JP2011519249A - Timing oscillator and related method - Google Patents

Abstract

  A timing oscillator and related methods and apparatus are described. The timing oscillator can comprise a mechanical resonant structure having a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element. Timing oscillators are stable at very high frequencies and low phase noise, allowing timing oscillators to be used effectively in many devices, including computers and mobile phones, for time and data synchronization purposes Signal can be generated. The signal generated by the timing oscillator can be adjusted using a drive circuit and a compensation circuit.

Description

  The present invention relates generally to timing oscillators and related methods and apparatus, and more particularly to timing oscillators with mechanical resonant structures.

  The generation of high frequency signals has become very important due to the increasing use and utilization of radio technologies and high frequency devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones. Currently, several methods and devices are used to generate high frequency signals. One example is an oscillator, which generates a signal that resonates or oscillates at a specific frequency. There are several types of oscillators. The oscillator is essentially mechanical, electrical, or a combination of the two, ie electromechanical. Electromechanical oscillators are commonly used for their ability to generate a stable signal at an accurate frequency. Electromechanical oscillators use mechanical element vibrations to generate electrical signals. Electromechanical oscillator signals are often used in timer applications due to the precise and stable nature of the signals generated. Electromechanical oscillators used in timing adjustment applications are often referred to as timing oscillators.

  Timing oscillators may be used in several devices including digital clocks, radios, computers, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and cell phones. The timing oscillator generates a clock signal, for example, as a reference frequency that helps synchronize other signals received, processed, or transmitted by the device. In many cases, multiple processing processes are performed simultaneously on the device, and execution of such processes depends on the clock signal generated by the timing oscillator. The ability of designers or users to use timing oscillators to effectively manage and synchronize data at high speeds makes electromechanical oscillators a valuable component in several hardware and software designs and devices.

  An example of an electromechanical timing oscillator is a crystal oscillator. When an electric field is applied to the crystal, the crystal is distorted. Upon removal of the electric field, the crystal returns to its previous shape and generates an electric field and voltage. This phenomenon is known as a piezoelectric phenomenon. Depending on the composition of the crystal, the signal generated by the crystal has a specific resonant frequency. However, there may be some disadvantages to using a crystal oscillator for high frequency applications. The resonant frequency of the signal generated from the crystal oscillator depends on the size and shape of the crystal. Most crystal oscillators are useful for generating signals in the kHz to MHz range, but most modern technologies require signals in the GHz range. Furthermore, the size of the crystal is significantly larger and will occupy more space on the chip compared to other available components.

  One solution to overcome the generated frequency constraints in the timing oscillator is to use a multiplier. The generated signal can be multiplied using a mixer or many other devices known to those skilled in the art to output a new signal at a much higher frequency. For example, a multiplier that receives a signal having a frequency of 50 MHz as an input can output a final signal of 2 GHz by multiplying the input signal by 40 times. However, such techniques have problems. This is because doubling the frequency of the signal may increase the phase noise (for example, only 6 dB). Therefore, converting the signal from the MHz range to a higher range of the MHz range or the GHz range causes a significant deterioration in signal quality due to an increase in phase noise. Thus, conventional timing oscillators may not be ideal for high frequency signal generation.

A timing oscillator and related methods and apparatus are described herein.
According to one aspect, a timing oscillator includes a mechanical resonant structure having a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element, and a drive designed to provide an input signal to the mechanical resonant structure. A circuit and a compensation circuit coupled to the mechanical resonant structure.

  In another aspect, the timing oscillator comprises a mechanical resonant structure. The timing oscillator is designed to generate a first signal and provide an output signal, the frequency of the first signal being greater than or equal to the frequency of the output signal.

  According to another aspect, an apparatus includes a timing oscillator configured to generate a first signal and generate an output signal. The apparatus further includes a divider circuit configured to receive the output signal from the timing oscillator. The division circuit is configured to generate a second output signal having a frequency higher than the frequency of the output signal from the timing oscillator.

  According to another aspect, a method generates a first signal using a timing oscillator with a mechanical resonant structure, and processes the first signal to produce a frequency below the first signal. Providing an output signal having:

  According to another aspect, the timing oscillator comprises a set of micromechanical resonant structures designed to provide a plurality of respective output signals. The micromechanical resonance structure includes at least one resonant structure having a maximum dimension of less than 100 μm. At least one switch is associated with the set of mechanical resonant structures. The at least one switch is designed to select a first signal from output signals from the set of micromechanical resonant structures.

  In another aspect, the timing oscillator is designed to generate an output signal. The timing oscillator has at least one mechanical resonance structure, and the overall height of the timing oscillator is less than 0.5 mm.

  In another aspect, a packaged integrated circuit comprises a timing oscillator designed to generate at least one output signal. The timing oscillator includes a mechanical resonant structure, a device associated with the timing oscillator, and a package that at least partially surrounds the timing oscillator and the device.

  In another aspect, an integrated circuit comprises a timing oscillator designed to generate an output signal and a device associated with the timing oscillator. The timing oscillator and the device are integrated in the same package, and the timing oscillator has at least one mechanical resonance structure.

  In another aspect, a timing oscillator includes a mechanical resonant structure formed on a first substrate and a circuit formed on a second substrate. The circuit is electrically connected to the mechanical resonant structure.

Other aspects, embodiments and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical, substantially similar component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral or notation. Not all components are labeled in every figure for purposes of clarity. Moreover, not all components of each embodiment of the invention are shown as illustrative so as to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention. All patent applications and patents incorporated herein by reference are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control.

The figure which shows the timing oscillator provided with the resonator and drive circuit concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the timing oscillator provided with the resonator, compensation circuit, and drive circuit concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the mechanical resonance structure provided with the main element and the subelement concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the timing oscillator provided with the complete mechanical resonance structure concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the apparatus which packaged the timing oscillator apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the apparatus which packaged the timing oscillator apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the apparatus which packaged the timing oscillator apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the apparatus which packaged the timing oscillator apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating multilayer substrate packaging of a timing oscillator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A timing oscillator is described herein along with related methods and apparatus. The timing oscillator can comprise a mechanical resonant structure. The drive circuit can provide an input signal to the mechanical resonant structure and cause the mechanical resonant structure to vibrate. In some embodiments, the mechanical resonant structure comprises a plurality of elements coupled together. For example, the resonant structure can comprise a main element having micrometer scale dimensions coupled to one or more subelements having nanoscale dimensions. In some cases, a compensation circuit is incorporated into the timing oscillator to adjust or modify the timing oscillator output signal. The compensation circuit can provide the necessary adjustments caused by several causes including operational and manufacturing anomalies. This timing oscillator may be useful in applications that require generating high frequency signals with low noise and high Q factor (quality factor).

FIG. 1A shows a timing oscillator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the timing oscillator includes a resonator 102 and a drive circuit 104.
The resonator 102 in FIG. 1A is a mechanically resonant structure (also known as a mechanical resonator) and generates signals at the desired frequency using mechanical elements as described in more detail in FIG. Is a passive device. The mechanical resonator can be adjusted to adjust the output frequency. For example, the resonator can be adjusted by selecting design parameters such as geometry, dimensions, and material type. In general, a wide variety of resonator designs can be used. As described further below with respect to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the mechanical resonator may comprise a main element coupled to one or more subelements.

  The resonator can generate a self-sustained oscillation by being connected to a drive circuit including an active electronic circuit. The drive circuit can include a feedback loop including a resistive element and a capacitive element. The resistive and capacitive elements can be adjusted to produce the desired oscillator output signal. In one embodiment of the invention, the drive circuit includes an operational amplifier with a large gain resistor in the feedback loop. In general, any suitable drive circuit can be used.

  The compensation circuit 106 can be integrated into the drive circuit or designed as an additional circuit to the drive circuit as shown in FIG. 1B. In general, the compensation circuit can have many different configurations to provide an appropriate circuit configuration. The compensation circuit can comprise a plurality of circuits and component partitions, each component partition being designed to perform the desired compensation function.

  The compensation circuit can be used to make modifications to improve or correct the output signal of the timing oscillator. Inaccuracies in chip and package manufacturing often result in process variations or component malfunctions that can cause undesirable output signals. The compensation circuit can provide a means for correcting errors including but not limited to process variations, thermal variations, and jitter.

  Jitter occurs when the signal has an excess phase that varies with time, resulting in the generation of mismatched signals. Jitter originally occurs randomly but is a common phenomenon observed in electronic devices and communication signals. The reduction in jitter reduces the phase noise of the signal. The compensation circuit 106 can be designed to control and limit jitter.

  Internal thermal fluctuations can occur as a result of voltage or current level fluctuations in the device and can cause random movement of charge carriers (typically electrons) across the semiconductor material. Similar to jitter, random movement of electrons causes thermal noise in the circuit that degrades the quality of the output signal due to increased phase noise.

  In addition to internal thermal fluctuations, external or ambient temperature changes can affect the function of the device. The material in the device expands or contracts by different amounts depending on the temperature at which the device is operating. The expansion and contraction of the device material can significantly impair the performance of the device, particularly its operating frequency. The amount of expansion and contraction in a material is determined using the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material.

  Compensation circuit 106 is designed to correct errors due to internal and external thermal fluctuations. The compensation circuit may include a calibration table that stores information regarding the operating frequency as a function of temperature. In this way, as the internal or external temperature changes, the compensation circuit can refer to the calibration table and adjust the adjustable components of the timing oscillator to produce the desired signal output.

  In addition to thermal fluctuations, the smaller the device dimensions, the more anomalies may occur, especially in the process of manufacturing the device. For example, at such dimensions, such errors in manufacturing chips and devices (also known as process variations) can have a more significant impact on device performance, including producing output signals. There is. The compensation circuit can be programmed to account for errors due to process variations. The programming can be done during the timing oscillator test or prior to operating the timing oscillator.

Jitter, thermal variation, and process variation are discussed as examples. It should be understood that the compensation circuit is not limited to adjusting the timing oscillator output only by jitter, thermal variations, and process variations. The compensation circuit can modify the timing oscillator output to take into account various other sources of error (eg, stress) in the output of the mechanical resonator.

  In one embodiment of the invention, combiner 108 is coupled to compensation circuit 106, as shown in FIG. 1B. However, it should be understood that not all embodiments comprise a synthesizer. The synthesizer can be external to the timing oscillator or can be integrated into the drive circuit 104. A phase locked loop (PLL) is an example of a synthesizer that can control the phase of a signal (in one embodiment of the invention, the signal generated from the mechanical resonator 102). PLLs are used to control signals at a large range of frequencies, including low frequencies of kHz to high frequencies of GHz.

  The synthesizer 108 may comprise a filter, oscillator, or other signal processing device well known to those skilled in the art. For example, in a timing oscillator, the synthesizer can include a phase detector that minimizes the difference between the signal generated by the drive circuit and the signal generated by the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). This process is repeated until the output signal of the VCO has a phase that matches the phase of the drive circuit.

  It should be understood that the synthesizer is not limited to the components listed above. For example, the synthesizer may not include all the components listed above, may include other circuit elements such as charge pumps to achieve the desired performance, or both. Good.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the output of the timing oscillator is coupled to the processing circuit 110. The processing circuit 110 may comprise any type of circuit or device that processes the signal generated by the timing oscillator 100. For example, the processing circuit 110 may comprise filters, mixers, dividers, amplifiers, or other application specific components and devices. The generated signal is transmitted to other devices using a transmitter incorporated in the processing circuit 110. The output of the timing oscillator 100 can be connected to the processing circuit 110 directly or via the synthesizer 108. The configuration and connections between the processing circuit 110, the synthesizer 108, and the timing oscillator 100 can vary depending on the type of application and the desired signal being generated.

  As described above, the mechanical resonator 102 can generate a signal at a desired frequency using one or more mechanical elements. FIG. 2 illustrates a mechanical resonator 102 that includes one suitable arrangement of mechanical elements, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The mechanical resonator includes a plurality of sub-elements 22 coupled to the main element 21. In this embodiment, the sub-element 22 is in the form of a cantilever and the main element 21 is in the form of a double fixed beam extending between the two supports. The input signal supplied by the drive circuit can be provided using a suitable excitation source that vibrates the sub-element at high frequencies. As described further below, the vibration of the sub-element 22 affects the main element 21 to vibrate at a higher frequency but with an amplitude greater than the individual sub-elements. The mechanical vibration of the main element 21 can be converted into an electrical output signal that can be processed, for example, by the compensation circuit 106 or the synthesizer 108.

  It should be understood that other suitable designs of mechanical resonators can be used to include designs with different arrangements of main and sub-elements. Suitable mechanical resonators are described, for example, in WO 2006/083482 and US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 028,327 filed on Feb. 8, 2008, both of which are incorporated by reference. All of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  In some embodiments, the sub-element 22 has nanoscale dimensions and can therefore vibrate at high speeds to produce a resonant frequency of a significantly higher frequency (eg, 1-10 GHz). The main element 21 coupled to the sub-element 22 starts to vibrate at a frequency similar to the resonance frequency of the sub-element 22. Each subelement imparts vibrational energy to the main element 21, which allows the main element 21 to vibrate with an amplitude greater than that possible with only a single nanoscale element. The vibration of the main element 21 can generate an electrical signal that is strong enough to be detected, transmitted, and / or further processed (e.g., a gigahertz range or higher range), and can provide wireless communication. This device can be used in many desirable applications, including:

  In general, the sub-element 22 has at least one dimension (eg, length, thickness, width) that is smaller than the dimension of the main element 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the sub-element 22 has a shorter length than the main element 21. The subelement 22 can have dimensions on the nanoscale (ie, less than 1 μm). In some embodiments, at least one of the dimensions is less than 1 μm, and in some embodiments, the “large dimension” (ie, the largest of these dimensions) is less than 1 μm. For example, the sub-element 22 can have a thickness and / or width that is less than 1 μm (eg, between 1 nm and 1 μm). The sub-element 22 can have a large dimension (eg, length) between about 0.1 μm and 10 μm, or between 0.1 μm and 1 μm. The main element 21 can have a width and / or thickness of less than 10 μm (eg between 10 nm and 10 μm). The main element 21 can have a length greater than 1 μm (eg, between 1 μm and 100 μm), and in some cases, the main element 21 is greater than 10 μm (eg, 10 μm and 100 μm). Between) and the length. In some cases, the main element has a large dimension (eg, length) of less than 100 μm.

  The dimensions of main element 21 and sub-element 22 are selected based in part on the desired performance, including the desired frequency range of the input and / or output signals associated with the device. It should be understood that dimensions outside the above ranges are also suitable. Appropriate dimensions are also described in WO 2006/083482, which is hereby incorporated by reference to the left. It should be further understood that the main element 21 and / or the sub-element 22 can have any suitable shape and that the device is not limited to beam-shaped elements. Another suitable form is described in WO 2006/083482.

  FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the timing oscillator 300 includes a drive circuit 104, a compensation circuit 106, a set of mechanical resonators 302 comprising a plurality of mechanical resonators 102A, 102B, 102C, and associated switches 304A, 304B and 304C. In general, any number of mechanical resonators can be used in a timing oscillator.

  The drive circuit 104 drives a set of mechanical resonators 302. Resonators 102A, 102B, and 102C are programmed to generate signals at different frequencies. Thus, a set of mechanical resonators 302 is used to output a plurality of signals, each signal having a unique phase and frequency. Allowing the device to output multiple frequencies may be useful when used in devices such as cell phones that are programmed to operate at different frequencies. In addition, a standard and pre-programmed set of mechanical resonators can be utilized to operate in conjunction with multiple devices.

In one embodiment of the invention, the drive circuit is connected to switches 304A, 304B, and 304C. Switches 304A, 304B, and 304C can be programmed for a particular application or have default settings that select signals of a desired frequency or frequency range. These switches may be mechanical, electrical or electromechanical. As an example, the switch is a transistor. The switch controls the selection of the output from the set of mechanical resonators 302 for further processing. In general, any number of switches can be used for any number of mechanical resonators incorporated into a set of resonators 302. The mechanical resonator is not limited to one switch, and can be connected to a plurality of switches. Similarly, the switch can be connected to multiple mechanical resonators. The switch is used for any purpose and is not limited to the purpose of selection in the timing oscillator.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the selected timing oscillator output is passed through a filter. In general, the filter is used to limit the spectral bandwidth of the output signal of the timing oscillator, and the output signal can be further optimized by removing spurious and / or unwanted components in the signal. Optimization of the output signal using filters is optional and is performed by various components and devices. It should be understood that the filter can be coupled to the timing oscillator 300 in any configuration and can be integrated into the timing oscillator 300.

  In another embodiment of the invention, the divider circuit is coupled to the output side of the timing oscillator. In one aspect of the invention, the divider circuit receives as input the signal generated by the timing oscillator. The divider circuit can be programmed or adjusted by the user to reduce the operating frequency of the generated signal. Reduction of the operating frequency of the signal can be done by various means including the use of a mixer. Dividing the frequency of the input signal improves the phase noise of the resulting signal. As indicated above, the phase noise can be improved by 6 dB by reducing the frequency of the signal to half its initial frequency. Some methods of the present invention include processing a signal generated by a mechanical resonator to provide a timing oscillator output signal having a frequency greater than the generated signal.

  An advantage of a timing oscillator according to an embodiment of the present invention is that the timing oscillator can be used to generate a high frequency signal, thereby improving phase noise as described above. It becomes possible to do. The divider circuit can be incorporated into the timing oscillator or, according to some embodiments of the present invention, can be part of the processing circuit 110 coupled to the timing oscillator. The timing oscillator can also be configured to generate an output signal that has a frequency that is less than or equal to the frequency of the signal generated by the resonator 102. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for example, a higher range of the MHz range (eg, higher than 100 MHz) or a frequency in the GHz range (eg, between 1 GHz and 10 GHz) is required for certain conventional timing oscillators. To be generated without the need for a frequency multiplier. In some cases, the generated signal can have a frequency of at least 1 GHz (eg, between 1 GHz and 10 GHz), while the output signal is, for example, at least 100 MHz (eg, 100 MHz). Frequency (between 1 GHz). The timing oscillator can be used to provide an output signal and / or to provide a signal generated in the lower MHz or kHz range. In some cases, the output signal and / or the generated signal can have a frequency of at least 1 MHz (eg, 13 MHz, 26 MHz), or in some cases, at least 32 kHz.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the timing oscillator can be built on a single substrate. That is, all the components of the timing oscillator can be formed on the same substrate. In some cases, additional components may be formed on the same substrate. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, timing oscillator 100 and additional device 404 are built on a single substrate 402 and at least partially surrounded by a package 406 on a single chip module 400 (eg, a circuit board). Is done. The timing oscillator 100 can include a drive circuit, a mechanical resonator or a set of mechanical resonators, and a compensation circuit, which is necessary to achieve a filter, switch, or necessary design objective. May be other elements.

Examples of commonly used substrates for timing oscillators include any suitable semiconductor substrate such as silicon, III-V compounds.
Package 406 typically encloses timing oscillators and devices so that they are not exposed to the surrounding environment. In general, any suitable packaging material can be used.

  Advantageously, the timing oscillators of certain embodiments of the present invention can have dimensions that allow them to be incorporated into conventional chip packages. This is in contrast to conventional specific timing oscillators with larger dimensions. For example, timing oscillators according to some embodiments of the present invention have a height of less than 0.8 mm, in some embodiments less than 0.5 mm, and in some embodiments less than 0.25 mm. Is possible.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the timing oscillator and the additional device can be mounted on the same chip, but with different substrates. As shown in FIG. 4B, the timing oscillator 100 is built on a substrate 408 while the additional device 404 is built on a different substrate 410. The timing oscillator 100 and the additional device 404 can be integrated into the single chip module 400. The choice of substrate for the device depends on the device type used. If the timing oscillator comprises a set of mechanical resonators, each mechanical resonator can be provided on a different substrate.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the components of the timing oscillator can be packaged and manufactured as a separate chip and can be integrated with the timing oscillator into a single multichip module. According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4C, the timing oscillator 100 is designed and packaged 406A separately from the additional device (packaging device 406B) and embedded on the multi-chip module 412. be able to. In this embodiment, the timing oscillator and the device can be provided on the same substrate.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4D, in another embodiment of the invention, timing oscillator 100 and additional device 404 can be provided on different substrates 408 and 410, packaged separately as 406A and 406B. And still integrated into a single multichip module 412. As previously mentioned, the additional device can be any element, such as a filter, switch, electrical or electromechanical device, which helps achieve design or performance objectives.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, the timing oscillator can be fabricated on two substrates in a flip chip arrangement as shown in FIG. In these embodiments, one or more components of the timing oscillator can be formed on a first substrate and one or more components can be formed on a second substrate. A component on one substrate can be electrically connected to a component on another substrate, for example, by a conductive path extending between the two substrates.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first substrate 502 has a plurality of bonding sites provided with bumps 506 extending upward. The second substrate 504 also has a plurality of bonding sites, but holes 508 are formed on the second substrate by etching. The second substrate 504 is inverted and the corresponding bonding sites 506 and 508 of the first and second substrates are aligned so that the two substrates can be bonded together. Examples of the first substrate 502 and / or the second substrate 504 include a device wafer and a cap wafer, the wafers including silicon, silicon germanium, or other doped or undoped semiconductor material. Is possible. Both substrates have packaging layers 516 and 518 that are provided using packaging methods well known to those skilled in the art.

  In one embodiment of the invention, a mechanical resonator or a set of mechanical resonators 510 can be located on the first substrate 502. The additional circuit 512 can be located on the second substrate. Examples of additional circuitry 512 include, but are not limited to, compensation circuitry, PLLs, filters, or any electronic component or device that can be physically and functionally implemented on the second substrate 504. is not. Mechanical resonator 510 can be electrically coupled to additional circuit 512 using interconnect 514 or bonding sites 506 and 508. According to one embodiment of the invention, the coupling can be achieved using vias filled with conductive material. In general, vias are also considered elements that allow interconnection between multiple interconnect layers of a device.

  While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be appreciated that various replacements, modifications and improvements to the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such exchanges, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are merely examples.

Claims (53)

In packaged integrated circuits,
A timing oscillator designed to generate at least one output signal, the timing oscillator having a mechanical resonant structure;
A device associated with the timing oscillator;
A packaged integrated circuit comprising the timing oscillator and a package that at least partially surrounds the device.   The packaged integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the device is a filter.   The packaged integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the timing oscillator is formed on a first substrate and the device is formed on a second substrate.   The packaged integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the timing oscillator is on a first substrate and the device is on the first substrate.   The packaged integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second timing oscillator, wherein the package at least partially surrounds the second timing oscillator.   The packaged integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanical resonant structure comprises a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element. A timing oscillator designed to generate an output signal, the timing oscillator having at least one mechanical resonant structure;
An integrated circuit comprising a device associated with the timing oscillator;
An integrated circuit in which the timing oscillator and the device are integrated in the same package. A mechanical resonant structure formed on the first substrate;
A timing oscillator comprising a circuit formed on a second substrate,
The circuit is a timing oscillator electrically connected to the mechanical resonant structure.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate at a bonding site.   9. The timing oscillator of claim 8, wherein the second substrate is coupled to the first substrate using an interconnect.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the first substrate includes a first plurality of bonding sites.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the second substrate includes a second plurality of bonding sites.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the mechanical resonance structure includes a set of mechanical resonators.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the first substrate is silicon, and the second substrate is silicon.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the first substrate is a device wafer and the second substrate is a cap wafer.   The timing oscillator according to claim 8, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged in parallel to each other. A timing oscillator designed to generate an output signal,
The timing oscillator has at least one mechanical resonant structure;
The timing oscillator, wherein the overall height of the timing oscillator is less than 0.5 mm.   The timing oscillator of claim 17, further comprising at least one drive circuit associated with the at least one mechanical resonant structure.   The timing oscillator of claim 17, further comprising at least one compensation circuit. A timing oscillator,
A mechanical resonant structure comprising a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element;
A drive circuit designed to provide an input signal to the mechanical resonant structure;
A timing oscillator comprising a compensation circuit coupled to the mechanical resonant structure.   21. The timing oscillator of claim 20, wherein the compensation circuit adjusts the timing oscillator output signal to account for thermal fluctuations.   21. The timing oscillator of claim 20, wherein the compensation circuit adjusts the timing oscillator output signal to account for process variations.   21. The timing oscillator of claim 20, wherein the compensation circuit adjusts the timing oscillator output signal to account for jitter.   The timing oscillator according to claim 20, wherein the compensation circuit includes a combiner.   21. The timing oscillator of claim 20, wherein the timing oscillator is configured to generate an output signal, and the frequency of the input signal is greater than or equal to the frequency of the output signal. A timing oscillator having a mechanical resonance structure,
Designed to generate a first signal and provide an output signal;
A timing oscillator in which a frequency of the first signal is equal to or higher than a frequency of the output signal.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the output signal has a frequency of at least 100 MHz.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the output signal has a frequency between 100 MHz and 1 GHz.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the first signal has a frequency of at least 1 GHz.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the first signal has a frequency of at least 1 MHz.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the first signal has a frequency of at least 32 kHz.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, wherein the first signal has a frequency between 1 GHz and 10 GHz.   27. The timing oscillator according to claim 26, wherein the mechanical resonance structure includes a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element.   27. The timing oscillator of claim 26, further comprising a divider circuit configured to reduce the frequency of the input signal to generate the output signal. A timing oscillator configured to generate a first signal and an output signal;
A divider circuit configured to receive the output signal from the timing oscillator;
The divider circuit is configured to generate a second output signal having a higher frequency than the frequency of the output signal from the timing oscillator. In the timing oscillator,
A set of micromechanical resonant structures designed to provide a plurality of respective output signals, the micromechanical resonant structure comprising at least one resonant structure having a large dimension of less than 100 μm A micro mechanical resonance structure of
At least one switch associated with the set of mechanical resonant structures, the switch designed to select a first signal from the plurality of output signals from the set of micromechanical resonant structures; Provided timing oscillator.   37. The timing oscillator of claim 36, further comprising a synthesizer designed to receive the first signal.   37. The timing oscillator according to claim 36, further comprising a filter for filtering the first signal.   37. The timing oscillator of claim 36, wherein the at least one mechanical resonant structure comprises a main element and a sub-element coupled to the main element.   40. The timing oscillator of claim 39, wherein the sub-element has a large dimension between 0.001 [mu] m and 1 [mu] m.   40. The timing oscillator of claim 39, wherein the main element has a large dimension between 0.01 [mu] m and 100 [mu] m.   The timing oscillator of claim 36, wherein each output signal has a different frequency.   37. The timing oscillator according to claim 36, further comprising a first compensation circuit that receives the plurality of output signals from the set of micromechanical resonance structures.   37. The timing oscillator according to claim 36, wherein the second compensation circuit causes stabilization of the set of micro mechanical resonance structures.   The timing oscillator according to claim 36, wherein the first compensation circuit and the second compensation circuit are implemented in one circuit. Generating a first signal using a timing oscillator having a mechanical resonant structure;
Processing the first signal and providing an output signal having a frequency less than or equal to the first signal.   48. The method of claim 46, wherein the output signal is provided by the timing oscillator.   The method of claim 46, wherein the output signal is provided by a divider circuit connected to the output of the timing oscillator.   The method of claim 46, wherein the output signal has a frequency of at least 100 MHz.   The method of claim 46, wherein the output signal has a frequency between 100 MHz and 1 GHz.   47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first signal has a frequency of at least 1 GHz.   47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first signal has a frequency of at least 1 MHz.   The method of claim 46, wherein the first signal has a frequency between 1 GHz and 10 GHz.

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