pair for phase noise reduction. The prototyped resonator pair consists of two vibrating plates coupled with each other, thus providing enhanced power handling while keeping compact footprint. The proof-of-concept oscillator based on a 6.5-MHz, VC mode resonator achieves a phase noise of -97 dBc/Hz at 1-kHz offset and -118 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset from carrier with a resonator size of 30 × 30 μm2. Compared with its nonresonance-coupled saddle mode counterpart, the VC-mode-based oscillator features 10-dB phase noise reduction using the same oscillator circuit setup. The design concept of this letter can be extended to three dimensional (3-D) mechanically coupled resonator designs in the future.
Keywords :
CMOS analogue integrated circuits; integrated circuit design; micromechanical resonators; oscillators; phase noise; 3D mechanically coupled resonator design; VC CMOS-microelectromechanical system resonator; enhanced power handling; frequency 6.5 MHz; micromechanical oscillator application; noise figure 10 dB; nonresonancecoupled saddle mode; phase noise reduction; three dimensional mechanically coupled resonator design; vertically coupled MEMS resonator; vibrating plate; Arrays; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices; Optical resonators; Phase noise; Resonant frequency; CMOS; MEMS; linearity; mechanically-coupled; mechanically-coupled.; oscillator; phase noise;
Journal_Title :
Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JMEMS.2015.2421555
