Glass-blown Pyrex resonator with compensating Ti coating for reduction of TCF

This paper demonstrates that the Thermal Coefficient of resonant Frequency (TCF) of a micro glass-blown Pyrex spherical resonator can be substantially reduced by the application of a titanium (Ti) coating. Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) is used to demonstrate that the temperature dependence of the Young's modulus of the shell material is the dominant parameter affecting the TCF of the resonator, clearly suggesting the use of a metallic compensating layer. Experimental characterization demonstrates that the TCF of a Pyrex glass-blown resonator is reduced by 70% (from 73 ppm/°C to 24 ppm/°C) by the application of a 1.33 μm thick layer of Ti. It is predicted by FEM that for a Ti layer thickness on the order of 2.5 μm the TCF will fall below 10 ppm an acceptable value for high performance resonators. This investigation is a step forward in the quest to employ the desirable properties of micro-blown resonators, such as high symmetry, manufacturing tolerances and environmental robustness.