The tunistor: A mechanical resonator for microcircuits

The tunistor is a new mechanically resonant device which utilizes piezoelectric film transducers and a free-free flexural mode of resonance. Monolithic silicon tunistors have been demonstrated at frequencies up to 500 kHz with Qs to several thousand and temperature coefficients of frequency of 40 ppm/°C or less. Frequencies to several MHz should be feasible, and extensional modes should permit the frequency range to be increased even further. Metal tunistors which are compatible with hybrid microcircuits have been demonstrated down to several hundred Hz, and may be made relatively immune to external vibration. This paper describes the results obtained to date, and the technique used to fabricate tunistors.