Stress-compensated quartz resonators

Claim 2

A stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in at least one of its fast and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 and the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11, plus or minus 4° in φ and θ.

Claim 3

A resonator as in claim 1, further having a substantially circular major plane.

Claim 4

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 plus or minus 4° in φ and θ to obtain a zero or substantially zero stress coefficient of frequency for said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 5

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 plus or minus 4° in φ and θ to obtain a zero or substantially zero stress coefficient of frequency for said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 6

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11 plus or minus 4° in φ and θ to obtain a zero or substantially zero stress coefficient of frequency for said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 7

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11 plus or minus 4° in φ and θ to obtain a zero or substantially zero stress coefficient of frequency for said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 8

A resonator as in claim 2, 3 or 4, further having a biconvex contour.

Claim 9

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation approximately (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°.

Claim 10

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation approximately (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°.

Claim 11

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°, plus or minus 2° in φ and θ.

Claim 12

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°, plus or minus 2° in φ and θ.

Claim 13

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 0°/22.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ.

Claim 14

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 0°/22.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ.

Claim 15

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 0°/22.5° plus or minus 2° in φ and θ.

Claim 16

A stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator having a substantially circular major plane with a thickness axis normal thereto and having an orientation (yxwl) 0°/22.5° plus or minus 2° in φ and θ.

Claim 17

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in at least one of its fast and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 and the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11, plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said reasonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said at least one thickness-shear mode.

Claim 18

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in at least one of its fast and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 and the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11, plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said reasonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said at least one thickness-shear mode.

Claim 19

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation approximately (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 20

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation approximately (yxwl) 38.2°/-34.5°; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 21

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 1.0°/-23.0° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 22

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 1.0°/-23.0° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 23

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 13.°/-27.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 24

An oscillator having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a fast thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 13.°/-27.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast thickness-shear mode.

Claim 25

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in at least one of its fast and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 and the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11, plus or minus 4° in φ and θ, and having large-valued temperature coefficients of frequency A, B and/or C; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said at least one thickness-shear mode.

Claim 26

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in at least one of its fast and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation selected from the group consisting of the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 10 and the orientations (yxwl) φ/θ defined by the loci of FIG. 11, plus or minus 4° in φ and θ, and having large-valued temperature coefficients of frequency A, B and/or C; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said at least one thickness-shear mode.

Claim 27

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 0°/21° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 28

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in a slow thickness-shear mode of vibration at a frequency substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 0°/21° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow thickness-shear mode.

Claim 29

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 7.0°/22.0° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 30

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 7.0°/22.0° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 31

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 24.7°/27.8° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 32

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 24.7°/27.8° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 33

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 22.8°/-49.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 34

An oscillator for temperature measurements having stable frequency-stress behavior comprising: a stress compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in its slow and fast thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being of an orientation (yxwl) 22.8°/-49.5° plus or minus 4° in φ and θ; means for effecting thermal contact between said resonator and an external temperature; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said slow and fast thickness-shear modes.

Claim 35

An oscillator as in claim 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18, wherein said resonator further has opposite surfaces of selected contour spaced about a substantially circular major plane.

Claim 36

An oscillator as in claim 19, wherein said selected contour is biconvex.

Claim 37

A pressure sensor comprising: a stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in fast thickness-shear and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being approximately of the orientation (yxwl) 16.3+/-34.5° and having opposite surfaces of selected contour spaced about a substantially circular major plane, and further being stress compensated for said fast thickness-shear mode and temperature compensated for said slow thickness mode; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast and slow thickness-shear modes.

Claim 38

A pressure sensor comprising: a stress-compensated thickness-shear resonator adapted to vibrate in fast thickness-shear and slow thickness-shear modes of vibration at respective frequencies substantially determined by the thickness thereof, said resonator being approximately of the orientation (yxwl) 16.3+/-34.5° and having opposite surfaces of selected contour spaced about a substantially circular major plane, and further being stress compensated for said fast thickness-shear mode and temperature compensated for said slow thickness mode; means for mounting said resonator and for transforming stresses arising from external pressure to uniform stresses in the major plane of said resonator; and means for generating and supplying an electric field to said resonator for exciting said fast and slow thickness-shear modes.

Claim 39

A pressure sensor as in claim 21 further comprising: means for isolating respective frequency signals of said fast thickness-shear and said slow thickness-shear modes; means responsive to said slow thickness-shear mode frequency signal for providing an indication of the pressure of the environment being investigated; and means responsive to said fast thickness-shear mode frequency signal for compensating said pressure indication with the frequency signal of said fast thickness-shear mode, whereby said pressure indication is relatively independent of temperature induced effects.

Claim 40

A resonator as in claim 21 or 22, wherein the orientation of said resonator is within ±4° in φ and θ of (yxwl) 16.3°/-34.5°.