Highly-doped SiC resonator with ultra-large tuning frequency range by Joule heating effect

Abstract

Tuning the natural frequency of a resonator is an innovative approach for the implementation of mechanical resonators in a broad range of fields such as timing applications, filters or sensors. The conventional electrothermal technique is not favorable towards large tuning range because of its reliance on metallic heating elements. The use of metallic heaters could limit the tuning capability due to the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients of materials forming the resonator. To solve this drawback, herein, the design, fabrication, and testing of a highly-doped SiC bridge resonator that excludes the use of metallic material as a heating element has been proposed. Instead, free-standing SiC structure functions as the mechanical resonant component as well as the heating element. Through the use of the Joule heating effect, a frequency tuning capability of almost ∆f/fo ≈ 80% has been demonstrated. The proposed device also exhibited a wide operating frequency range from 72.3 kHz to 14.5 kHz. Our SiC device enables the development of highly sensitive resonant-based sensors, especially in harsh environments.

Keywords

• MEMS resonator
• Electrothermal tuning
• Joule heating
• Silicon carbide