Temp-Compensated Piezo Substrates Elevate Performance Levels

Oct. 27, 2003

New temperature-compensated piezoelectric substrates from Ziptronix help improve the performance of a wide range of wireless communication and consumer electronic devices. Based on the company's ZiROC room-temperature covalent bonding process, the substrates combine low-cost piezoelectric materials, such as lithium tantalate and lithium niobate, with glass, quartz, or other materials that offer a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The resulting material offers the functionality of the piezo material while minimizing the unfavorable effect from the high CTE of piezoelectrics alone.

A major application is piezo-based RF filters with improved frequency stability for cell phones and high-frequency wireless LANs. Temperature-compensated piezo substrates enable inexpensive surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) filters to serve applications previously accessible only by higher-cost alternatives. Devices that can be made cost-effectively include resonant devices, multimode frequency agile oscillators, Nyquist filters, and synchronous/asynchronous convolvers. The ZiROC process minimizes design tradeoffs of SAW filters and provides reduced loss and increased blockage (see the figure). Pricing for lots of up to 10 bonded wafer pairs begins at $13,000. Delivery is within two to three weeks after receipt of materials. Volume pricing varies based on the type of material and quantity.

Ziptronixwww.ziptronix.com (919) 459-2400

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.